ISO 9001:2015: A Process Approach

ISO is recognized as the international agency consisting of over 160 member countries; each country having an equal vote. The standards provide guidance in the development and implementation of an effective quality management system. The intent of the Standard is that an organization satisfies the quality related expectations of their customers. Complying with ISO 9001 standard does not indicate every product or service meets the customer requirements, only that the quality system in use is capable of meeting them. This emphasizes why the organization must continually assess how satisfied your customers are and constantly improve the processes that produce the products or services. All work performed is a process. There are definable inputs, steps, and decisions that produce outputs of products or services. Throughout the implementation of a quality program, it is necessary to collect, organize and report data and information about your processes. Information collected about a particular situation can be used to understand how the process is performing and what action can be taken to control, fix, or improve it. It is based on a business process model, a holistic approach to quality.

The Results of Certification to ISO 9001:

• Well defined and documented procedures improve the consistency of output
• Quality is constantly measured
• Procedures ensure corrective action is taken whenever defects occur
• Defect rates decrease
• Defects are caught earlier and are corrected at a lower cost
• Defining procedures identifies current practices that are obsolete or inefficient
• Documented procedures are easier for new employees to follow
• Organizations retain or increase market share, increasing sales or revenues