Definitions - ADTRAN Quality Management System (QMS) Manual

Improvement
Continual Improvement
ADTRAN's Quality Improvement Program has, as its nucleus, the Continuous Improvement Team (CIT) concept.
Teams provide the forum by which all employees can contribute to quality improvements proactively. Teams identify
and prioritize improvement activities. The results of the team efforts are periodically presented to upper management.
ADTRAN maintains a documented Quality Improvement and Customer Satisfaction program to promote continuous
improvement of customer satisfaction, products, services, and processes within ADTRAN. (GEN21.1)
Corrective Action
The ADTRAN corrective action procedure defines the means by which anyone with a problem can cause action to
occur for resolution of a problem. The problem may be related to product or process. The originator defines the
problem and assigns the individual responsible for resolution. Corrective Action Requests are documented in the
ADTRAN corrective action system(s), and maintained for a minimum of one year. The originator is responsible for
verifying action effectiveness and the quality organization periodically audits for the same. (GEN14.1)
All forms of customer complaints are captured and maintained within the ADTRAN corrective action process to assure
effective actions are taken and responses provided. (GEN14.1)
Preventive Action
Management reviews product and process data identifying potential problems, their causes and determining the action
required to eliminate the possibility of occurrence. Preventative actions are documented utilizing ADTRAN's
documented corrective action system and/or action item registers.
All ADTRAN associates are encouraged to analyze the need for preventative action when implementing or changing
actions or functions. (GEN14.1)
9.0

DEFINITIONS

Conformity
Fulfillment of a requirement.
Continual Improvement
Recurring activity to increase the ability to fulfill requirements
Customer
Organization that receives a product.
Correction
Action to eliminate a detected nonconformity.
Corrective Action
Action to eliminate the cause of a detected nonconformity or other undesirable situation.
Customer Satisfaction
Customer's perception of the degree to which the customer's requirements have been met.
Effectiveness
Extent to which planned activities are realized and planned results achieved.
Inspection
Conformity evaluation by observation and judgement accompanied as appropriate by measurement, testing or gauging.
Measuring Equipment
Measuring instrument, software, measurement standard, reference material or auxiliary apparatus or combination
thereof necessary to realize a measurement process.
Nonconformity
Non-fulfillment of a requirement.
Objective Evidence
Data supporting the existence or verity of something.
Preventive Action
Action to eliminate the cause of a potential nonconformity or other undesirable potential situation.
Process
Set of interrelating or interacting activities which transforms inputs into outputs
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