The framework

ISO-9001: 2000 is a major leap into the practice of process management, which is one of the essential ingredients of TQM. It has benefited from the feedback from about 1000 advanced organisations worldwide, which have already adopted process management practices successfully. It emphasises the Plan, Do, Check and Act cycle.
The 9002 and 9003 standards are integrated and their numbers given up. This international standard promotes the adoption of a process approach when developing, implementing and improving the effectiveness of a quality management system, to enhance customer satisfaction by meeting customer requirements more efficiently and effectively.
The framework basically consists of four major elements instead of the 20-element structure of the 1994 version, namely;
   1. Management responsibility
   2. Resources management
   3. Product realization
   4. Measurement, Analysis and Improvement (Refer Appendix for Model)
In order to make the transition smooth a table of correspondence has been drawn up between the 4 main elements of 2000 version and the 20 elements of 1994 version.
The new standard is based on eight quality management principles as below:
   1. Customer-focussed organisation
   2. Leadership
   3. Involvement of people
   4. Process approach
   5. System approach to management
   6. Continual improvement
   7. Factual approach to decision-making
   8. Mutually beneficial supplier relationships

Quality management principles

Principle 1: customer-focussed organisation
Organisations depend on their customers and therefore should understand current and future customer needs, meet customer requirements and strive to exceed customer expectations.

Action expected: Understand current and future customer needs and expectations. Measure customer satisfaction and act on it.


Principle 2: Leadership
Leaders establish unity of purpose and direction of the organisation. They should create and maintain the internal environment in which people can become fully involved in achieving the organisation's objectives.

Action expected: Establish vision, direction and shared values. Set challenging targets and goals and implement strategies to achieve them. Coach, facilitate and empower people.

Principle 3: Involvement of people
People at all levels are the essence of an organisation and their full involvement enables their abilities to be used for the organisation's benefit.

Action expected: Create personal ownership of an organisation's targets and goals, by using its peoples` knowledge and experience, and through training achieve involvement in operational decisions and process improvement.

Principle 4: Process approach
A desired result is achieved more efficiently when related resources and activities are managed as a process.

Action expected: Explicitly identify internal/external customers and suppliers of processes. Focus on the use of resources in process activities, leading to effective use of people, equipment, methods and materials.

Principle 5: System approach to management
Identifying, understanding and managing a system of interrelated processes for a given objective improve the organisation's effectiveness and efficiency.

Action expected: Identify a set of processes in a system. Understand their interdependencies. Align the processes with the organisation's goals and targets. Measure results against key objectives.

Principle 6: Continual improvement
Continual improvement should be a permanent objective of the organisation.

Action expected: Set realistic and challenging improvement goals, provide resources and give people the tools, opportunities and encouragement to contribute to the continual improvement of the processes.

Principle 7: Factual approach to decision making
Effective decisions are based on the analysis of data and information.

Action expected: Decisions and actions are based on the analysis of data and information to maximise productivity and to minimise waste and rework. Effort is placed on minimising cost, improving performance and market share through the use of suitable management tools and technology.

Principle 8: Mutually beneficial supplier relationships
An organisation and its suppliers are interdependent, and a mutually beneficial relationship enhances the ability of both to create value.

Action expected: Establish strategic alliances or partnerships, ensuring early involvement and participation defining requirements for joint development and improvement of products, processes and systems. Develop mutual trust, respect and commitment to customer satisfaction and continual improvement.

The Main sections
Management responsibility
This consists of:
   1. Management commitment
   2. Customer focus
   3. Quality policy
   4. Planning
   5. Responsibility, authority and communication
   6. Management review
Resource management
This consists of:
   1. Provision of resources
   2. Human resources
   3. Infrastructure
   4. Work environment
Product realisation
This consists of:
   1. Planning of product realisation
   2. Customer-related processes
   3. Design and development
   4. Purchasing
   5. Product and service provision
   6. Control of monitoring and measuring devices
Measurement, Analysis and Improvement
This consists of:
   1. Monitoring and measurement
   2. Control of nonconforming product
   3. Analysis of data
   4. Improvement