ISO 9000-1 1994 in Plain English

Guidelines for Selecting and Using ISO 9000 Concepts and Standards 

Also see ISO 9001 2008 in Plain English and ISO 9004 2009 in Plain English

This web page is based on the ISO 9000-1:1994 Quality Standard 
published by the International Organization for Standardization
It presents a detailed and comprehensive interpretation of this 
standard using language that is clear and easy to understand.

ISO refers to ISO 9000-1 as a "road map" for the ISO 9000 family of 
standards. It provides a quick "tour" by briefly explaining what each 
ISO 9000 standard is about.  But it also discusses some concepts and 
makes some general theoretical points.  This is where we will begin.

>>>  ISO 9000-1 1994 is now OBSOLETE <<<

Quality
objectives 

ISO believes that organizations should:

  • Improve the quality of their products.

  • Improve the quality of their services.

  • Improve the quality of their operations.

  • Prove to customers that quality is important.

  • Prove to employees that quality is important.

  • Prove that quality improvements are being made.

Quality
requirements 

ISO distinguishes between quality system 
requirements and product quality requirements.

  • Quality system requirements are characteristics 
    or properties that systemic elements should have.

  • Product quality requirements are characteristics 
    or properties that products (or services) should have.

Types of
products 

ISO distinguishes between four types of products:

  • Hardware

  • Software

  • Processed materials

  • Services

Product
quality 

The quality of your product depends on:

  • Whether you routinely update it to meet 
    changing requirements and opportunities. 

  • Whether you design into your product the 
    characteristics the market needs and wants. 

  • Whether every instance of your product 
    precisely conforms to your product design. 

  • Whether you provide customer support 
    throughout the life cycle of your product.

Product 
value

Your customers are likely to place a higher value on your products if:

  • You have established a good reputation in the marketplace.

  • Your financial performance meets market expectations. 

  • You are committed to the well being of employees.

Work is 
a process 

All work is a process.

  • Every process is a transformation.

  • Every process has inputs and outputs. 

  • Every process transforms inputs into outputs.

Organizations
are made up
of processes

An organization is a network of processes.

  • Organizations must identify, organize, 
    and manage this network of processes. 

  • The link or interface between each process 
    must be clearly defined and well managed.

Product quality
depends on
process

Product quality depends on how well this network works.

  • Therefore this network of processes must be 
    routinely and regularly monitored and analyzed. 

  • Therefore the continuous improvement of this 
    network of processes must be a high priority.

Quality systems
are made up of
processes

A quality system is a network of processes.

  • These processes must be well integrated 
    and properly coordinated.

  • The link or interface between each process 
    must be clearly defined and well managed.

Process evaluations 

When you evaluate a quality system process, ask:

  • Have you developed procedures to control this process?

  • Are the procedures that control this process both 
    documented and well defined? 

  • Are the procedures that define this process 
    completely deployed and implemented?

  • Are the procedures that define this process 
    able to
    generate the necessary results?

Quality system evaluators

Quality systems are evaluated by:

  • Executive managers. 

  • Quality auditors.

    • Internal auditors.

      • First party auditors (your employees). 

    • External auditors.

      • Second party auditors (your customers). 

      • Third party auditors (independent bodies). 
        A third party audit is usually designed to 
        gain or maintain certification or registration.

 

Quality system documents

A process is documented by writing procedures.

  • Your quality system should be documented 
    with written procedures. 

    • If you document your current quality system procedures,
      changes in quality are easier to detect and to measure
      because they can be compared with the way things
      were done in the past.

Documentary evidence

Documents provide objective evidence that:

  • A process has been defined. 

  • Procedures have been approved. 

  • Procedural changes are under control.

Why quality
systems are
developed

Quality systems are set up in order to:

  • Meet the quality demands of all customers.

  • Meet the contractual demands of some customers. 

  • Demonstrate to second party customer appointed 
    auditors that quality requirements are being met.

  • Demonstrate to third party external auditors that 
    quality requirements are being met.

  • Maintain or achieve a competitive advantage.

  • Achieve senior management's quality objectives.

  • Take advantage of emerging market needs and trends.

 

Introduction 

As we indicated earlier, ISO refers to ISO 9000-1 as a "roadmap"
for the ISO 9000 family of standards. It provides a quick "tour" by
briefly explaining what each ISO standard is about. This tour
is presented below.

ISO 9000-1:1994 (now obsolete)

Use ISO 9000-1 (this one) if you need to clarify concepts 
and to see which publications you should study.

