1. What is the ISO?
The ISO is the International Organization for Standardization.
Located in Switzerland, it was established in 1947
to develop common international standards for products
and services used all over the world.
2. What is ISO 9000?
The ISO 9000 standard is sweeping the world. It is rapidly
becoming the most important quality standards to be adopted
by
companies in over 100 countries around the world. Why?
Because the standard controls
quality, helps companies save money, and most importantly,
customers expect it. If you are not certified for ISO 9000,
your competitors are. Some facts:
The ISO 9000 standard can help both product- and service-oriented
organizations achieve levels of quality that are recognized
and respected
throughout the world.
ISO first published its quality standards in 1987, revised
them in 1994, and then republished an updated version in 2000.
These new standards are referred to as the "ISO 9000
2000 Standards".
ISO's purpose is to facilitate international
trade by providing a single set of standards that people everywhere
would recognize
and respect.
ISO 9000 is a very difficult certification to achieve. It is based on strict requirements
3. How does ISO 9000 work?
Here are some over-simplified steps you would follow to apply for ISO
9000:
1. You decide to develop a quality management system
that meets the new ISO 9000 Standards. Your decision is
based on
the need a) to improve the quality
of your products and services, b) to reduce the high cost
of poor quality, and c) to become more competitive. The
decision may also be based on your customers expectations
or on a mandate from a government
agency.
2. You develop
a quality management system that
meets the requirements specified by ISO 9001:2000.
3. You consult the ISO 9000:2000 and ISO 9004:2000 guidelines.
Your quality management system must meet ISO's requirements,
not ISO's guidelines.
4. What is ISO 9004?
ISO 9004 is a guideline for performance improvements. You
don't receive certification for this standard. ISO 9004
does not meet the requirements of the stricter ISO
9000 standard set down in ISO 9001:2000.
Link to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Read
more...
5. What's the difference between ISO 9000 and ISO 9004?
The term ISO 9000 refers to a set of quality management
standards that comprise three quality categories:
ISO 9000:2000,
ISO 9001:2000, and ISO 9004:2000.
ISO 9001:2000 represents
requirements.
ISO 9000:2000 and ISO 9004:2000 represent guidelines.
All of these standards are process standards, not product standards.
Back to top
|
