Quality Auditor Question:

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Problem correction is relatively simple: Define the problem, identify the cause and take action to remove it. Problem prevention, on the other hand, is more complex. Many people would also argue that it’s more important. Preventive action is specifically required by ISO 9001:2000, and it provides one of the most valuable links to continual improvement.

The most obvious way to generate preventive action is by analyzing data. Data analysis is a primary job of top management, but it can happen at other levels of the organization as well. When an organization openly shares data and encourages its analysis on a broad scale, then preventive action becomes easy. Employee creativity and innovation can also be a valuable starting point for preventive action. Savvy organizations look for ways to solicit improvement ideas from their employees and provide feedback on the viability of the ideas. Another source of preventive action is feedback from customers. Often, customers will provide ideas for improving the product in subtle yet significant ways.