Commissioning and Qualification (C&Q) as the industry has known it for decades is undergoing a profound transformation. While the shift from paper to paperless is the most noticeable, as we embrace digital systems to streamline documentation, it is not the only transformation taking place. The move from paper-based documentation to fully digital systems should also be seen as a cultural shift with real implications on people, regulations, and even the way consultants approach projects and build their execution strategies.
The first steps toward digital commissioning and qualification can be traced to 2023, a time when an overwhelming majority of companies expressed interest in adopting digital tools in their C&Q efforts by 2024. Fast forward to 2025, more than half of those companies were already using digital validation systems, an early indication that this would be the new industry standard. With the industry moving forward with digital, what can be said about the entire transformation is that it has fundamentally changed how we execute and document validation activities, but not the fundamental principles of quality and compliance that make up the core of C&Q.