ISO9

There is no specified time frame for completing the ISO 9001:2008 certification process. While the standard does not define a minimum deployment period, most registrars will require that you have your Quality Management System (QMS) in operation for at least 90 days prior to certification. Many organizations take much more time to complete the implementation of their Quality Management System (QMS) for this process. The most important factor in determining the time frame for completion is the availability of employee resources. In a small organization where one person fills multiple roles, and a separate quality manager role might not exist, it is quite possible that the certification process may take longer than it would for a much larger organization with a separate quality management team.

There is no formula for determining the number of people required to build an effective QMS. Manpower for the certification process can vary greatly, depending on the size of the organization, the workload and the knowledge of ISO requirements. ISO-compliant certification must include people from across the organization, not just a core of "quality management personnel." There are reviewers, approvers and many others within the organization who must get involved in implementing an effective QMS. The important thing to remember is that without buy-in from everyone – particularly, top management – no amount of manpower will be able to build an effective QMS.