Sarah looked pale. "The backup logs for the R&D server? They haven't been verified in three weeks. And the access control list for the supplier portal hasn't been updated since the merger."
This is perhaps the most widely used standard. It analyzes processes throughout the product lifecycle —from project management (P2) to customer service (P7)—to identify risks and weaknesses. vda audit
| Element | Typical audit questions | |---------|------------------------| | Supplier selection | Are suppliers evaluated & approved before use? | | Release process | Is there a defined release process for purchased parts (PPAP/PPA)? | | Incoming inspection | Is incoming inspection defined & implemented? | | Supplier performance monitoring | Are supplier delivery & quality KPIs tracked? | | Escalation process | Is there a defined escalation path for supplier issues? | Sarah looked pale
The words hung in the air. Major Non-Conformance. It was the language of failure. One more, and they would lose their certification, and with it, their contract with their biggest German automotive client. And the access control list for the supplier
And right now, their IT house was not in order.
| Element | Typical audit questions | |---------|------------------------| | Customer complaints | Is there a structured problem-solving process (8D, PDCA)? | | After-sales support | Are spare parts, service, and documentation available? | | Lessons learned | Are customer feedback & lessons used for improvement? | | Field data analysis | Is field/warranty data analyzed for preventive action? |