Introduction To Quality Management System And The Standard

Quality management system is a set of interrelated or interacting elements of an organization to establish policies and objectives, and the processes to achieve those objectives with regards to quality. It is a system to direct and control the intentions and direction of an organization.

Quality Management System enables top management to optimize the use of resources, considering the long-term and short-term consequences of their decision. It provides the means to identify actions to address intended and unintended consequences in providing products and services.

The Benefits

It is a globally recognized system and builds global recognition of an organization.
The ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.
Facilitating opportunities to enhance customer satisfaction.
Addressing risks and opportunities associated with the context and objectives of an organization.
The ability to demonstrate conformity to specified Quality Management System requirements.
Assurance of consistency in products and service delivery leading to reduced costs and shorter cycle times.
Adequate documentation and defined responsibilities resulting in knowledge retention and effective resource utilization.
Improved credibility, confidence, and organization’s image resulting in increased marketability and competitiveness.
Improvement of customer satisfaction resulting in increased possibility of repeat business.
Better process integration and alignment which improves efficiency and saves cost through increased productivity and eliminating the waste that can occur when processes are maintained without considering the cost of inefficiencies. This will drive efficiencies towards fewer errors and reworks, which improves cost saving.
Improve evidence-based decision making through analysis of data resulting from monitoring and measurements of processes, leading to an improved organizational planning.
Ability to monitor the rate of improvements through consistent measurement of processes.
It creates a continual improvement culture in the parties interested in the organization.
Process monitoring and measurement identifies deficiencies and proffers actions to address them leading to minimized mistakes and fewer return of products. This eliminates cost due to rework.
Continual reporting of the Quality Management System to top management makes top management abreast with the direction and effectiveness of the processes.
Identification of risks and opportunities, taking actions to address them results in increased market capacity.
Reduction in production cost through evidence-based planning, enhances overall profit margin.
Elimination of warranty claims through consistent conformity of products to specified requirements.
Problem-solving: The applications of root cause analysis and cause and effect principle in crisis assessment has been a major tool in problem resolutions. Arguments, conflicts, and ambiguities are eliminated as requirements are adequately defined.

The standard – ISO 9001: 2015

In the International Standard, the verbal forms below implies:

“shall” – a requirement to which an organization must comply to.
“should” – a Suggestion that if implemented can improve the organization’s Quality Management System.
“may” – The organization is permitted to decide whether or not to apply.
“can” – It is acceptable if applied