Monitoring,Measurement, required by ISO 9001
ISO 9001 Quality Management System requires the organization to use factual information as a basis for decision making. This requirement is met by clause 9.1 monitoring, measuring, analyzing and evaluating in ISO 9001.
Monitoring means observing the status of a system, process or activity.
Measurement is the process to determine a value.
For your Quality Management System (QMS)to work effectively, you need evidence on the basis of which you make your decisions and for continuous improvement. Measurement and monitoring is the ISO 9001 process that allows you to
collect the data.
ISO 9001 requires you to generally determine
- What is needed to be monitored and measured?
- What methods shall be used for the monitoring, measurement, analysis and evaluation needed to ensure valid results?
- When the monitoring and measuring shall be carried out?
- When results from monitoring and measurement be analyzed and evaluated?
It is a requirement that the organization shall evaluate the performance and effectiveness of the Quality Management System. It is also required that the records for monitoring, measurement, analysis and evaluation shall be kept.
Your ISO 9001 Consultant will advise you broadly to
First, plan how you are going to monitor, measure, analyze and evaluate your organization ’s quality management system .
Second, to monitor, measure, analyze and evaluate the QMS performance and its effectiveness.
Customer satisfaction
The objective of the organization is to have happy and contended customers. It is a requirement that the organization shall monitor the customer ’s perception of the level to which their needs and expectations have been met.  So, how are we going to know that the customer is happy? The organization will have to determine the methods for obtaining, monitoring and reviewing the information relating to customer satisfaction.
Some ways of collecting this information can be customer surveys, customer feedback on delivered products and services, meetings with customers, market-share analysis, compliments, warranty claims and dealer reports.
An effective Quality Management System is based on the foundation of processes that ensure that customer ’s expectations are met and exceeded.
Example:
Let ’s take an example of an organization that is manufacturing air-conditioners for a customer and see where the definition of monitoring & measurements goes in:
- The air-conditioner is made to customer ’ documented and agreed specification. Can the organization provide the resources and take the measurements initially to make sure that the specified and actual products are the same? If yes then has the organization the resources and processes to make sure that the output remains constant through the process of ongoing monitoring to protect our performance and reputation and satisfy the customer?
- The air-conditioner is ready for the final testing before its shipment to the customer. Now can the organization provide the resources and also design the process to make sure that the performance as well as characteristics of the manufactured air-conditioner matches the expected performance of the customer ’s specification? Measurements shall be taken of the parameters and monitoring shall be carried out if the answer is yes.
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