Manual - Definitions

Below are some of the commonly used terms in relation to the Business Management System.

Academic Review: An audit of a School or Faculty, which is undertaken to assure the quality of its teaching, research, research training, industry liaison activities and learning endeavours and to measure improvement.

Activity: A collection of interrelated processes that provides a service.

Aims: Targets by which our values are realised.

Audit: An audit is a fact gathering exercise not a faultfinding exercise. The main function of an audit is to ensure that the business processes are being followed and that key concerns are highlighted:

- Certification/Re-certification Audit: A formal audit of activities by auditors from the organisation’s accrediting body granting external verification that the organisation meets ISO standards.
· Document Audit: A formal external audit of documentation.
· Internal audit: A formal audit of processes by Internal auditors
· Gap analysis: An external audit to identify issues which would impede certification.
· External audit: An audit of activities by auditors from the organisation’s accrediting body.

Auditee: The people who are being audited are referred to as auditees.

Audit Report: Results of the evaluation of the collected audit evidence against audit criteria.

Auditor: A person qualified and competent to conduct audits. See also “Technical expert”.

Audit scope: Describes the depth and breadth of the audit.

Audit team: One or more auditors conducting an audit; one auditor in the audit team is generally appointed as audit team leader. The audit team can include auditors-in-training and, where required, technical experts. Observers can accompany the audit team but do not act as part of it.

Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA): Is an independent , not for profit national agency that will promote, audit and report on quality assurance in Australian higher education.

Benchmarking: A comparator that involves an ongoing and systematic evaluation of activities against agreed standards or the act of detailed comparison of procedures with a peer.

Best Practise: Any procedure or process identified within the Faculty that when properly applied, consistently yields superior results. Best Practise procedures and processes identified are to be encouraged in other areas of the Faculty if appropriate.

Business Management System (BMS): The business management system provides a framework of policies, procedures, records, documents and continual improvement processes aimed at meeting the expectations of the Faculty Office client groups.
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BMS manual: Document specifying the quality management system of an organization or a road map to the BMS.

Centre for Higher Education Quality (CHEQ): Is an established department to lead and support the development of quality assurance and improvement in all areas of Monash University operations.

Certification/Re-certification Audit: See “Audit”.

Checklist: A written description or instruction covering each simple step in a process, which is designed to be used to provide evidence of completion of the process.

Client: The people or organisations that directly benefit from your efforts. These can be both internal and external clients.

Client Satisfaction: is recognized as one of the driving criteria for any organization. In order to evaluate if the service meets customer needs and expectations, it is necessary to monitor the extent of customer satisfaction.

Closed: Indicates, where appropriate, that actionhas been taken in relation to Issues, Potential Issues and Opportunities for Improvement.

Complaint: Any expression of dissatisfaction communicated verbally or in writing, relating to a service.

Complainant: The person or organisation making a complaint.

Compliment: Any expression of satisfaction communicated verbally or in writing, relating to a service provided.

Continual improvement: Continually increasing the effectiveness and/or efficiency of its processes, to fulfil its policies and objectives with a focus on client satisfaction.

Controlled/Uncontrolled Document: A controlled document contains a version number, date and authorisation. Controlled documents are housed on the BMS site; once a document is outside this environment it is an uncontrolled document.

Core Processes: Processes that service clients and are central to the business purpose.

Documents: Structured units of recorded information published or unpublished in hardcopy or electronic form and managed as discrete units in information systems.

Document Audit: See “Audit”.

Documented Procedure: means that the procedure is established, authorised, implemented and maintained.

External audit: See “Audit”.

Gap analysis: See “Audit”.

Goals: Broad statements of intended major achievements or results, which provide a framework for directions and measuring accomplishments. The term “goals” is usually used by Faculty and departments/units.

High Risk: See “Risk Analysis”.

Improvement Opportunity (IO): An identified improvement to an activity, which provides evidence of continual improvement. IOs need to be considered within 12 weeks of issuance and/or closed but not necessarily implemented. An IO can be identified by any means.

Internal audit: See “Audit”.

