Is ISO 9001 QMS a Useful Tool or a Bureaucratic Burden?
The rationale behind implementing the ISO 9000 QMS is that the organization will acquire a tool that will assist it in keeping its customers happy with the products and services it offers to them. This is achieved by identifying its customers’ needs and expectations and implementing the appropriate processes and controls in order to satisfy them. At the same time, since their needs and expectations continually evolve, the organization needs to have in place continual improvement mechanism in order to implement appropriate changes such that it will maintain its customers happy.
This proposal begins by summarizing the concepts/ principles which form the basis of the ISO 9001 development and implementation and proceeds to compare this approach versus the one adopted by some organizations. The latter approach results in the QMS being a bureaucratic burden instead of a useful, valuable improvement tool, creating a stressful situation of crisis management for everyone in the organization.
The proposal goes on to propose a methodology for QMS development and implementation, outlining the necessary management practices to be implemented, which are based on the based on the quality principles incorporated in the standard.
At the same time, through my experience, I have identified necessary steps/ approach that will enhance the QMS development and implementation creating a solid foundation for the system. To my experience, this approach sets the basis for the creation of a powerful improvement tool.
