PROPOSALS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF ISO 9001

The ISO 9001 quality management system (QMS) includes a method of continuous improvement put in place in 1994. Through this system, audits and reviews are performed to identify, correct and prevent problems. Although the method of continuous improvement, combined with adherence to annual quality objectives, is an important part of the QMS, only a few business managers and quality professionals seem to acknowledge its significance. Whether the organization uses QMS or other improvement programs such as Six Sigma, Lean and TPM, it faces the same key question: how to ensure that methods that were beneficial during the execution of a project have continuity in the organization after the project has ended? One method of ensuring continuity is to apply QMS at the end of a project. Many organizations acquire and use ISO 9001 QMS in a limited way, for marketing purposes among other things, without taking a full advantage of its beneficial features. This paper analyzes various ways by which an organization can use the most beneficial characteristics of ISO 9001 QMS to improve its operations. The paper contributes to an ongoing discussion on the content and implementation of a quality system version related to ISO 9001 QMS, known as ISO 9001:2008. The paper proposes revisions that will make substantial improvements to ISO 9001:2008.