Quality Management Systems : Everything You Need to Know

ISO 9001 is a global standard that identifies requirements for Quality Management Systems (QMS).

Organizations use ISO 9001 to show their capacities to reliably provide goods and services that fulfill regulatory and customer requirements.

Aside from being the most popular standard in the ISO 9000 series, ISO 9001 is the series’ only standard that can certify.

When it comes to quality management in organizations, a quality management system (QMS) is vital. A QMS is a set of policies, processes and procedures that an organization uses to ensure that its products and services meet the highest levels of quality.

Organizations use QMSs to control and manage the quality of their products and services. QMSs help organizations to identify and correct problems, improve efficiency, and prevent errors from occurring in the first place.

There are many benefits to implementing a QMS in an organization. Some of these benefits include:

– Improved product quality

– Reduced costs

– Increased customer satisfaction

– Enhanced reputation

– improved employee morale and motivation

Quality management systems are an essential part of any organization that wants to provide high-quality products and services. If you’re interested in learning more about QMSs and how they can benefit your organization, read on for everything you need to know.

What is a quality management system (QMS)?

A quality management system (QMS) is a set of policies, processes and procedures that an organization uses to ensure that its products and services meet the highest levels of quality.

Organizations use QMSs to control and manage the quality of their products and services. QMSs help organizations to identify and correct problems, improve efficiency, and prevent errors from occurring in the first place.

ISO 9001 Timeline

1980 – Creation of Technical Committee 176.

1987 – The International Organization for Standardization (ISO), which is a global agency composed of the national standard bodies of more than 160 nations, first published ISO 9001.

1994 – First minor revision, which improved the control of the design and development clause. The roles of ISO 9002 and 9003 were also modified slightly.

2000 – First major revision.

2008 – Second minor revision, which sought to clarify issues that came out of the ISO 9001:2000 application.

2015 – Second major revision, which led to the current version.

The Use of ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems Revision

ISO 9001:2015 applies to any organization, regardless of the sector or size.

More than one million organizations from across 160 countries have implemented the ISO 9001 standard requirements for their QMS.

Quality Management Systems help organize processes, improve the proficiency of processes, and continually improve their overall businesses.

QSE Academy urges organizations that use ISO 9001 to transition to ISO 9001:2015 as soon as possible.

The International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the ISO Committee on Conformity Assessment (CASCO) agreed to a three-year transition period from the publication date of ISO 9001:2015.

Note that as of September 14, 2018, organizations that are currently registered to ISO 9001:2008 should have transitioned to the 2015 standard. This includes organizations involved in certifying or training others.

Hence, organizations must buy a copy of the standard.

To guide your organization on transitioning from ISO 9001:2008 to ISO 9001:2015, download the transition plan from the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).

QSE Academy also offers offshore consulting and toolkits to assist you in the transition.

Coverage of the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems

ISO 9001 is based on the plan-do-check-act/adjust method. It also gives a process-oriented approach to review and document the structure, procedures, and responsibilities necessary to secure an organization’s effective quality management. Certain parts of the standard enclose data on many topics, such as:

• Quality Management System requirements, including documented information, planning, and defining process interactions.
• Responsibilities of management.
• Management of resources, such as the work environment of an organization and human resources.
• Product realization, as well as steps from design to delivery.
• Measurement, examination, and improvement of the Quality Management System using internal audits, as well as corrective and preventive actions.

Changes in the ISO 9001:2015

Updates in the ISO 9001:2015 version aim to make sure that ISO 9001 continues to adapt to organizations’ changing environments.

It includes the introduction of new terminology and the reformation of some of the information.

There’s also an emphasis on risk-based thinking to boost the process approach’s application.

Furthermore, the revision improved leadership requirements and enhanced applicability for services.

The Benefits of ISO 9001:2015

            ISO 9001:2015 helps organizations:

• Guarantee their customers constantly receive high-quality products and services.
• Gain several benefits, such as satisfied employees, management, and customers.
• Organize and implement an effective Quality Management System.
• Consistently improve processes.
• Save in actual expenditures and cost avoidance.
• Drive three critical components of the system’s success: efficiency, training, and communication.

ISO 9001 Quality Management System Certification: Processes and Advantages

Securing ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System certification means that an organization has proved:

• Fulfilling its own requirements.
• Following the ISO 9001 standard’s guidelines.
• Meeting customer requirements, as well as regulatory and statutory requirements.
• Maintaining documentation.

ISO 9001 certification enhances an organization’s credibility by showing its goods and services meet customer expectations.

In some sectors, certification is required or legally mandated. The certification process involves implementing ISO 9001:2015 requirements. It also includes completing a registrar’s audit, which confirms the organization fulfills those requirements.

Consider the following when preparing for an ISO 9001 Quality Management System certification:

• The current level of conformance with the requirements of ISO 9001.
• Amount of resources dedicated to the ISO 9001 development and implementation.
• Registrar’s costs for ISO 9001 registration, surveillance, and recertification audits.
• Associated costs when securing support from a consultant.

ISO 9001 Standard: Training and Opportunities

Training gives the chance to analyze the ISO 9001:2015 standard and apply quality management principles.

Who can take ISO 9000, ISO 9001, and Quality Management System training courses?

1. Professionals are responsible for developing, managing, implementing and auditing an ISO Quality Management System.
2. Quality professionals who are keen on updating their documented ISO 9001-based Quality Management System.
3. Employees looking to continually improve.
4. Organizations who want to boost employee performance.

This detailed post aims to guide you in transitioning to ISO 9001:2015. Now that you’ve seen the benefits it could bring to your organization, employees, and customers, it’s time to go through the process and implementation using QSE Academy’s critically designed packages.