SPE A K I NG O F Q UA L IT Y
ISO
9001:2015
AND THE ADVANTAGES
THE PROCESS BECOMES A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE.
ast month, we examined the supply chain. The
L management of this complex system is a daunting
task. That’s why, with this month’s column, we will
move the discussion from the system to the stan- dard
—specifically, the quality management standard, ISO
9001:2015. While companies have until 2018 to
transition to the revision, now is a good time to review
the standard and the organization that oversees it.
The International Organization for Standardization
(ISO)* is an independent, nongovernmental organiza-
tion that oversees the drafting of ISO 9001 and many
other international standards. ISO, through its 164
member organizations, brings together experts “to
share knowledge and develop voluntary, consensus-
based, market relevant International Standards
that support innovation and provide solutions to
global challenges.” Since 1946 (the same year ASQ
incorporated in New York state), ISO has
published
21,532 International Standards and related documents,
covering almost every industry, including technol-
ogy, food safety, agriculture, and healthcare. ISO
International Standards impact everyone,
everywhere.
On iso.org, ISO notes, “ISO 9001 is a standard
that sets out the requirements for a quality
management system. It helps businesses and
organizations to be more efficient and improve
customer satisfaction.” ISO also offers the following
as ISO 9001:2015’s ben- efits over the 2008 version:
• Puts greater emphasis on leadership engagement
• Helps address organizational risks and opportuni-
ties in a structured manner
• Uses simplified language and a common structure
and terms, which are particularly helpful to organi-
zations using multiple management systems, such
as those for the environment, health and safety, or
business continuity
TELL YOUR ORGANIZATION’S ISO 9001:2015 STORY!
Has your organization been through the implementation of
the ISO 9001:2015 quality management standards? ASQT V is
soliciting quality professionals who will record a video interview
(no longer than five minutes) regarding ISO 9001:2015. The
submitted videos will be included on the ASQT V Standards
Channel as case studies.
ASQT V hopes you’re willing to offer your expertise by
answer- ing one or more of the following questions:
• What are the three (or four) biggest advantages of the
2015
release for organizations?
• What are the three (or four) biggest advantages of the 2015
release for quality professionals?
• Addresses supply chain management more effectively
• Is more user-friendly for service and knowledge-
based organizations
In drafting this version of the quality management
standard, the team approached changes, updates, and
improvements that businesses must address to achieve
success in the current—and future—economic
landscape.
Whether your organization is currently transi-
tioning or looking to adopt ISO 9001:2015, the pro-
cess doesn’t need to be cumbersome. In the article,
“Ready, Set, Transition,” (Quality Progress, December
2016), Govind Ramu, chair of the ISO 9001:2015
U.S. Technical Advisory Group, Technical
Committee 176, subcommittee 1, divides the
transition process into three sections: planning,
communication, and execu- tion. Ramu also suggests
thinking of transitioning to—or adopting—ISO
9001:2015 in this way:
“ISO 9001:2015 is not a giant, scary monster. It’s a
commonsense approach to running any organization.
When process owners complain about additional work
that ISO 9001 creates, I always ask them, ‘Tell me one
thing in ISO 9001 you wouldn’t do in a business.’
With or without ISO 9001, the requirements outlined
in the standard are fundamental to any business.”
The process becomes a matter of perspective. With
so many advantages to the new standard, it’s best to
take the next 18 months, roll up your sleeves, and pre-
pare your organization for improvement.
*Note on the name: ISO is often thought of as the acronym of the
organization. But the organization’s name is the International
Organization for Standardization. In fact, it would have different
acronyms in different languages. The short form, ISO, is derived from
the Greek isos, meaning equal.
• What advice can you offer organizations readying to imple-
ment by the end of the transition period? What challenges
can they expect to face?
• What do most professionals/teams neglect when imple-
menting the 2015 revision?
The inter views will be used in a future episode and
posted to the ASQT V site. Send your file (s) to John Van Slyke
(jvanslyke @ asq.org) by July 15, 2017. Dropbox (dropbox.
com) and Hightail (hightail.com) are two excellent file-sharing
platforms. MP4s are the most common files but ASQT V can
accept most video files.
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