Magic Words

People who know me know I write professionally.

I write guides to the TQS. I write books. I write articles in various journals, some for the education world, some for other markets.

This means that I focus on words, and words are at the heart of everything I do, which is why our TQS critiquing services are so popular.

Over the next couple of weeks I'm going to be focusing on words in this blog, or rather I'm going to be focusing on questions.

Good questions are really important in the world of the TQS.

If you learn how to ask yourself the right questions, you can review your progress with the TQS very easily.

If you learn how to ask yourself the right questions, you can gain an honest and accurate impression of how you far you have progressed with your TQS journey.

This new series starts next week.

Countdown to the second assessment visit

The TQS launch was in May last year. Therefore, quite a few organisations that received conditional certification will be coming up for a second visit from the assessors in the new few months.

Preparing for that visit starts a long time before the visit is due.

If you’re thinking about your second visit, use the checklist below to guide you. If you’re on the road to your first visit, consider how useful these timescales could be to you.

Three months before the second visit – look closely at your assessment feedback report. Decide how many of the issues highlighted in that report you have addressed. Take action to work on anything that has been neglected. Check your progress with all the other issues.

Take action where necessary.

Two months before the second visit – start thinking seriously about the case you want to make to the assessors. Appoint a team to lead your preparations.

Think about the written submission and the visit.

Six weeks before the second visit – review all your preparations. Review documents. Review your policies. Review your submission. Update as necessary.

Four weeks before the second visit – think about the fine details. Who is responsible for what?

Two weeks before the second visit – make sure all the key players, and especially senior managers, know exactly what impact your training solutions have on employers.

One week before the second visit – brief every one about what is happening. Then slow down.

Think laterally and prepare to meet your visitors.

TQS Myths (4) “Build a good TQS portfolio and you’re home and dry.”

I met someone in a provider organisation last week who was wheeling a supermarket trolley filled with lever arch files around.

As I stepped out of the way to let the trolley pass, my contact pointed to the documents in the trolley and whispered to me:

“That’s our TQS portfolio.”

As my visit progressed I learned that this organisation was putting most of its TQS efforts into building the portfolio so that when the assessors arrived they would have everything that wanted.

“Build a good TQS portfolio and you’re home and dry. That’s what the assessors really want,” was what a manager in the organisation said to me.

My question was: “How do you know the assessors will ever arrive?”

I went on to explain that whilst it’s great to have supporting evidence available, and set out in a way that makes it accessible, evidence gathering is not the only activity that is needed.

Something comes before building the portfolio.

It’s making sure the application is sound.

Without a sound application the certification body might decide not to proceed to the on-site verification visit.

I checked with that same organisation how much time people are spending on the portfolio and how much time people are spending on writing the TQS application. They seemed to think they were spending about five times as much time on gathering evidence as they were on writing the application.

Whilst I wouldn’t necessarily recommend reversing the ratios, there is probably a need to spend more time on the application.

So, as managers in provider organisations start to think about a well-earned rest, take a rest from the shopping trolley approach to the TQS, too.

Clear your minds and come back from the Easter break ready to write a succinct, relevant and informative TQS application as your first priority, and think about building your organisation’s “portfolio” second.