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practical, simple and flexible ISO 9001 |
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ISO 9001Consultant - practical, simple and flexible adviceISO 9001 - what is it?The international standard for a quality management system. Usually known as ISO 9001 or even just 9001, its full title is ISO 9001 Quality management systems - requirements. The 9001 Standard covers what you need for a 'quality management system' or QMS - ie, the system you use to manage and ensure consistent quality of your services and/or products. The emphasis of the 9001 Standard is on customer satisfaction and consistent quality. It's the most widely known model for a quality management systems; 'ISO' shows it is an international standard. Over one million certificates have been awarded for this Standard; an increasing number of those are for services (versus manufacturing). It's a basic foundation used by many other management system standards, which then add in more specific requirements, such as AS 9100 (aeronautical), ISO 22000 (food safety), ISO/TS 16949 (automotive) or ISO 14001 (environmental). But what is it actually? It consists of a set of things called requirements: these are things you are 'required' to do or have. These The requirements are set out in 5 groups:
All the requirements in the Standard are really simply practice and make good
business sense. There's nothing particularly arcane or peculiar. For example,
it requires you to establish what your customers want and make sure what you
supply to them meets their requirements. It requires you to make sure you
have processes to do that, and that your processes are appropriately
controlled where necessary. And the people who do any work which affects
the quality of your service or product have to be be
competent. See what I mean about good practice and busines sense? While the vast majority of standards are specific and highly prescriptive, in contrast 9001 is a generic standard. Which means it can apply to any organisation, of any size and in any field. Many people (wrongly) often just think of the 9001 Standard as all about manufacturing, or only for large businesses. Wrong. Small business can gain enormous benefit from using the Standard (whether or not they seek certification for it), and it can also be used with great success by service businesses. Examples include consultancies, importers, distributors and retailers. About 40% of 9001 certifications are now for services. Nor is it just for commercial businesses: it can be and has been successfully used in non-commercial organisations such as schools, colleges, government/statutory authorities, charities, even churches and missions. >> ISO 9001 FAQs What is very important to understand is that while ISO9001 says what you must do, it does not specify the how. As an example, the Standard requires you to plan your processes to get the results you want, and then to operate, control, maintain and improve them. But it doesn't dictate any specific methods that must be used to do this. That's up to you. Which is good - it's one of the things that makes the Standard so flexible. How do you get ISO 9001?Your quality management system must meet all of the requirements of the Standard. You must be audited formally to see if the management system you use complies with (ie, meets) all the requirements of ISO 9001. This is an audit of your system (not your financials) and has to be done by a properly accredited certifier, also known as a registrar. Then you are awarded a certificate - assuming of course you pass (never a problem for our clients) You are now 'ISO 9001 certified' or 'registered'. Which is often, mistakenly, called being 'ISO accredited'. >> More on how to get ISO 9001 What's the catch?One trap is you do need some inside knowledge, because there are some pitfalls for the ignorant or inexperienced. Another is that you might let something that's difficult and bureaucratic be imposed on you, thinking it has to be like that to get a certificate for ISO 9001: 2008. But that is not true. You can do it with an intelligent system, meaning a quality management system that is practical, simple, and flexible. Doesn't everyone do that? Alas, no. Some suffer under complex and bureaucratic systems, overloaded with documents that are hard to comprehend or use. Expensive and time-consuming to set up; even worse to work under. How does it happen? Often through not understanding what's needed, or lacking experience. To avoid this, read our article on the most common mistakes with ISO 9001. Why would you settle for less than a simple, practical and flexible quality management system, when you can get a good one instead? And use the power of ISO 9001 for real improvement? What are the benefits of ISO 9001?Some of the benefits of an ISO 9001 certified system that are most often reported:
Are you wondering how you can get them? If you could do it or whether you'd have to change everything you do? Worse, if you really have to 'document everything'? Or perhaps you've heard doing ISO is "really, really hard". If so, please forget that, because it's wrong (or at least, badly misguided). When it has been true, it's invariably because it hasn't been done intelligently and/or people don't really understand what the Standard requires. ISO 9001 does not have to be hardYou see, we don't do 'quality systems' with huge, horrible and wordy ISO 9001 quality manuals, laden with bureaucracy and forms. I think we've all got much better things to do with our time. Those kinds of over-complicated systems usually don't work well and often aren't followed. Except perhaps by whoever put it in place. But the very last thing you need is a system that only one or two people understand! Doesn't it make sense instead for your quality system to be simple and practical? To be 'just what we do around here'? Flexible enough to work for you today, and cope with changes tomorrow? Find out how. Back to Top |
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