At first glance, a quality management system may seem user-friendly and well-organized, but that says little about what happens once it becomes part of daily work.
In practice, people work under time pressure, with shifting priorities, and in situations where mistakes can have direct consequences for quality, safety, and execution. Additionally, there are often different types of users: from quality managers to frontline employees, with varying levels of education, digital skills, and sometimes even different languages.
It is precisely there that it becomes clear whether a system is truly being used as intended, or whether users are finding ways to work around it. The true value of a quality management system therefore lies not in how it looks, but in how it performs in daily use.
What seems logical and straightforward on paper may turn out differently in practice. Users do not work in a controlled environment, but in a dynamic reality where multiple tasks are underway simultaneously and priorities are constantly shifting.
As a result, a process that appears efficient can still lead to extra steps or delays. In some cases, steps are skipped or information is recorded later, simply because the system does not respond quickly enough in the moment.
This creates a distinction between a system that exists within an organization and a system that is actually used in day-to-day work.
In software development, UX and UI are used to describe how a system is experienced in practice.
UX (User Experience) is about how the workflow is structured within the software:
UX determines whether the workflow feels logical and efficient in practice.
UI (User Interface) is about what the user sees and how quickly it becomes clear what needs to be done:
The UI determines whether users can work without hesitation, even under pressure.
If this isn’t well-aligned, working with the system takes more time and effort. Users will then look for alternative ways, or use the system less fully. Additionally, users vary greatly in their needs. A quality manager primarily needs an overview and reports, while employees on the shop floor need speed, simplicity, and clarity in the moment. What makes sense to one person may be
Employees’ first encounter with a new system often takes place during a training session. A good introduction is crucial for the adoption of new software, as it teaches users how the system is intended to be used and how it fits into their daily work processes.
However, the true value of a quality management system only emerges when it is actually used in practice. Once the system is put into use, it becomes part of daily work and is applied under various conditions, workloads, and roles within the organization.
It is precisely during this phase that the most important input emerges: feedback from the field. You primarily obtain this by observing the workplace, conducting interviews with users, and asking targeted questions such as where time is lost, what is unclear, or what could better align with their way of working.
These insights are then not considered in isolation but combined with experiences from other organizations. This creates a broader picture of patterns: what is specific to a local context and what can be improved structurally.
Every two weeks, the QSEH Star team then determines which improvements offer the most value. These are implemented immediately and rolled out in short release cycles, ensuring the system evolves alongside real-world practice. This is unique and our strength.
De adoptie van een kwaliteitsmanagementsysteem wordt bepaald door hoe het zich gedraagt in het dagelijks werk.
UX en UI vormen daarin de basis van gebruik. Alleen wanneer een systeem logisch, snel en duidelijk genoeg is in de praktijk, ontstaat echte adoptie binnen organisaties.
Het verschil zit in hoe feedback wordt omgezet naar verbetering. In veel software blijven verbeteringen beperkt tot incidentele updates of jaarlijkse releases, terwijl QSEH Star elke twee weken wordt doorontwikkeld op basis van echt gebruik in de praktijk.
Het resultaat is geen “mooier systeem”, maar minder frictie in het dagelijks werk: minder tijd kwijt, minder fouten en meer overzicht. Daarom wordt QSEH Star omarmd op de werkvloer. Met als resultaat meer grip op kwaliteit en een veiligere werkomgeving.
