Certification of a training function

I was recently asked if there were companies that certify the training function in an organization. Here is my reply:

ISO 10015:1999 (Quality management - Guidelines for training) was published some time ago. It has not been updated, nor does ASQ even carry the standard. (ISO in Geneva sells it for 80 Euros.) ASQ did publish an American standard on training back in 2002: ANSI/ASQ Z1.11 (Application of 9001:2000 to Education and Training Institutes), which is still available through both ASQ and ANSI.

I did a Google search for "iso 10015 certification" which returned a few firms offering that service. The ANAB (ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board) does not offer accreditation in this area, so any companies listed are either not accredited (probable) or accredited by the Brits (also probable).

The American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) offers individual certification, like ASQ, but not organizational certification.

Finally, I believe all the common registrars in the USA and elsewhere would be happy to register just your training organization to ISO 9001:2008. This would be a limited-scope registration. If you choose this path, ASQ's Z1.11 standard would help you prepare.

Periods of Quality

When I look back over the history of our profession and the ASQC/ASQ, I see four distinct periods.

1. 1870-1950 was the period of discovery. Focus was on products - materials, machines, and workmanship. As technology advanced (telephone and then war effort) it was necessary to employ inspection. The risk of non-conformance was getting greater. Our professional society was started in 1946 (at the end of this period) to deal with this inspection (product) emphasis. Quality Control.
2. 1950-1990 was the period of organizing. While products were still important, we began to realize - especially in the military and nuclear sectors - the importance of defining the methods and standardizing them. The focus shifted to process. MIL-Q-9858 and its evolution into ISO 9001:1987 were but a couple examples of this "say what you do and do what you say" concept. Registration became popular, but was still focused on paperwork. Most of the regulatory approaches were developed during this time: NRC, FAA, FDA, OSHA all promoted and required Quality Assurance.
3. 1990-2010 was the period of understanding. We began to realize that procedures and training to those procedures don't necessarily result in happy customers and perfect performance. We started listening to Deming and Senge and the need to understand the system(s). How processes are interconnected and need to work together. How language and layout and lunch are also critical to quality. The big "ah-ha" moment came in 2000, when the "new" ISO 9001 hit the streets. Quality Management.
4. 2010-2020 will be the period of integration, as we see that there is no fundamental difference between ways to promote quality, prevent pollution, and increase safety and security. We will focus more on the whole concept of risk. We will emphasize the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit. While Social Responsibility is the first stab at this understanding, it is not mature and ready for prime time. Management Systems Integration.

Now, I realize that when people use the term quality assurance, they apply it in a contemporary environment. Just like we interchange Social Responsibility, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Sustainability. Most folks think of the last three as tree-hugging green environmentalists, but they are much more (and different). I just believe that our profession needs to remember the past as we approach the future.

By the way, did you notice that the periods above last half as long as the previous one? This is consistent with the idea of accelerating technology change.