Quality In ISO 9001 Standards

The Eight Dimensions of Quality

1. Performance

2. Reliability

3. Durability

4. Serviceability

5. Aesthetics

6. Features

7. Perceived Quality

8. Conformance to Standards

Terminology

Every product possesses a number of elements that jointly describe what the user or consumer thinks of us as quality. These parameters are often called quality characteristics. Sometimes these are called critical-to-quality (CTQ) characteristics. Quality characteristics may be of several types:

1. Physical: length, weight, voltage, viscosity

2. Sensory: taste, appearance, color

3. Time Orientation: reliablility, durability, serviceablity.

Since variability can only be described in statistical terms, statistical methods play a central role in quality improvement efforts. In the application of statistical methods to quality engineering, it is fairly typical to classify data on quality characteristics as either attributes or variables data. Variables data are usually continuous measurements, such as length, voltage, or viscosity. Attributes data, on the other hand, are usually discrete data, often taking the form of counts. We will describe statistical-based quality engineering tools for dealing with both types of data.

The Eight Dimensions of Quality1. Performance2. Reliability3. Durability4. Serviceability5. Aesthetics6. Features7. Perceived Quality8. Conformance to StandardsTerminologyEvery product possesses a number of elements that jointly describe what the user or consumer thinks of us as quality. These parameters are often called quality characteristics. Sometimes these are called critical-to-quality (CTQ) characteristics. Quality characteristics may be of several types:1. Physical: length, weight, voltage, viscosity2. Sensory: taste, appearance, color3. Time Orientation: reliablility, durability, serviceablity.Since variability can only be described in statistical terms, statistical methods play a central role in quality improvement efforts. In the application of statistical methods to quality engineering, it is fairly typical to classify data on quality characteristics as either attributes or variables data. Variables data are usually continuous measurements, such as length, voltage, or viscosity. Attributes data, on the other hand, are usually discrete data, often taking the form of counts. We will describe statistical-based quality engineering tools for dealing with both types of data.

Effects of ISO 9001 Implementation

Overall we can say that a company sought certification primarily to meet internal needs rather than as a response to external market forces. However the first action to be certified seems as a proactive response, we could not see a clear effort in the company to evaluate the actual results of this process.

Despite all, it has been stated that the certification has enabled them to achieve higher quality, productivity thus product reliability and increase in customer satisfaction. From the aspect of cost dimension it was declared that ISO 9001 implementations had moderately positive impacts on cost reductions by the increase in productivity and decreases in spoilage, rework and scrap. A factor affecting the occurrence of previous impacts is careful selection of the appropriate supplier.

Overall the most important impact of certification was stated to be the improvements in the brand image of the company from the viewpoint of their customers. This will also be very advantageous in the retention of existing customers and attraction of new ones. As a result of the synergy between the stated improvements company achieved a significant competitive advantage compared to competitors that are not certified.

Company has neither any application nor any action regarding TQM and quality costs.

Why is ISO 9001:2008 Certification Important?

Why is ISO 9001:2008 Certification Important?

First of all it provides a system for managers and organizations to achieve excellence and opens the door for American manufacturers and/or service organizations seeking a larger role in both international trade and with other American organizations. Many organizations require their suppliers to be certified or at a minimum to be working toward certification on ISO 9001:2008 to do business.

Consider the facts (source MORI/SGS-ICS) that with ISO 9001 certification:

• 83% realized improved management control
• 82% realized improved customer satisfaction
• 62% said it improved the ability to win work
• 61% stated a more motivated workforce
• 60% realized improved productivity
• 60% saw reduced waste
• 52% stated it improved marketing
• 50% had reduced costs
• 49% realized increased market share

ISO 9000 AND THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

ISO 9000 AND THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

A formal quality management system has the potential to change attitudes, cultures, and work procedures at any construction firm in a way the organization has never experienced before. In most cases, in order to set up a

formal quality management system at a construction firm, there has to be direct demands from their customers, whose requirement for quality is essential for doing business. Most of the construction organizations will not enter into the cost and allocation of resources to implement a quality management system unless they will be compensated. There is a general movement towards making implementation of a quality management system a contractual requirement. Small to medium sized organizations can always argue that they ‘operate to a quality system’ although this is not formalized. However, since the existence of such ‘informal’ quality systems are

difficult to justify, the International Standards Organization, (ISO) has come up with ISO 9001 series of standards that are applicable to all organizations irrespective of size or nature of business.

ISO 9000 refers to a set of quality management standards. Standards present an opportunity for an organization to develop a quality management system that meets the requirements specified by ISO 9001:2000, which are

recognized internationally, making the organization competitive. ISO 9001 family of standards is undeniably the most prolific of all formal standards. This could be due to the worldwide applicability standardization and

flexibility with which the standards are associated, even though there are some experts that still question the standards’ applicability in the construction industry. It is important to note that ISO 9001:2000 has replaced ISO 9001:1994, ISO 9002:1994 and ISO 9003:1994, while the old ISO 9002 and ISO 9003 standards have been discontinued.

