" La qualité a aussi à voir avec les gens "

Madame Marlyse Roulin, 49 years old, docteur en physique, is of French origin and has worked in Switzerland for 20 years. Elle a fondé et dirigé la société Business Agility Sàrl, une entreprise proposant des conseils et des formations. Auparavant, elle a également acquis une grande expérience dans de grandes entreprises.

Vous êtes docteur en physique. What was the subject of your research?
I wrote my thesis on high-temperature superconductors. This allowed me to come into contact with many renowned scientists. It was a very stimulating period.

Qu'est-ce qui vous amené à des études de physique? Even today, people often think that girls and women are not very interested in maths.
Mon rêve était de pouvoir travailler un jour pour l'industrie spatiale. And I have always been interested in natural sciences. Enfant, je voulais déjà comprendre les interrelations. Par exemple, mon père m'a dit que le bois n'est pas conducteur. Ce que j'ai voulu vérifier - sous la pluie - en tenant un morceau de bois contre une clôture de pâturage. J'ai immédiatement subi un choc électrique et la leçon supplémentaire que seul le bois sec n'est pas conducteur.

En tant qu'enfant, vous avez donc essayé de manière empirique et scientifique de vérifier ou de falsifier des "thèses"....
Exact. Even later, it was always important for me not to stay in my own country, but to go and see people. Les personnesqui effectuent le travail acquièrent de l'expérience et savent également ce qui peut éventuellement être amélioré.

Until the end of 2017, you were in charge of the CFF Infrastructure Division's Risks, Quality, Security and Environment Division in Berne. What do you mean by saying that you will now be dealing with these issues again at the SAQ?
Bien entendu, ces domaines sont tous liés à l'excellence en affaires, l'un des services clés de la SAQ. The subject of agility also plays a part.

Enfin, vous avez également dirigé votre propre entreprise sur ce sujet. What was your main activity there?
La réalité virtuelle, en particulier une formation immersive pour améliorer la sécurité. I have developed a project with Suva. Plonger dans la formation interactive avec et dans une réalité virtuelle a été bien accueilli par les entreprises clientes de la Suva.

Qu'est-ce qui vous a poussé à postuler à la SAQ?
The job competition for this post is taking place at the right time. This is the 20th year that I have worked in various companies and I have noticed that there is still a lot to be done, particularly in the area of quality. In addition, the 'vague 4.0' is being applied to a number of issues, which represents a challenge, particularly for SMEs. I have discussed how to support these companies and how to promote exchange. The SAQ is a large association that enjoys a very good reputation. I therefore believe that this platform would be the ideal solution for drafting responses and transmitting them via the network.

Quelles tâches voulez-vous aborder en premier?
I will get to know everything that the SAQ is already doing. It is already doing a lot, which is not visible from the outside. I will take the time to make an inventory of the situation and to reflect on how we want to develop the association together in the future.

You mentioned the issue of agility. Do you therefore feel a need for agile methods?
The issue of quality has changed a great deal. In the last 20 years, quality was still a question of control, measurement and testing according to defined specifications. Puis a suivi la vague avec toutes les descriptions de processus, les améliorations de processus, les gains d'efficacité et les différentes méthodes pour parvenir. Today, the whole world is talking about '4.0' and the fact that we all need to become more agile. It seems to me that, in the past, all this faith in the process has overlooked the fact that companies are also made up of people. Sans les gens, on ne va pas loin. This means that we need to involve more people, to involve them as "co-entrepreneurs". C'est ainsi qu'une entreprise pourra se développer de manière agile. Cela comprend aussi la remise en question des structures de l'entreprise. Agility is not just a question of method, but also of culture.

Let's return to the concept of quality. What is its importance for you in general?
Quality is not a static term. When I first started working on this subject, it was mainly focused on the quality of the product. Today, the concept of quality is increasingly oriented towards excellence in business. The meaning has therefore broadened.

With regard to the key phrase "excellence in business", the relationship with the EFQM model is close. What experiences have you already had in this sense?
L'EFQM est un bon modèle. However, it is sometimes difficult for SMEs to implement it. There are also other models, for example from Japan or the United States. These are often less complex and could serve as an introduction to the EFQM model.

In other terms, the SAQ should also, in the future, consider offering its members a wider range of options?
C'est une approche envisageable. Every company is confronted with different demands, also on the part of its clients. In every company where I have worked up to now, the notion of what quality is was different - as was the respective company culture.

In what direction will you change the culture of the SAQ?
It is not a question of changing the culture. It is more a question of working with the SAQ forces, of providing experience, ideas and a new impetus. Today's culture is characterised by a military system that functions well. The practical cooperation of the members and the knowledge gained through regional presence are extremely important for an association. The two events "Swiss Quality Day" and FOREP are also of great importance in attracting public interest. Important measures have been taken to extend personal certification to other areas such as banking and IT, and soon to the healthcare sector. I would like to continue to promote this agility.

However, it is now clear that many federations and associations are finding it increasingly difficult to manage their directorships. Interest in volunteering seems to be diminishing. How do you see this?
An association only exists if its members have an interest in its objectives. Just saying 'we exist, come to us' is not enough. Par conséquent, il faut se poser la question suffisamment tôt: Quel est le cap? Does our offer always meet the needs of our members? Are there new needs?

The proximity of people, as practiced by the SAQ and its sections, is probably a good condition for the future?
La SAQ jouit d'une grande visibilité au sein de la "communauté de qualité". But where does it leave that? L'excellence ne se limite pas seul poste de gestion de la qualité, mais englobe également d'autres domaines de la gestion d'entreprise. There is certainly room to move from the compulsory programme to the free programme.

There is therefore also a potential for new services. Do you already have ideas on this subject?
Accordez-moi encore un peu de temps (rires). So far, I have had the opportunity to meet the representatives of the French sections - all very motivated people with a lot of energy and a lot of ideas. Now I am curious to get to know the other sections. In any case, I am happy to work with them and my team.