This International Standard provides the fundamental concepts, principles and vocabulary for quality management systems (QMS) and provides the foundation for other QMS standards. This International Standard is intended to help the user to understand the fundamental concepts, principles and vocabulary of quality management, in order to be able to effectively and efficiently implement a QMS and realize value from other QMS standards.
This International Standard proposes a well-defined QMS, based on a framework that integrates established fundamental concepts, principles, processes and resources related to quality, in order to help organizations realize their objectives. It is applicable to all organizations, regardless of size, complexity or business model. Its aim is to increase an organization’s awareness of its duties and commitment in fulfilling the needs and expectations of its customers and interested parties, and in achieving satisfaction with its products and services.
This International Standard contains seven quality management principles supporting the fundamental concepts described in 2.2. In 2.3, for each quality management principle, there is a “statement” describing each principle, a “rationale” explaining why the organization would address the principle, “key benefits” that are attributed to the principles, and “possible actions” that an organization can take in applying the principle.
This International Standard contains the terms and definitions that apply to all quality management and QMS standards developed by ISO/TC 176, and other sector-specific QMS standards based on those standards, at the time of publication. The terms and definitions are arranged in conceptual order, with an alphabetical index provided at the end of the document. Annex A includes a set of diagrams of the concept systems that form the concept ordering.
NOTE
Guidance on some additional frequently-used words in the QMS standards developed by ISO/TC 176, and which have an identified dictionary meaning, is provided in a glossary available at: http://www.iso.org/iso/03_terminology_used_in_iso_9000_family.