Internal Audit Plan: An action plan, which reflects the Faculty’s core processes and high-risk activities. It identifies activities to be audited and their respective Auditor team and auditee/s. A schedule that specifies the areas, allotted dates and personnel required to perform internal audits is included in the plan.

Internal Audit Schedule: See “Audit Plan”.

International Organization for Standardization (ISO): ISO is a network of the national standards institutes of 147 countries, on the basis of one member per country, with a Central Secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland, that coordinates the system.

ISO Certification: Evidence that a quality system meets the ISO9001:2000 standard. An external auditor verifies this evidence.

ISO 9001:2000 standard: Is a part of the ISO 9000 family of standards which represents an international consensus on good management practices with the aim of ensuring that the organization can consistently deliver the product or services that meet the client's quality requirements.

Issue: Formerly Corrective Action Request(CAR). An identified fault or serious undesirable situation that requires immediate action within 5 working days and subsequent prevention of re-occurrence with consultation with Manager, QDMS. An issue may be identified in an audit or as a routine part of continual improvement.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Are quantitative measurements of the performance of core processes, which are monitored at regular intervals and are compared to one or more criteria. KPIs are also used for statistical collections to undertake trend analysis, projections and comparative studies.

Low risk: See “Risk Analysis”.

Management review: An audit of the Faculty's quality systems, stated objectives and Key Performance Indicators to ensure continual improvement. The outcome is a report with recommendations to be included in the activity plan and budget.

Medium risk: See “Risk Analysis”.

Mission statement: A broad statement of the faculty's direction, intent, commitment and purpose that reflects the visions of the University. Sometimes known as “Vision”.

Objectives: Relate to, but have greater specificity regarding results to be achieved than goals, usually set by Departments/units.

Policy: An umbrella document, which sets out the “rules” for the design and operation of a process or group of processes, normally with a view to ensuring or avoiding particular outcomes.

Procedure: Documented steps to be taken to enable process.

Process: An ordered set of actions, which receives inputs and converts them into outputs.

Process Map: Diagrammatic representation of the progress or directional flow of a series of actions or events that constitute a process undertaken by an organisation, department, or a person. Currently the Faculty commonly uses process maps to represent departmental/activity-based approaches to the Quality Management Process.

Potential Issue: Formally Preventive/Preventitative Action Request (PAR) is an anticipated fault, which could result in an undesirable situation. Action needs to be taken to prevent occurrence within four weeks of issuance. Could be identified via an audit or as part of continual improvement.

Quality: Is consistently meeting continually negotiated expectations of clients and other stakeholders.

Quality Management System: See “BMS”.

Quality manual: See “BMS Manual”.

Quality Steering Committee: Is a Faculty of Information Technology committee responsible for the implementation of the BMS. Sets priorities, allocates tasks, ensures that the BMS project timelines and objectives are met.

Re-certification Audit: See “Audit”.

Records: Information created, received and maintained as evidence by an organisation or person in pursuance of legal obligations or in the transaction of business.

Risk analysis: Involves consideration of the sources of risk, their consequences and the likelihood that those consequences may occur:

· High risk – Likely to threaten the survival or continued effective function of core processes.
· Medium risk – Some threat to the efficiency and effectiveness of the core business.
· Low risk – Unlikely to threaten service and/or activities of core business.

Risk Management: Practices that eliminate or reduce to an acceptable level the potential negative impact of threats that may affect Faculty activities.

Stakeholders: People who have an interest in the future success of an organisation.

Standards: Are documented agreements containing precise criteria to be used consistently as rules, guidelines, or definitions of characteristics, to ensure that services are fit for purpose. See “ISO 9001:2000 standard”.

Technical expert: Relating to “Audit” is a person who provides specific knowledge of, or expertise on, the subject to be audited. Specific knowledge or expertise includes knowledge of, or expertise, on the organization, process or activity to be audited. A technical expert does not act as an auditor in the audit team.

Uncontrolled Document: See “Controlled/Uncontrolled document”.

Values: Set the Faculty’s direction and tone. They are the foundation upon which we build and consolidate our Faculty, and nurture and encourage our people. Values underpin every action and development within the Faculty.

Work Instructions: A written description or instruction covering each simple detailed step.