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Who developed the ISO Standards? The International Organization for Standardization, which includes over 90 countries, makes up the national standards bodies. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is the member representing the United States. The International Organization for Standardization is made up of approximately 180 Technical Committees. The ISO Technical Committee 176 developed ISO 8402: Quality -Vocabulary and the ISO 9000 standards. ANSI provides its input through a Technical Advisory Group (TAG). Back to Top What are the ISO 9000 Standards? The ISO 9000 standards include a set of 5 international standards on quality management. They are generic, not specific to any particular product or type of company. The standards provide the minimum requirements (what is required) for a quality management system. The standards do not define how something is to be done. ISO 9001, 9002, 9003 are the three quality system models. ISO 9001 is the most comprehensive which includes design, manufacturing, installation and servicing. ISO 9002 covers production and installation. ISO 9003 covers only final product inspection and test. The ISO 9000 series of standards are in the process of being revised and is planned to be released at the end of 2000. Back to Top When will the revised ISO 9000 standards be available? The revised quality management system standards (ISO 9000, 9001, 9004) are scheduled to be released the 4th quarter of 2000 and it appears to be on schedule. The 1994 versions of ISO 9002 and 9003 are being deleted. ISO 9001:2000 will encompass the deleted standards. The portions of the standard that apply to your business must be clearly defined and documented within the scope of registration. The vocabulary and quality management concepts will be integrated into ISO 9000:2000 and ISO 8402 and ISO 9000-1 will be withdrawn. Back to Top Why are the standards being revised? ISO directives required that the standards be periodically revised. Revision to the ISO 9000 standards include emphasis on the need to measure customer satisfaction, meeting the need for more user friendly documents, assuring consistency between quality management system requirements and guidelines, and incorporating generic quality management principles into organizations. Back to Top What are the main changes to the standards?
Back to Top How will the new standard affect my organization and its current quality management system? It is not the intent to change the structure of your current system; however, the revised standards will include some new requirements. If the current quality management system is successfully implemented, satisfies the needs and objectives of the organization, and reflects the way the organization works, there should be no need for complete re-writing of documentation. Some adjustments will have to be made to incorporate the new requirements and a mapping of requirements from your system to the standard is recommended. Back to Top What is the "Consistent Pair"? The alignment of ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 9004:2000 which encourages organizations to look beyond certification that will be truly beneficial in improving operational performance. ISO 9004:2000 is not used for third party certification. Back to Top How should I deal with transitioning to the current 2000 standard? The current 1994 standards will remain in force until the publication of the new revisions. Upon publication of ISO 9000:2000, the previous revisions of ISO 9001, 9002, 9003 will be withdrawn but there will be an overlap period of three years during which organizations can opt to use either revision. To maintain your certification, you must transition to the 2000 standard within the three year time period. Back to Top What is Registration? This involves having an accredited independent third party conduct an on-site audit of your company's operations against the requirements of the appropriate standard. Upon successful completion of this audit, your company will receive a registration certificate that identifies your company as meeting the ISO requirements. Your company will be listed in a register maintained by the accredited third-party registrar. ISO 9000 registration is not a legal requirement for access to foreign markets, but it can provide a competitive edge. The third party registrar will perform periodic surveillance audits to assure your quality system is being maintained. If you fail to maintain your quality system, the registrar will suspend or cancel your registration. Back to Top What is the RAB? The RAB is the Registrar Accreditation Board who is an ASQ affiliate formed to assure the competency of third party registrar including quality system auditors. Back to Top Will my organization need full re-assessment once the revised standard is out and what is being done to prepare the auditors? The extent of re-assessment and how it is handled is between you and your registrar. Auditors are being trained not only on the structure, content and terminology of the revised standards but also on the quality management principles. Auditor's training criteria is determined and monitored by the RAB. Back to Top How much is the transition to the new standards going to cost? Depending on the current state of your quality management system, the size of the organization, and the attitude of the management, the cost will vary. It is expected to benefit all organizations in the long run, which will eventually outweigh the costs. Back to Top Where can I get a copy of the standards? The ANSI/ASQ Q9000 series of standards, which is the American interpretation of the ISO 9000 standards, is available from ASQ. The ISO 9000 series is available from ANSI. The ANSI/ASQ Q9000 series is identical to the ISO 9000 series. Back to Top |
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