ISO 9001 - The International Standard for Quality Management

The standard covers all aspects of an organization’s activities including: identifying its key processes, defining roles and responsibilities, its policies & objectives, and documentation requirements. It also covers the importance of understanding & meeting customer requirements, communication, resource requirements, training, product & process planning, design processes, purchasing, production & service, monitoring and
measurement of products & processes, customer satisfaction, internal audit, management review, and improvement processes. ISO 9001 is based on the following eight Quality Management Principles, which are incorporated within the requirements of the
standard, and can be applied to improve organizational performance:
- Customer focus,
- Leadership,
- Involvement of people,
- Process approach,
- System approach to management,
- Continual improvement,
- Factual approach to decision making, and
- Mutually beneficial supplier relationships.

Benefits of implementing ISO 9001

- Implementing a Quality Management System will motivate staff by defining their key roles and responsibilities.
- Cost savings can be made through improved efficiency and productivity, as product or service deficiencies will be highlighted.
- From this, improvements can be developed, resulting in less waste, inappropriate or rejected work and fewer complaints.
- Customers will notice that orders are met consistently, on time and to the correct specification. This can open up the market place to increased opportunities.

Process and Product Quality Assurance (PPQA) Process Area in CMMi

The purpose of Process and Product Quality Assurance (PPQA) is to provide staff and management with objective insight into processes and associated work products. A Support Process Area at Maturity Level 2.
The Process and Product Quality Assurance process area involves the following activities :

- Objectively evaluating performed processes, work products, and services against applicable process descriptions, standards, and procedures.
- Identifying and documenting noncompliance issues.
- Providing feedback to project staff and managers on the results of quality assurance activities.
- Ensuring that noncompliance issues are addressed.
The Process and Product Quality Assurance process area supports the delivery of high-quality products and services by providing project staff and managers at all levels with appropriate visibility into, and feedback on, processes and associated work products throughout the life of the project.

Specific Goals and Practices

SG 1 Objectively Evaluate Processes and Work Products
Adherence of the performed process and associated work products and services to applicable process descriptions, standards, and procedures is objectively evaluated.
- SP 1.1 Objectively Evaluate Processes.
Objectively evaluate the designated performed processes against the applicable process descriptions, standards, and procedures. Objectivity in quality assurance evaluations is critical to the success of the project. A description of the quality assurance reporting chain and how it ensures objectivity should be defined.
- SP 1.2 Objectively Evaluate Work Products and Services.
Objectively evaluate the designated work products and services against the applicable process descriptions, standards, and procedures. The intent of this subpractice is to provide criteria, based on business needs, such as the following:
. What will be evaluated during the evaluation of a work product?
. When or how often a work product will be evaluated?
. How the evaluation will be conducted?
. Who must be involved in the evaluation?

SG 2 Provide Objective Insight
Noncompliance issues are objectively tracked and communicated, and resolution is ensured.
- SP 2.1 Communicate and Ensure Resolution of Noncompliance Issues.
Communicate quality issues and ensure resolution of noncompliance issues with the staff and managers. Noncompliance issues are problems identified in evaluations that reflect a lack of adherence to applicable standards, process descriptions, or procedures. The status of noncompliance issues provides an indication of quality trends. Quality issues include noncompliance issues and results of trend analysis.
When local resolution of noncompliance issues cannot be obtained, use established escalation mechanisms to ensure that the appropriate level of management can resolve the issue. Track noncompliance issues to resolution.
- SP 2.2 Establish Records.
Establish and maintain records of the quality assurance activities. Typical Work Products are evaluation logs, quality assurance reports, status reports of corrective actions and reports of quality trends.