A formal quality management system has the potential to change attitudes, cultures, and work procedures at any construction firm in a way the organization has never experienced before. In most cases, in order to set up aformal quality management system at a construction firm, there has to be direct demands from their customers,whose requirement for quality is essential for doing business. Most of the construction organizations will not enterinto the cost and allocation of resources to implement a quality management system unless they will becompensated. There is a general movement towards making implementation of a quality management system acontractual requirement. Small to medium sized organizations can always argue that they ‘operate to a qualitysystem’ although this is not formalized.

However, since the existence of such ‘informal’ quality systems aredifficult to justify, the International Standards Organization, (ISO) has come up with ISO 9001 series of standardsthat are applicable to all organizations irrespective of size or nature of business. ISO 9000 refers to a set of quality management standards. Standards present an opportunity for an organization todevelop a quality management system that meets the requirements specified by ISO 9001:2000, which arerecognized internationally, making the organization competitive. ISO 9001 family of standards is undeniably themost prolific of all formal standards. This could be due to the worldwide applicability standardization andflexibility with which the standards are associated, even though there are some experts that still question thestandards’ applicability in the construction industry. It is important to note that ISO 9001:2000 has replaced ISO9001:1994, ISO 9002:1994 and ISO 9003:1994, while the old ISO 9002 and ISO 9003 standards have been discontinued.

ISO’s logo

ISO’s logo

ISO will not authorize the use of its logo in connection with material publicizing an ISO 9000 or ISO 14000 certification –some examples of such uses are in company letterheads, marketing leaflets, advertisements, and so on. The ISO logo is a registered trademark. ISO does not authorize its logo to be used, either by quality system certification bodies, or by the companies to which the latter issue ISO 9000 certificates. The same applies to ISO 14000 certifications, as these become more widespread. Allowing the ISO logo to be used would give the false impression that ISO carries out certification activities, or has approved or authorized the organization using its logo. These activities are not business functions of ISO.

ISO is not an auditor, assessor, registrar, or certifier of either quality systems or environmental management systems – or, for that matter, of materials, products and services – nor does it endorse any such activities performed by other parties. ISO develops International Standards but, at present, operates no scheme for assessing conformance with them.

Allowing the use of our logo in advertisements or other publicity material would give the impression that ISO has “approved” such a certification – or even carried it out. For the reasons given above, such an impression would be totally misleading.

ISO 9001 and occupational health and safety

ISO 9001 and occupational health and safety

Adopting ISO 9001 might lead to improvements in occupational health and safety in a variety of ways. In the process of formally documenting procedures, for example, managers can identify and eliminate hazardous practices and add safety precautions. Moreover, by fostering more focused attention to detail,ISO 9001 adoption can reveal new “win-win” opportunities to improve quality or efficiency and occupational health and safety that were previously obscured by indirect and distributed costs and benefits.

Additionally, processes that provide warning signals and prompt corrective action can forestall serious accidents. Finally, routine auditing and corrective action procedures required by ISO 9001 to address management system failures encourage root-cause analysis that can identify problematic work practices that might otherwise precipitate not only quality failures, but occupational health and safety concerns.

Departments charged with managing quality sometimes also manage health and safety, and companies are increasingly implementing integrated management systems that incorporate all these considerations. Occupational health and safety can be improved by applying the tools of continuous improvement associated with ISO 9001 certification. Employees who know how to identify root causes of quality problems, for example, also have the skills to identify root causes of safety problems.

The high rates of repetition and increased monitoring implicit in the emphasis of ISO 9001 on routinization and standardization of tasks can increase stress and repetitive motion injuries, potentially worsening the safety records of plants with quality program. Moreover, to the extent that the higher equipment utilization associated with ISO 9001 adoption translates into reduced employee downtime, employee fatigue, a major cause of injuries, might be expected to increase. Additionally, new quality management procedures implemented in association with ISO 9001 that add inspection tasks to work processes optimized for production can occasion poor ergonomic conditions that leave employees susceptible to injuries.

Process Approach In ISO 9001 Standards

Process Approach In ISO 9001 Standards

The ISO 9001 International Standard promotes the adoption of a process approach when developing, implementing and improving the effectiveness of a quality management system, to enhance customer satisfaction by meeting customer requirements.

For an organization to function effectively, it has to determine and manage numerous linked activities. An activity or set of activities using resources, and managed in order to enable the transformation of inputs into outputs, can be considered as a process. Often the output from one process directly forms the input to the next.

The application of a system of processes within an organization, together with the identification and interactions of these processes, and their management to produce the desired outcome, can be referred to as the “process approach”.

An advantage of the process approach is the ongoing control that it provides over the linkage between the individual processes within the system of processes, as well as over their combination and interaction.

When used within a quality management system, such an approach emphasizes the importance of

a) understanding and meeting requirements,

b) the need to consider processes in terms of added value,

c) obtaining results of process performance and effectiveness, and

d) continual improvement of processes based on objective measurement