Abstract

The U.S. Standards Group on QEDS develops and maintains standards in quality, the environment, dependability, and statistics. The Group works for the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), which has hired ASQ to be an administrator for most of the organizations in the Group. Coordination of U.S. national standards efforts is handled by the Accredited Standards Committee Z1, while national technical advisory groups represent the U.S. in the international standards arena. The Standards Group Leadership Council makes sure the Group deals with issues of concern to its stakeholders and customers. Its major products include: U.S. versions of the ISO 9000 family of quality assurance documents; the U.S. version of the ISO 14001 environmental management systems standard; the D1160 design review standard; and statistics standards like Z1.4 on inspection by attributes and Z1.9 on inspection by variables. For the revisions to ISO 9000, 9001, and 9004, the Standards Group in 1998 received first committee drafts that elicited suggestions and comments. This led to second committee drafts that will be transformed into draft international standards in 1999 and final standards in 2000. The development of both national and international standards relies on a consensus process that assures acceptability to users as the typical standard progresses from new work item proposal to committee draft to draft international standard to final draft international standard. The U.S. Standards Group on QEDS aims to use its resources and communication tools to develop products that satisfy the needs of its members. To support its objectives, it has established a Web site; improved its membership management; and surveyed its customers and their needs.