QIC Guru

How often have you heard that ISO 9001 promotes the process approach to managing an organization, and requires the QMS to consider the organization as a series of interlinked processes? What does this really mean in laymen’s terms?

Processes can be characterized as consisting of one or more linked activities that require resources and must be managed to achieve predetermined output. The output of one process may directly form the input to the next process and the final product is often the result of a network or system of processes. Every organization is made up of a series of interacting processes.

The process approach considers the interaction between these processes, and the inputs and outputs that tie these processes together. The output of one process becomes the input of another.

The ISO 9001 Standard is designed to manage and improve those processes.

1. First, you identify your key processes.

2. Second, you define quality standards for those processes.

3. Third, you decide how process quality will be measured.

4. Fourth, you document your approach to achieving the desired quality, as determined by your measurements.

5. Fifth, you evaluate your quality and continuously improve.

Once these are identified, an organization can ensure its processes are effective (they produce the desired output), and efficient (they promote continual improvement and lower cost by effective use of resources). The organizations ability to master the techniques of business process improvement, can help the organization gain a distinct advantage over the competition.