Overview
Investigations are a core component of effective quality and safety management, ensuring that issues identified across the organization are evaluated thoroughly and consistently. In the CQ system, investigations can be initiated from several record types including Audit Findings, Nonconformances, Customer Complaints, Safety Incidents, and CAPAs providing a unified, structured approach to determining the cause of defects, failures, or other adverse events.
The investigation process enables teams to capture detailed evidence, analyze contributing factors, and apply industry‑recognized problem‑solving tools. As part of the workflow, users can document observed defects and failures and use investigation aids such as the 5 Why canvas to drill down into underlying causes. These tools help teams move beyond surface‑level symptoms to identify the true root cause and define appropriate corrective and preventive actions.
To ensure the quality and completeness of all findings, investigations must be reviewed and approved prior to closure, with approvers varying by module and organizational responsibilities. This approval step ensures regulatory compliance, internal governance, and audit readiness across all CQ record types.
By following the structured investigation framework in CQ, teams can drive consistent problem resolution, strengthen continuous improvement, and maintain full traceability across the organization’s quality and safety processes.
How to Articles
In this section, you’ll learn how to:
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Perform Investigations for Audit Findings, Nonconformances, Customer Complaints, Safety Incidents, CAPAs, etc.
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Use Structured Investigation Tools to leverage methods such as the 5 Why canvas, fishbone analysis, or other analytical techniques to support evidence‑based root cause evaluation.
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Determine Root Cause based on facts gathered during the investigation.
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Develop Action Plans defining corrective and preventive actions needed to address the issue and prevent recurrence.
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Complete approvals by approving or rejecting investigations records.
Each topic includes step-by-step instructions, screenshots, and best practices to help you navigate the investigation process efficiently and in alignment with your organization’s quality management goals.
Let’s get started with mastering investigations in ComplianceQuest.