RE Quality First Principles

for Content and Data

RE Group Risk Management and Corporate Responsibility

June 2014

Introduction
Reed Elseviers strategy is to:

Deliver improved outcomes to professional customers

Combine content & data with analytics & technology in global platforms
Build leading positions in long term global growth markets
Leverage institutional skills, assets and resources across Reed Elsevier

Reed Elseviers Quality First Principles support Reed Elseviers commitment to high standards of
content & data quality. They are based on ISO 9001 Principles of Quality Management, a good
practice standard.

What is Quality Assurance?

Quality Assurance (QA) means specific activities to ensure our standards, such as the Reed Elsevier Editorial
Policy, are followed. This includes developing processes for quality control, audit methods, documentation and
training. QA gives confidence that our data and content is consistently high quality.

ISO 9001
ISO 9001 is the international framework for Quality Management and includes:
Documented systems of QA and reviews to keep QA processes up to date
Constant monitoring of QA processes to ensure that they are effective and that changes are constantly
made to improve them
Business Rationale
Setting principles for data quality assurance supports value creation and risk mitigation (for example, mitigating
reputational/brand impacts of drug dosage misprints in Elsevier publications or uncertainty around gas pricing
data at RBI/ICIS). It also provides a useful statement to use with customers and in RFPs, for example.
The RE Quality First Principles:
are consistent with Quality Assurance standards already in existence in most businesses
provide all businesses with the flexibility to apply each principle in tailored way, based on risk and the
businesss objectives
establish a platform from which to capture and share best practices
promote a culture of quality in our content & data so that Reed Elsevier continues to be recognised as
the leading global professional information solutions company.

Alignment with Reed Elseviers Editorial Policy

The Reed Elsevier Editorial Policy provides the ethical framework and objectives for our content and data
The RE Quality First Principles outline the processes that should underpin creation and maintenance of our
content and data
Common components include:
- Focus on quality content and data
- Core elements of quality in data and content management processes
- Feedback and accountability for quality assurance

The Reed Elsevier Quality First Principles

Principle 1 High quality content & data for our customers
Principle 2 Continuous process improvement for content & data quality
Principle 3 Clear, holistic approach to content & data quality assurance

Principle 4 Ownership of content & data quality at all management levels

Principle 5 Engage external partners to raise content & data quality standards

Principle 1 High quality content & data for our customers

Means
We provide customers with data and content that is accurate, reliable, timely and
complete based on a thorough understanding of our customers needs
Objectivity and editorial independence
We promote employee integrity and avoid conflict of interest in data reporting.
Where practical, we test data and content for accuracy and seek customer feedback
Legitimate complaints are investigated seriously - both the data/content and process
that developed it - and we provide accountable responses.

Purpose
Customer trust is key; our reputation rests on the quality of our data and content.
Unbiased sourcing, production and delivery of data requires objectivity and
independence.
Example in Action
Elsevier HS Nursing Mosby business in St Louis ensures its editorial staff have an interest only in
the accuracy of the information it produces. Accordingly content and data quality is checked by a
separate Clinical Quality Group of medical PhDs in order to confirm data and content were developed
objectively.

Principle 2 - Continuous process improvement for content &

data quality
Means
We ensure robust quality assurance processes through continuous process improvement
reviews assessed by management with monitoring of required actions
We have internal audit procedures to ensure compliance with the Content & Data QA
principles
Where practical, we seek and respond to customer feedback.
We monitor changes in relevant laws and design procedures for compliance.

Purpose
To produce high quality data and content in our businesses where customer feedback is an
integral part of our content management we must ensure quality assurance processes are
reviewed regularly and improved. In addition, by testing data sets and reviewing customer
feedback we can ensure the data and content are of the highest quality. This helps protect
our reputation by demonstrating to customers that we respond to feedback.
Examples in action
At Elsevier project groups make recommendations to management to improve QA processes in production, editorial and
multimedia on an ongoing basis.
In LN Legal and Professional, Shepards editorial is using Six Sigma and Lean methodology to improve quality. Guidelines
have been streamlined to focus on customer-critical value-adds and remove over 100 obsolete/redundant history and
treatment phrases. The team analysed customer complaints and redefined editorial error criticality to focus on value
from the customer perspective. There is continuous improvement through on-going root cause analysis, identification of
trends, and actions/changes to improve process.
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Principle 3 - Clear, holistic approach to content & data quality

assurance
Means
We set out an holistic approach to data content quality assurance
We regularly look at our data management processes overall to identify
interdependencies and to address risk and ownership
We assess risk and we design appropriate quality assurance measures to include
training.
We document and monitor adherence to our quality assurance policies and
procedures.

