ISO 9001: A Basis to Satisfy Customers and Improve Operations

World Conference on Quality and Improvement vol. 53 - May 1999

Abstract: ISO 9001:1994 is a useful framework to help an organization maintain its effective quality system after a merger or acquisition. Being well understood and practiced, ISO 9001 provides a commonality in an era of multiple product lines, multiple office locations, and concurrent execution of projects. The first phase of applying the framework was to select a single project from a product line and office location for certification to ISO 9001. Upon certification of this project, it became clear that all product lines in an office and the office itself required certification. Therefore, the second phase was to develop a multitiered document for office certification. The document had to be flexible enough to deal with differences among product lines. This required four tiers: first, detail about quality policy, goals, and objectives; second, "what" procedures to support functional activities; third, "how to" procedures for flexibility among a variety of products; and fourth, detailed information on each functional procedure. Upon certification to ISO 9001, the third phase of applying the framework found the organization shifting its focus from compliance to efficiency and effectiveness. A council of continuous improvement established goals (such as increasing customer satisfaction); followed guidelines (such as focusing on implementation effectiveness); and identified areas for improvement by analyzing data (such as feedback from customers, employees, and suppliers.)

Keywords: Case study - Certification - Documentation - ISO 9000 - Quality improvement (QI) - Product management