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Where
do you start? You have just been assigned the task of getting
registered to an ISO standard within a short period of time. How
should you begin? We believe a good start is with a plan. Although
each is unique, a successful implementation project begins with
a good project plan.
Purchase
a Copy of the Standard
It is hard to start a trip without knowing your destination.
You will need a copy of the standard to get started. The ISO 9001
standard is available through the American
Society for Quality in the U.S. All ISO standards are available
through the International Organization
for Standardization.
Establish Management Commitment
Management must know why they are implementing the ISO standard.
The initial reasons may be market pressures, or requests from
clients. This may not be enough for all managers to buy into and
support the project. Educating management on what the system is,
what it is not, and what it will do for your company is the best
way to gain the commitment you need from management. Two of the
books listed on our resource
page specifically address this issue. Group training sessions
are also an effective way to educate management.
Gap Analysis
The first step in planning your implementation is to perform a
Gap Analysis, a comparison of your current quality system to the
requirements of the ISO 9000 standard. Quest Analytical can perform
a Gap Analysis and then provide a Gap Report. The Gap Report explains
what you will need to add to your current quality system to meet
the requirements, and what you have in place that already meets
the standard.
Project Plan
Using the Gap Report, develop an implementation approach,
project plan, and timeline.
- Identify
the staff members who will be leading and coordinating the project.
- Determine
your approach to the project. Team-based projects are most effective.
- Establish
your timeline for implementation.
- Plan
a project "kick-off" to educate and inform everyone
in the facility about your ISO implementation project.
Quest
Analytical can assist you in developing your project plan and
provide general training to introduce ISO 9000 to your employees.
Additional
information:
Implementing
an ISO Management System
Management
Review
Registration
Developing a Quality Policy
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