To lead and operate an organization successfully, it is necessary to direct and control it in a systematic and transparent manner. Success can result from implementing and maintaining a management system that is designed to continually improve performance while addressing the needs of all interested parties. Managing an organization encompasses quality management amongst other management disciplines.

Eight quality management principles have been identified that can be used by top management in order to lead the organization towards improved performance.

  • Customer Focus
    Organizations depend on their customers and therefore should understand current and future customer needs, should meet customer requirements and strive to exceed customer expectations.
  • Leadership
    Leaders establish unity of purpose and direction of the organization. They should create and maintain the internal environment in which people can become fully involved in achieving the organization's objectives.
  • Involvement Of People
    People at all levels are the essence of an organization and their full involvement enables their abilities to be used for the organization's benefit.
  • Process Approach
    A desired result is achieved more efficiently when activities and related resources are managed as a process.
  • System Approach To Management
    Identifying, understanding and managing interrelated processes as a system contributes to the organization's effectiveness and efficiency in achieving its objectives.
  • Continual Improvement
    Continual improvement of the organization's overall performance should be a permanent objective of the organization.
  • Factual Approach To Decision Making
    Effective decisions are based on the analysis of data and information.
  • Mutually Beneficial Supplier Relationships
    An organization and its suppliers are interdependent and a mutually beneficial relationship enhances the ability of both to create value.

These eight quality management principles form the basis for the quality management system standards within the ISO9001:2--- and AS 9100B family.

The model of process-based quality management system shown below illustrates the process linkages. This illustration shows that customers play a significant role in defining requirements as inputs. Monitoring of customer satisfaction requires met the

customer requirements. The model shown covers all the requirements of this International Standard, but does not show processes at a detailed level.

NOTE: In addition, the methodology known as "Plan-Do-Check-Act" (PDCA) can be applied to all processes. PDCA can be briefly described as follows.

Plan: establish the objectives and processes necessary to deliver results in accordance with customer requirements and the organization's policies.

Do: implement the processes.

Check: monitor and measure processes and product against policies, objectives and requirements for the product and report the results.

Act: take actions to continually improve process performance.