This is practical study: Students at the HSZG learn to digitize management systems with the help of Q.wiki.
Management systems in accordance with ISO standards have become an integral part of today's business practice. In particular, the management standards for the areas of quality, environment, energy and occupational health and
safety have been established on the market for decades.
The use of software to control the integrated management system (IMS) is indispensable for organizations today due to the increasing demands on management systems and the growing number of management systems. The use of software enables the digitalized mapping of all regulations for the IMS, thus saving time in finding information
and preventing unwanted approvals or misunderstandings.
The use of software applications in the IMS area is associated with costs for every organization and these
can rarely be covered by universities or students. To ensure that students can nevertheless learn how to use digital
management systems and apply their theoretical knowledge directly, a new cooperation has been agreed between the
Integrated Management Systems (TIMS) team at the HSZG and Modell Aachen GmbH. On this basis, students can use the "Q.wiki" software free of charge.
Q.wiki has its roots in the Chair of Quality Management at RWTH Aachen University and the Fraunhofer IPT. Since its spin-off in 2009, Modell Aachen GmbH has stood for interactive and agile management systems based on wiki technology with over 550 customers worldwide.
The software has been used under the guidance of Dr. Carsten Behrens, Managing Director of Modell Aachen GmbH, in the "Environmental Management Systems" (EMS) module since the summer semester of 2021. Students take on the role of an EMS team and develop an integrated quality and environmental management system for various fictitious companies. In this way, students not only learn specialist knowledge about ISO 9001 and 14001, but also acquire important methodological skills along the way.
Both sides benefit from this cooperation: The students learn how to digitize management systems, Modell Aachen GmbH learns what application gaps and adaptation needs there are by transferring the software to new contexts - a win-win situation!
Text: M. Sc. David Horsch
