Denise Robitaille

Consultant, trainer, and author

Author of more than a dozen books on a variety of quality topics, Denise Robitaille has participated internationally in standards development for more than 20 years, serving in several leadership roles, including her current position as chair of TC176/SC1. That committee is responsible for the development of ISO 9000, the guiding document on quality fundamentals and terminology that is the foundation for ISO 9001.

Robitaille also chairs PC302, the committee responsible for revising the ISO 19011 standard on auditing quality management systems. She has facilitated the implementation of ISO 9001 for multiple organizations for more than 25 years, is a Fellow of the American Society for Quality, and a certified lead assessor.

Thu, 03/28/2024 - 12:03
Only One Correct Action Process A typical case in which fewer is better
Mon, 09/12/2005 - 22:00
A recurrent theme that dominates discussion on the establishment of corrective action programs is the practice of channeling problems through multiple conduits for assessment and resolution. Organizations inadvertently fragment their corrective…
The Art of Interviewing Learn to effectively pose a question to elicit pertinent information.
Tue, 08/09/2005 - 22:00
I’ve long been a proponent of involving as many individuals as possible in corrective action, both during the root cause analysis phase and during the development of the action plan. Middle managers, supervisors, machine operators, customer service…
The Fable of the Monkey Gardeners There’s no substitute for proper training and employee competence.
Tue, 07/12/2005 - 22:00
Have you ever wondered how to demonstrate to a manager the rationale behind the ISO 9001 requirements for competence and training? It isn’t uncommon to find quality managers, consultants or auditors sputtering through an explanation of this…
Selling the Benefits of Preventive Action Demonstrate its benefits to top management and you have your sales pitch.
Tue, 06/07/2005 - 22:00

Perhaps one of the hardest persisting sells for the average quality professional is the challenge of effectively communicating the benefits of preventive action to senior management. The sales pitch is twofold: 1) defining the concept and 2)…
What’s the Best Quality Management Software? Well, it depends--on your needs, that is.
Tue, 05/10/2005 - 22:00
I often get asked: “What’s the best software package?” Individuals are usually looking for guidance in selecting a program to manage corrective actions, facilitate document revisions, track equipment maintenance or handle transfer of information…
Who’s on First? And who’s responsible for doing what?
Tue, 04/12/2005 - 22:00
The Abbott and Costello routine “Who’s on First?” is one of the greatest comic treasures of our time. Bud Abbott begins listing the improbable names of his team players: Who, What and I Don’t Know (the three basemen), while a befuddled and…
Purchasing Department Vs. Purchasing Process Consider your organization’s process for product and service purchases made outside of the purchasing department.
Tue, 03/08/2005 - 22:00
It’s logical to expect the purchasing process to fall under the purview of the purchasing department. However, the reality is that in most organizations there are people from different departments who generate purchase orders and sign contracts. Not…
Auditing as an Integral Part of the Business Misconceptions about this quality system must abound.
Tue, 02/08/2005 - 22:00
Occasionally, when I’m waiting for a flight, the small talk with fellow travelers will meander into discussions about the purpose of our respective trips. When I tell them that I’m on my way to conduct an audit, they immediately jump to the…
Mr. Rogers and the Process Approach The right language and format makes all the difference.
Tue, 01/11/2005 - 22:00
I was channel surfing the other day, looking for some local news that would tell me why I had woken up to a power outage that had lasted the better part of the morning. I don’t usually watch TV during the day, so I had no idea what stations carried…
Pre-assessment at the North Pole Quality control never takes a holiday.
Tue, 12/07/2004 - 22:00
Good morning, everyone. On behalf of Galactic Registrars Interstellar Network (GRIN), I’d like to express our appreciation to your organization for selecting us as your ISO 9001 registrar. Before we begin the audit, there are a few items we need to…