ISO 9000-2:1993 (now obsolete)

Use ISO 9000-2 if you need some help implementing 
the 1994 versions of ISO 9001, ISO 9002, or ISO 9003.

ISO 9000-3:1997
(now obsolete)

Use ISO 9000-3 if you are in the software business and 
you want to use ISO 9001:1994  to set up a quality system.

ISO 9000-4:1993 (now obsolete)

Use ISO 9000-4 if product dependability is important. Product
dependability means reliability, maintainability, and availability.

ISO 9001:1994
(now obsolete)

Use ISO 9001:1994 if you design, develop, produce, install, and
service products, and if your customers need to be satisfied that
product nonconformities will be avoided. ISO 9001 presents a Quality
Assurance Model that will help you to develop a quality system.

ISO 9002:1994
(now obsolete)

Use ISO 9002:1994 if you produce, install, and service products. 
ISO 9002 presents a Quality Assurance Model that will help you 
to develop a quality system.

ISO 9003:1994
(now obsolete)

Use ISO 9003:1994 if product quality can be assured through final inspection and testing. ISO9003 presents a Quality Assurance 
Model that will help you develop a quality system.

ISO 9004-1:1994 (now obsolete)

Use ISO 9004-1 if you intend to develop a quality system. 
It lists the elements that make up a quality system.

ISO 9004-2:1991 (now obsolete)

Use ISO 9004-2 if customer service is important to your organization. It discusses elements and concepts.

ISO 9004-3:1993 (now obsolete)

Use ISO 9004-3 if your organization processes solids, 
liquids, or gases as part of your production process.

ISO 9004-4:1993 (now obsolete)

Use ISO 9004-4 if you need to generate quality system 
improvements. It discusses concepts and methods.

ISO 10011-1:1990 (now obsolete)

Use ISO 10011-1 to develop your internal quality audit program.
It explains how to verify the existence of quality elements and
how to verify that your quality objectives are being met.

ISO 10011-2:1991 (now obsolete)

Use ISO 10011-2 to develop your internal quality audit program.
It describes the qualifications that your internal auditors should have.

ISO 10011-3:1991 (now obsolete)

Use ISO 10011-3 to develop your internal quality audit program.
It describes how a program should be managed.

ISO 10013:1995 (now obsolete)

Use ISO 10013 to develop a quality

manual for your organization.

ISO 10012-1:1992 (now obsolete)

Use ISO 10012-1 to ensure that your quality assurance
measuring equipment meets ISO's requirements.

 

Introduction

We conclude this section with some comments about how to select a
quality assurance standard and some notes about how to demonstrate
that your quality system complies with the standard you have chosen.

Three Quality
Assurance
Models

According to ISO, you can choose from the following 
list of quality assurance standards:

How to select
your Quality
Assurance 
Model

According to ISO, you should consider the following points 
when you select which standard to use.

  • If you intend to develop a quality system because your
    customers expect you to do so, then you and your customers
    should formally agree on which standard should be used.

  • If you wish to be certified or registered by an external auditor
    or third party registrar, then you and your auditors should
    agree on which standard should be used.

  • Choose the ISO 9001 1994 standard if you design, develop,
    produce, install, and service products (standard is obsolete).

  • Choose the ISO 9002 1994 standard if you produce, install, 
    and service products (this standard is now obsolete).

  • Choose the ISO 9003 1994 standard if you assure product quality
    through final inspection and testing (this standard is obsolete).

Creating a
customized
quality system

 You don't have to meet all requirements.

  • You may deviate from the official ISO 9001:1994, ISO 9002:1994,
    and ISO 9003:1994 quality standards if some of the existing
    requirements do not apply and if your customers agree.

  • If you have the agreement of your customers, you may delete
    certain requirements, modify existing ones, or add new ones 
    to suit your unique situation.

  • This agreement should be specified in a contract.

  • The customized quality system should be routinely 
    audited to ensure that it meets requirements.

How to demonstrate compliance

You must be prepared to demonstrate that your quality system complies with the quality assurance standard you have chosen. You may:

  • Formally declare that your quality system 
    meets all quality assurance requirements.

  • Use documentary evidence to prove that 
    your quality system meets all requirements.

  • Prove that customers accept your quality system.

  • Agree to have your quality system audited by 
    your customers or someone appointed by them.

  • Agree to have your quality system audited 
    by an external third party auditor (a registrar).

  • Present third party audit certificates that show 
    that your quality system meets all requirements.

 

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First published on June 6, 1997. Updated on December 10, 2011.

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