Integrated Management Systems (IMS) from the Cloud Replace Isolated Solutions

The compliant management of requirements ensures that it is specified who, what, when, how, where and with what should do, so that the set goals are achieved. In addition, the acting person must be aware of what he has to pay attention to in the various activities. These may be existing framework conditions, binding obligations (laws, standards, market rules) or product- and customer-specific requirements.

Integration of the requirements into the daily processes

Due to advancing digitalization, man and machine are moving ever closer together through various system applications and suitable interfaces. In order to exploit the potential of existing synergies in an organization, the special systems for quality management, risk management and environmental management that were set up in the past as "isolated applications" are increasingly being replaced by an integrated management system (IMS). The reason for this is that isolated solutions promote the undesirable "silo thinking" in the company, such solutions are often not transparent enough as a result, and in the ever more closely networked world of work they often fall short due to additional media and system breaks. Among other things, this also results in unnecessary redundancies. In addition, isolated solutions are sometimes not integrated into the daily work of the actors and are therefore not lived.

An IMS guides and combines strategic with operational approaches

The integrated management system supports the daily implementation of set goals of an organization, because it ideally represents the supreme control loop according to Plan - Do - Check - Act. The control loop can be modeled and automated down to the level of individual process steps, and measurements of parameters can be consolidated or aggregated from the individual process steps to the strategic level.

IMS as an integral part of daily business

For the actors of an organization, the relevant and necessary information is available at all times, at all hierarchical levels, at the digital workplace in an IMS. At the strategic level, the information is summarized in such a way that the overall situation is clearly presented.

"Office 365 provides all the requirements to implement an IMS with standard tools."

At the level of management aspects (quality, safety, environmental protection, resource consumption, performance, etc.), compliance, deviations and the status of ongoing measures are visible. At the level of operational implementation, the processes are presented in a simple and user-friendly manner to ensure direct access to the required tools and information (e.g. instructions, specifications, process documentation, legal foundations, document storage, etc.).

Collaboration platforms and cloud computing

As digital networking between actors, machines and information sources increasingly extends over long distances, access and collaboration are simplified for all participants through collaboration platforms and cloud computing. Both options are used as platforms for the integrated management system to exchange data and information regardless of location.

Example Office 365: Implementing the IMS with cloud standard means

Cloud environments such as Office 365 offer all the prerequisites for implementing an IMS with standard tools. Apart from the licensing of Office 365 - which is already used by many companies in their everyday work - no further licenses for the IMS are required. In addition, the IMS based on the cloud standard means is fully integrated into the everyday work of the co-workers. It is therefore also effectively lived.

The individual services within the scope of Office 365 can be orchestrated in an enterprise portal in such a way that the strengths of the individual tools are united in one platform.

Combining the strengths of the individual standard means

SharePoint Online forms the basis of the portal and provides employees with an intranet with numerous functionalities. Individual workspaces can be made available to each area or department (management, HR, corporate development, marketing, finance, production, etc.). In this way, each team can design its workspace individually and according to its needs. Not only the processes and specification documents are directly integrated in the respective work environments, but also all verification documents. The process visualization is done via Microsoft Visio or another modeling tool.

In the area of internal communication, the social enterprise network Yammer comes into play. Whether company-wide news or announcements in specialist groups, location-independent communication is ensured at all times. This creates a transparent communication culture. In addition, this leads to an informed, attuned and forward-thinking team - from the management level to the individual employees in the various divisions.

Project work in the internal team or with external partners is handled via Microsoft teams. Digital project rooms are available to the project teams. Versatile functions such as chat, telephony, video conferencing or data storage enable efficient collaboration.

With Microsoft Forms, a tool is integrated that enables surveys of all kinds. Whether project feedback, customer or employee surveys or even partner evaluations, feedback can be obtained quickly. The questionnaire can be completed in any web browser and also from mobile devices. The feedback is compiled and evaluated in a central cockpit. If the evaluation and analysis functions offered are not enough, the results can also be exported to Excel and used there for further evaluations or in Power BI dashboards.

Evaluations and feedback can be obtained quickly. The questionnaire can be completed in any web browser and also from mobile devices. The feedback is compiled and evaluated in a central cockpit. If the evaluation and analysis functions offered are not enough, the results can also be exported to Excel for further evaluation or used in Power BI dashboards.