DQA Secretariat conducts self-assessment workshop for future DQA applicants

The full day workshop, held at the DED premises, included detailed presentation on how to conduct self-assessment procedure and details about the preparation of a winning submission document. Over 40 senior managers and executives from 30 different Dubai-based organisations attended the workshop in order to have a full understanding of the criteria for the DQA and how to assess their readiness for the award.

"This workshop enabled organisations to independently assess their strengths and areas for improvement using the tools and techniques of self-assessment. In addition, it also focused on the preparation of an effective submission document in accordance with the award criteria." said Dr. Lway Nackasha, Adviser - Quality and Business Excellence, DED, who conducted the workshop.

"We recommend self-Assessment as the first step to participate in the Dubai Quality Award, because it enables companies to examine their existing strategies and working practices against the DQA criteria, which allows them to identify their strengths and areas of improvement," noted Dr. Nackasha. "Companies that undergo this comprehensive self-assessment exercise should carry the process further to prepare a full submission document, which can then be submitted for the award office for qualification by a team of assessors," he added

The Dubai Quality Award has been modelled on the EFQM Excellence model and follows the stringent standard of the EFQM model, while at the same time taking into account the requirements of local organisations.

"It is remarkable that DED has been able to evolve the DQA model to incorporate some of the modern influences from across the world, thereby enabling it to be on par with leading international quality awards. The workshop was a significant step forward and proved to be an exciting and interactive event." added Dr. Nackasha.

Dr. Nackasha called upon companies wishing to participate in the DQA to begin the process early and to focus on the journey for quality more than winning the award. "While we are extremely pleased to note the remarkable level of interest in the award, we would like to stress the importance of allowing sufficient 'quality' time for the preparation process. This would enable companies to establish skills that are vital to preparing a successful submission document," he said.

The workshop was specially designed for management representatives, authorized by the senior management of the company to lead the DQA project teams at applicant companies. The representatives are also responsible for collecting and compiling information required for preparing the submission document.