Quality Management Software for AVL
When 400 QM processes have to move in three months
AVL was looking for more than new software to advance its quality management. It needed a partner with genuine process expertise.
AVL is a globally active company in the development, simulation and testing of powertrain systems and technologies, headquartered in Graz, Austria. With thousands of employees across international locations, AVL is one of the leading companies in its industry.
An upcoming system change in quality management, combined with the goal of reducing license costs, prompted the evaluation of new software solutions. The primary requirement was to consolidate process management and document management on a shared platform, including digital approval workflows and end-to-end traceability in accordance with ISO 9001. The legacy system already contained over 400 processes modeled as BPMN diagrams, all of which needed to be migrated to the new environment.
Project overview
Customer: AVL List GmbH
Industry: Automotive
Headquarters: Graz, Austria
Key facts:
400+ processes migrated
3 months project duration
6 modules implemented
283 active users
Why JAWA and inforum?
AVL chose the inforum management platform by JAWA. The deciding factors were not only a significant reduction in license costs, but also the concept of a modular platform that adapts to existing business processes, not the other way around. For AVL, this meant the ability to consolidate process management, document management, 8D, audit and risk management in a single system, without having to compromise on individual workflows.
JAWA brings more to the table than a software solution. The team combines technical development expertise with deep process knowledge in quality management and solid experience in the automotive industry. The implementation of inforum was guided by JAWA throughout, from requirements analysis and process design through to release.
Modules implemented and technical deployment
The following inforum modules were introduced at AVL as part of the project: Document Management, Process Management, 8D Reporting, Audit, Risk Management and Activity Management. A central component of the implementation was the
adaptation of the platform to the existing AVL workflow. The approval process for documents and processes was individually mapped inforum, from creation to review to final approval. On the technical side, a connection to the existing IT infrastructure was implemented. User authentication takes place via SAML via Windows login, user management via
an Azure Active Directory connection with SCIM interface. Users and authorizations are automatically transferred from Azure AD to inforum.
One of the central technical challenges of the project was the migration of the existing process documentation. Over 400 process diagrams, modeled as BPMN files in the legacy system, were automatically transferred to inforum. Without this import, all processes would have had to be manually remodeled, a significant additional effort that was avoided through the import functionality.
The rollout was accompanied by module-specific training sessions tailored to each functional area and user group. Prior to final sign-off, a penetration test was conducted, which AVL will continue to repeat at regular intervals during ongoing operations. Currently, 283 users from the quality management department are working with the platform.
Customer perspective
3 questions for CIO Gunther Glawar and Katharina Tatra, Senior Specialist Process Information Technology at AVL List GmbH.
What has concretely improved since the introduction of inforum?
Since the implementation of inforum, all relevant content is available centrally in one place. Process models, process descriptions, and in future also document control are bundled in a single system, rather than being distributed across multiple tools as before.
How did you experience working with the JAWA team?
The collaboration with the JAWA team was excellent and characterized by a collegial exchange. Particularly noteworthy are the short response times and the great willingness to accommodate both the agreed specifications from the requirements document and additional adjustments to our needs. The value for money is also very fair. The existing process knowledge is solid, and a good understanding of the respective challenges was always present.
Would you recommend inforum?
Yes, I would recommend inforum. The team works competently, efficiently and with a strong customer focus, while offering fair value for money.
Results and added value
With the introduction of inforum, AVL has quality management established an end-to-end digital and transparent working method in quality management and forms the complete integrated management system in the platform. Approvals run entirely via the platform, from creation to approval, in a traceable manner and without any local intermediate steps. The central document repository replaces distributed, local data storage. Thanks to the BPMN import, the entire process knowledge base was retained. Together with the ISO 9001-compliant process and document management, AVL is now audit-ready at all times.
The introduction of inforum at AVL is not a completed project, but the starting point for continuous further development. AI-supported process modeling in inforum is already in use: From a process description or an uploaded document, a complete BPMN 2.0 process with stored responsibilities, purpose, scope and descriptions is created in just a few minutes using an AI agent. What used to take several hours of manual modeling work is now reduced to a fraction of the time. In line with the “human-in-the-loop” principle, people retain control: processes are checked, adapted and only transferred to active operation after approval.
inforum – the leading management software
inforum is the leading management platform for industrial manufacturing companies. The modular platform maps complex processes across the entire life cycle in a standard-compliant and scalable manner on a shared database and enables end-to-end control of supply chains, quality, production and service.