Quality Management Systems

Development of Quality Systems

In the development of industry and management methods the globalisation of the market and increasing competition between companies led to attempts to provide a competitive edge by improving the quality of the product. This gave rise to a quality improvement 'movement' which went through several stages, with the current stage emphasising the use of quality assurance systems as the means to ensure the best quality product and a competitive edge.

Previous approaches focused on the specific product, its measurement , inspection to identify errors or deviations and re-work to correct these. The critical element of the current awareness is that the best and only way to ensure a quality product is to have an integrated system which addresses the critical aspects of every part of the organisation's operations.

This development was called a quality assurance or management systems approach. It gave rise to standards against which these systems can be audited. These general quality systems standards were then made more particular for aspects of an organisation's operations - e.g. environmental management, occupational health and safety, design process, etc.

The development of these quality standards has cascaded from the international level (ISO) and is now adopted by many national standards setting bodies, including the Australian body, Standrds Australia which now generally acts jointly with the New Zealand Standards Association in developing standards which apply in both Australia and New Zealand

Quality System Standards

The quality system standards applicable in Australia are known by the following numbers and titles: (Note that until recently this series commenced with the numbers 3900, 3901, .... etc.)
AS/NZS/ISO9000 - Quality Management and Quality Assurance Standards
AS/NZS/ISO9000.1 - Part 1: Guidelines for Selection and Use
This provides guidance on how to approach the implementation of quality systems, which standards are relevant in particular cases and provides a brief cross reference for the various system elements covered in the various standards.
AS/NZS/ISO9000.2 - Part 2: Guidance for the implementation of quality management standards
AS/NZS/ISO9001 - 1987 - Quality systems for design/development, production, installation and servicing
This is appropriate where the quality system is directed towards meeting contractual requirements of the external customer/client. As the title suggests, this focuses on the design, production, installation and servicing functions of the organisation.
AS/NZS/ISO9002 - Quality systems for quality assurance in production and installation
This is relevant where the organisation is required by the external customer/client to meet contractual requirements during the production and installation stages.
AS/NZS/ISO9003 - Quality systems for quality assurance in final inspection and test.
This is relevant where the organisation is required to meet contractual requirements of the external customer/client only at the final inspection and test stage.
AS/NZS/ISO9004 - Quality management and quality system elements
This applies to the development of a quality system for the internal operations and functions of an organisation. These are not necessarily driven by the contractual requirements of an external customer/client.
AS/NZS/ISO9004.1 - Part 1: Quality systems - Guide to quality management and quality system elements
This is a general guide to selection and use of ther elements for a quality management system in the organisation.
AS/NZS/ISO9004.2 - Part 2: Quality management and quality system elements - Guidelines for Services
This adapts the elements of the generic quality management system for the particular characteristics of organisations which provide services (rather than producing physical products).
AS/NZS/ISO9004.3 - Part 3: Quality management and quality system elements - Guidelines for Processed Materials.
This adapts the elements of the generic quality management system for the particular characteristics of organisations which process materials.
AS/NZS/ISO9004.4 - Part 4: Quality management and quality system elements - Guidelines for quality improvement.
This provides guidance for processes, and examples of tools, whihc can be used to imporve the quality performance of the organisation, within the context of its quality system.

Quality System Auditing

There are also standards for the auditing of quality systems:
AS3911.1 - 1992 Guidelines for auditing quality systems - Part 1: Auditing
AS3911.2 - 1992 Guidelines for auditing quality systems - Part 2: Qualification criteria for Auditors
AS3911.1 - 1992 Guidelines for auditing quality systems - Part 3: Managing audit programs
Another standard which is relevant to this area is - AS3913 - Guide to the preparation of quality manuals
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Updated: May 12, 1997