What is more important to identify in quality audits? Non compliance or continual improvement?

I think you indirectly identify both at same audit. The correct identification of NCs by the auditor, the proper root cause analysis and corrective/preventive action setting and implementaction by the auditee will lead to several quality improvements.

Nice question as this keep people busy to think about their importances, but I do feel both should equally weighted as it is related to quality issue no one is allowed to compromise on a single point as well. As NC triggers the continual improvement. However,  NC should be closed and to close the NC the activity itself is the improvement initiative so these are two different surfaces of a single coin.

Both are equally important and related to each other.  When you are giving Non-conformance, it's purpose is improvement in the system. Then when you check and find in follow up audits, that previous non-conformances have been rectified and recommendations implemented, that means improvement in the system.

Both.

Firstly a Non-compliance will be identified followed by CAR. Corrective Action implementation and finally Improvement. So the first thing will lead you to the second one automatically.

It is neither non-compliance or non conformance, auditor should not conduct audit verification with intention of finding Non-complaince or non-conformance , but to meet the audit objective satisfactorily. If audit objective are meet , you may come up report which may have 

Findings can be good or bad. A few types of findings are:

• Praises or noteworthy effortsThese are areas that were observed during the audit and that are seen as excellent examples of implementation of the requirements of the standard. Noteworthy efforts are also given when the practices are seen as best in class. They could also be issued when the company has shown significant improvement in certain areas from prior audits. Noteworthy efforts do not require any action. When provided in the audit report, it is done for reporting purposes only and to show to the organization areas where they can feel proud of.
• ObservationsObservation are simply pointed out by the auditor as areas being in compliance but very close to becoming a nonconformance or that given additional evidence could transform into a nonconformance. Observations can be looked as “accidents waiting to happen”. We at Mireaux advice our clients to treat observation very seriously and in fact incorporate them into the organization’s as preventive actions and handle them as such. This helps tremendously with the balancing of corrective and preventive action –most organizations have a real hard time to issue preventive actions. It also makes effective use of audit reports by taking into account the auditor efforts and experience.
• Non-conformancesNon-conformances or NCNs are areas where the organization’s quality management system does not comply with one of the requirements of the standard or where the organization failed to show evidence of compliance. Non-conformances have a clear requirement that was not met and there is clear evidence of what was seen –or not seen. Non-conformances have3 elements:

   

  • Requirement
  • Non-conformance
  • Evidence

  Nonconformities are in essence, just another type of finding, however it is the one that everyone concentrates on and what the organization worries more about.

• Opportunities for ImprovementOpportunities for improvement are areas that are not necessarily wrong or not meeting the requirements of the standard. Unlike observations, opportunities for improvement are not accidents waiting to happen but rather these are practices that have been implemented poorly and either do not add value or consist of several non value added steps. Auditor usually point opportunities for improvement, when they believe –based on their expertise and expanded view of quality management systems-that those practices could be enhanced or done more efficiently.

According to my experience and understanding auditor job is to do the audit of system and not the people. He should find the conformance to the standard and suggest the way for continual improvememt. Dont indulge yourself to find the NC. Look for conformance and if there will be any non conformance, its correction and corrective action will lead to improvement.

I believe Continual Improvement is important to Identify in an audit as it goes to show that the Organisation is growing and implementing new procedures and policies. Mistakes are bound to happen when a change is taking place, but it is important to note that the department being audited is not stagnant.

I think noncompliance is more serious, since without achieving what you have already decided to achieve, there cannot be continuous improvement. Not being able to maintain your good procedures / practices means, you are degrading your existing level of  performance.How then can you move forward? Where is the possibility of continuous improvement?