ISO9001

Dataforth maintains registration to the latest ISO9001 requirements. Current registration is ISO9001:2015.

ISO 9000 requirements are designed for seven quality management principles. They are:

1. Customer focus
2. Leadership
3. Engagement of people
4. Process approach
5. Improvement
6. Evidence-based decision making
7. Relationship management

Principle 1 – Customer focus
Organizations depend on their customers and therefore should understand current and future customer needs, should meet customer requirements and strive to exceed customer expectations.

Principle 2 – Leadership
Leaders establish unity of purpose and direction of the organization. They should create and maintain the internal environment in which people can become fully involved in achieving the organization's objectives.

Principle 3 –Engagement of people
People at all levels are the essence of an organization and their full involvement enables their abilities to be used for the organization's benefit.

Principle 4 – Process approach
A desired result is achieved more efficiently when activities and related resources are managed as a process.

Principle 5 – Improvement
Improvement of the organization's overall performance should be a permanent objective of the organization.

Principle 6 – Evidence-based decision making
Effective decisions are based on the analysis of data and information.

Principle 7 – Relationship management
An organization and its external providers (suppliers, contractors, are service providers are interdependent and a mutually beneficial relationship enhances the ability of both to create value.

The 2015 Quality Management System document is 29 plus pages and available from the various standards organizations of each nation. There are 10 requirement sections as follows.

• 1 – 3: Requirements not usually audited
• 4: Context of the Organization
• 5: Leadership
• 6: Planning
• 7: Support
• 8: Operation
• 9: Performance evaluation
• 10: Improvement

Layout of the standard is similar to the previous ISO 9001:2008 standard. It follows a cycle of Planning, Implementing, Checking, and Correcting. Further encouragement is given for risk based thinking in the introduction. Certifying bodies issue certificates of registration. Auditors check for implementation of sections 4 through 10. The new standard no longer specifies issue and documentation of procedures. However other procedures that are used must be documented as needed for effective company operation. A quality policy, quality manual with or without procedures, and various records are required to be documented and distributed. There is a new requirement to assess risks in section 6. Interpretations of how to meet the standards are left to the company and auditors for the particular company.