Purpose
A clear, holistic approach to quality assurance helps us identify gaps and monitor
progress. There are content dependencies across our products/businesses so regular
reviews of quality assurance can be applied widely to improve processes.
Identifying and actively managing these dependencies ensures that an update to one
piece of data/content will ensure updates to the dependency product when
appropriate.
Example in action
At LexisNexis Legal and Professional, content dependencies in LexisLibrary and Lexis PSL are fully
documented and reviewed in the LexisPSL content management system to ensure links between
both products are manifest. In addition, a link checking process is run daily to repair non-functioning
links overnight.
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Principle 4 - Ownership of content & data quality at all levels

of management
Means
We have lines of accountability for content & data management and quality assurance
processes
Our standards are promoted across all business units by senior managers to the
relevant teams
Our people responsible for quality assurance have knowledge, the right expertise and
are trained to fulfil their responsibilities

Purpose
In order to ensure that all content & data quality assurance processes are in place and
effective, ownership of each control/process must be clear.
Example in action
RBI-ICIS has established a documented editorial process for its Heren business which reports the
market price of oil and gas. The business has clear lines of accountability for each stage of the QA
process from start to finish.

Principle 5 Engage external partners to raise content & data

quality standards
Means
Where practical,
We define quality standards for our content and data and communicate this to our
suppliers and vendors
We support suppliers and vendors to improve their content and data quality management
We have processes to ensure we select suppliers that meet our quality standards and
measure their output against our content and data quality standards.

Purpose
Suppliers may help us source and produce our content and data so, where practical, we
communicate our content & data QA Principles. Reviewing their processes and output to
ensure the highest quality content and data.
Examples in Action
At Elsevier Nursing there are defined standards for suppliers/vendors to qualify as acceptable peer reviewers.
At LexisNexis UK quality assurance standards are defined with suppliers who compile tables of cases and legislation for
print products. These standards are reported every month against a service level agreement specified in the statement of
work for each project.
At LN Legal & Professional US, inclusion of quality assurance targets are standard practice in supplier agreements and are
included within the Service Level Agreement. In addition, LN L&P is transitioning to a Vendor Certification model where LN
trains and certifies qualified suppliers to perform quality auditing, reporting and assessments of assigned
workflows. LN conducts site audits of the Vendor Certification program at least annually.
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Appendix 1: ISO 9001 Principles of Quality Management

1.

2.

3.

4.

Customer focus
For any business concerned about quality improvement, customers and their needs should dictate much of their strategy. Without customer satisfaction any
business will ultimately fail, or at best tread water. Organisations should understand their customers' needs and endeavour to meet or even exceed them.
(RE Principle 1 - High quality content & data for our customers)
Leadership
The strategy, direction and ultimate success of any business is largely dependent upon its leadership, along with the environment and even the culture that is
encouraged throughout the organisation. A clearly communicated vision and purpose on the part of management is key to ensuring business improvement.
(RE Principle 4 Ownership of content and data quality at all management levels)
Involvement of people
An organisation's people will provide the front line customer services and follow the vision of the leadership, but they need to be encouraged and involved.
They need to feel and indeed be given ownership.
(RE Principle 4 Ownership of content and data quality at all management levels)
Process approach
It is possible to see virtually all business activities as processes and managing in this way will enable greater efficiencies through a clearer view of what is
happening.
(RE Principle 3 - Clear, holistic approach to content & data quality assurance)

5.

System approach to management

Management should view all business activities and processes as parts of an integrated system. This will then encourage greater efficiency and effectiveness
throughout the organisation.
(RE Principle 3 - Clear, holistic approach to content & data quality assurance)

6.

Continual improvement
This should be a permanent feature of any organisation that really wishes to excel within its marketplace. Whatever the organisation does to improve
performance should be subject to a continuing cycle of review, and this may result in the further raising of targets and goals to new levels. This is necessary to
keep ahead of the competition.
(RE Principle 2 - Continuous process improvement for content and data quality)
Factual approach to decision making
All key strategic decisions should be based on sound data that has been gathered via predetermined measures.
(RE Principle 3 - Clear, holistic approach to content & data quality assurance)

7.

8.

Mutually beneficial supplier relationships

Smaller firms traditionally supplied parts or materials to larger manufacturers to meet a specified order. More however can be derived from the
supplier/customer relationship by seeing it instead as an interdependent partnership that provides mutual benefits to both sides.
(RE Principle 5 - Engage external partners to raise content & data quality standards)
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