Introduction
ISO 9000 refers to international standards developed by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) for quality management and quality assurance. The ISO 9000 standards are not specific to any size, segment, or group of companies. The standards can be applied by any type of company or organisation.
Understanding ISO 9000
ISO 9000 Standards were developed to maintain an efficient quality system. The standards required documentation of the various elements of a quality system which an organisation would implement to maintain quality control. The standards act as a basis to manage quality by the government, education sector, and service providers in general.
The ISO standards help in continuous improvement of processes, achieving customer satisfaction and meeting regulatory compliances. Many organisations understand that quality management is a continuous process, unlike mere compliance with the standards. Organisations need improvements in all the factors of production, be it human resources or machinery (technology).
The standard dates back to 1987. ISO 9000 is a family of standards published by the International Organisation for Standardisation. The standards became popular in the European continent and later spread to the United States of America during the 1990s. The standards were later revised in the year 2000 and 2008 to adhere to the changing quality requirements of businesses.
Organisations can certify themselves to the ISO 9001 standard after following the required procedures and documentation. The ISO 9000 consists of the below standard:
- ISO 9001:2015: Quality Management Systems - Requirements
- ISO 9000:2015: Quality Management Systems - Fundamentals and Vocabulary (definitions)
- ISO 9004:2009: Quality Management Systems - Managing for the Sustained Success of an Organization (continuous improvement)
- ISO 19011:2011: Guidelines for Auditing Management Systems
Conclusion
The standards find an increased application by various organisations. The focus is on quality management, setting the policy, and implementing quality control and assurance.
Quality control is an important component of quality management and quality assurance. The entire process is also known as total quality management seeking to minimise or eliminate errors in product quality.
