Sofis Solutions shares its experience of the “National Quality Award” with UdelaR students

Montevideo, July 17, 2024. 

Sofis Solutions shared with students of the “Quality Management” course at UdelaR part of the process it carried out to become one of the organizations recognized in 2023 by the “National Quality Award.”

The instructors of the “Quality Management” course at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of the Republic (UdelaR) invited Sofis Solutions to share with the students their experience of the process to become a recipient of the “National Quality Award”, granted by the National Institute of Quality (INACAL).

The National Quality Award is the annual recognition given by the National Institute of Quality (INACAL) to public and private organizations that stand out for their Continuous Improvement processes, through a total quality management approach.

The purpose of the discussion was to provide students with a broad view of how companies operate under quality standards and principles, as well as to learn first-hand about the application of continuous improvement models and the experience of an organization awarded the National Quality Award.

Laura Viré, coordinator of the Integrated Management Systems at Sofis Solutions, shared with the students some of the actions the company carries out related to quality in its processes for delivering products and services. She also spoke about the experience and stages the company went through during the application and evaluation process for the National Quality Award, including: the award application, guidance received to prepare reports, report submission, self-assessments and annexes, visits by INACAL evaluators, and the resolution by the Award Council. Additionally, she mentioned that the process took approximately one year, with many hours of work dedicated to documenting the organization’s longstanding efforts in quality management. 

Applicant organizations undergo a self-assessment process based on the main tool of the National Quality Award, the “Continuous Improvement Models,” designed by the National Institute of Quality (INACAL). This methodology allows for a self-diagnosis based on areas such as: leadership, planning, people development, focus on external customers, information and analysis, process management, societal and environmental impact, and results. It is important to note that the evaluation of these areas depends on the Continuous Improvement Model applied by the organization according to its nature.

Sharing this experience with students was enriching, according to Viré: “It has been an enriching experience because we were able to share our practices and the entire process of obtaining the National Quality Award, and it also allowed us to gain a first-hand understanding of the interests of other groups, in this case, the students and faculty, regarding quality management and improvement, and how private-sector actions can promote best practices from the university stage onward.”