What exactly is an Integrated Management System (IMS)? As a management consultant, I come across a wide variety of answers to this question. The word integrated in particular makes a subtle but significant difference. Because if the integration only relates to the IT system used and not to the content it contains, it is far from being a real IMS.
Only when the content is in harmony and, above all, interlinked with everyday business life and its processes, is a management system truly integrated. But have companies that have redesigned their management system missed the mark? No Because there are various stages of expansion of management systems that build on each other:
The name already suggests: Isolated management systems are not integrated. Quite the opposite! Do various specialist disciplines such as occupational safety, quality management and so on document and maintain their requirements independently of each other at different locations, are multiple isolated management systems before. This results in one in many parts redundant documentation with a confusing structure, which makes targeted changes very complicated. With multiple isolated management systems, there is also always the risk that users will not be able to find and consider all requirements that affect them. This means that, by definition, such systems are difficult to integrate into everyday working life and less effective.
The reason why isolated management systems exist despite all the disadvantages: It is the easiest and fastest way for the respective specialist disciplines in the company. However, since the individual documentation is not meaningfully coordinated, the overall benefit of isolated management systems for companies is rather low.
In a combined management system, the specialist disciplines implement their requirements separately from each other in terms of content, but in a common system. Die Integration only exists at system level, yet people often talk about an integrated management system — wrongly. Compared to isolated management systems, however, a combined system is significantly easier to maintain and overview due to better searchability and often the same approval mechanisms. For them, users of the system can More easily complete relevant requirements. This also increases the likelihood of compliance in everyday life. However, since the content is not integrated in the combined management system, it remains susceptible to conflicting requirements in various places.
With the integrated management system, the time has finally come: The requirements of the various specialist disciplines are documented in a common system and within the same content, for example in a process description. However, this content is not the sources of information that employees use in their day-to-day work. Exist in this way There are still two parallel documentation worlds: the interlinked requirements of the specialist disciplines on the one hand and the sources of information provided by employees on the other. What is missing is the Integration of both worlds in process descriptions — those documents that are actually used in everyday work.
A management system is only truly integrated from the moment when the requirements of the specialist disciplines are documented in the same process descriptions and processes that employees also use in everyday work. The specialist disciplines only supplement their requirements at the relevant points and thus ensure that they find their way into business practice. The big difference with stage 2 is that it No more parallel worlds Gives: Everyone picks up a common document master back — both in everyday working life and when implementing the requirements of the respective specialist disciplines.
Of course, the initial effort for specialist disciplines is higher with a truly integrated management system. However, a level 3 management system provides Significantly more benefits in the long term As systems ranging from levels 0 to 2, redundancies and contradictions are eliminated, search times are reduced and at the same time, the application is very easy for employees. The organization's common rules of the game are created, which take into account all perspectives of all specialist disciplines.
What challenges do companies now face that do not have a truly integrated management system?
These challenges make the benefits of a true IMS even clearer: A comprehensively integrated approach bundles all specialist disciplines and this opens up enormous potential! But how can these potentials be implemented in practice?
The basis for a truly integrated management system is process orientation, because only with joint processes All parties in the company can relate to the same content, develop a common understanding and take a comprehensive look at the processes and their interactions. In this way, requirements are transparently visible exactly where they should have an effect: in the processes.
Process-oriented integration improves decision making in case of process changes, as all effects are clearly visible and can be prioritized. you reduces duplication of work and consultation times and saves costs as a result. At the same time, it ensures Freedom of objection, which for true process compliance is decisive. It also strengthens the integration of the management system into everyday life, as it now offers added value for the individual: all relevant information in one place. This significantly increases the likelihood that employees will accept and actively use the management system. And that in turn increases the Benefits for the entire company significantly.
A truly integrated management system is an effective tool for quality and process managers, with which you can significantly simplify your work and at the same time create an ideal basis for process improvements — a must for any modern medium-sized company.
To find out what stage your management system is currently in, simply answer the following questions:
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