ISO 9001 and AS9100 Implementation: Getting Started on the Path to Certification

Creating a Quality Management System (QMS) that fulfills the requirements of the ISO 9001:2008 Standard or AS9100 Standard can seem like a daunting task. But it doesn’t have to be. Creating a QMS should be done like all projects. Priorities need to be established, responsibilities determined, and milestones set. What priorities? What are the key milestones? How do I get started?

AM&T has helped many small and medium sized businesses move from having no real QMS to becoming ISO 9001 or AS9100 certified. It is a process that usually takes about twelve months, but it can be done in less for very small companies. A project typically includes establishing all the required elements of the ISO/AS Quality Management System and assisting in getting it off ground functionally.

One way to establish priorities and milestones is to use the organization of the ISO 9001:2008 & AS9100 QMS Requirements itself as a proforma project plan.

The ultimate goal, however, of a QMS, is continual improvement. So, to gain the benefits of improvement, an organization has to be committed to maintaining and modifying the system over time to best suit its needs. Creating the QMS is just the beginning.

Creating an Implementation Plan

The best approach is to treat your ISO implementation as a project, starting with a project plan that estimates the resources needed (people, materials, expertise) and the project timeline from beginning until the certification audit. We might begin with a gap assessment, which provides input into the project plan. A gap assessment is just as the name describes – comparing current systems and documentation to what is needed for a system that is ISO 9001 or AS9100 compliant. If you don’t feel comfortable with the QMS Standard, then perhaps the first step is ISO training for you and members of the project team.

The project team includes key members from the quality department along with representatives from other departments like Sales & Marketing, Design & Development, Human Resources, Production, and Accounting. The members provide valuable input to the QMS development project about systems and processes, they divide up tasks and actions items, and assist in distributing important information throughout the organization. But remember, involving a team can also take more time as you wait for meetings in order to make decisions and followup on actions. So be sure to build such delays into your project plan.

Now that a plan is in place, the hard work begins.