ISO9

Quality documents are a central part of any compliant Quality Management System (QMS). From an organization’s quality policy, to its processes, procedures, work instructions, objectives and plans, quality documents need to be drafted, reviewed and approved.

The quality policy is an overall statement about quality, usually distributed, stated and given to the organization by the president, CEO or other top official. This should be a blanket statement of quality that everyone can relate to and follow within the organization. Often this document is drafted, reviewed and approved by the top management.

Procedures and processes focus on the elements of the standard and how the organization will address those elements. Work Instructions are more detailed, job specific documents outlining the specific job function of an individual. Work instructions can sometimes be replaced by a more detailed and effective training plan.

The quality procedures, processes and work instructions are drafted, reviewed and approved by the individual(s) responsible for the specific areas. These documents are often approved by top management.

Objectives and quality plans are drafted to outline goals for an organization. These documents are generally created by a team of individuals, often including a member of top management and may or may not be approved by top management.