ISO 9001:2015 QMS Awareness - Understanding Needs And Expectations Of Interested Parties

ISO 9001:2015 QMS Awareness - Understanding needs and expectations of interested parties

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The concept of understanding needs and expectations of interested parties was not mentioned in the earlier versions of ISO 9001 standards. Organizations that want to implement ISO 9001:2015 QMS standard need to meet the requirements of interested parties. These requirements are outlined in clause 4.2 of the standard. This clause deals with the requirements related to the understanding of the requirements of interested parties. According to the requirements of the standard, following needs to carry out by an organization:

 

(i) Determine: Interested parties relevant to the organization

(ii) Determine: Requirements of the determined interested parties that are relevant to the organization

(iii) Monitor and review: Information about the determined interested parties and their determined requirements.

 

Clarification:

(i) Interested parties = Persons/organizations that can affect, be affected by, or perceive themselves to be affected by a decision or activity.

(ii) Examples of interested parties: Customers, owners, stockholders, employees, workers on contract, contractors, suppliers, bankers, unions, partners, society, competitors, opposite pressure groups, certification body, government, regulatory bodies, neighbours etc.

(iii) Why there is a requirement to understand the needs and expectations of interested parties? Because interested parties' needs and expectations can have an effect or potential effect on the organization's ability to consistently provide products/services that meet (fulfil) customer and applicable legal requirements.

(iv) Needs and expectations = Requirements

 

An understanding of the needs and expectations of interested parties is an important issue as this can affect the organization's quality management system. As such, it is required that the organization remains familiar with the requirements of interested parties and maintain an awareness through monitor and review and thus make the organization to respond to the requirements appropriately. Unwillingness or reluctance to recognize the needs and expectations of interested parties will hamper a robust quality management system.

 

Step-by-step process:

(i) Make a team of identified persons.

(ii) The team should be asked to determine interested parties and their requirements.

(iii) The team should make a list of all such requirements with necessary details.

(iv) Assign responsibility to monitor and review such requirements to different persons or groups in the organization, so that effective decisions can be taken for the improvement.

 

Here are a few examples of the needs and expectations of interested parties that can potentially hamper a robust quality management system:

 

(1) Customer: One of the most critical interested parties in any organization is the customer. The organization needs to be aware of their requirements and expectations to ensure that the product or service provided meets their needs. If the organization does not understand or fails to meet customer requirements, it can lead to customer dissatisfaction, complaints, and ultimately, a loss of business.

 

(2) Employees: Employees are critical stakeholders who have a significant impact on the success of the organization. They may have expectations regarding their working conditions, compensation, career development, and opportunities for growth. If these needs are not met, it can lead to a decline in employee morale and productivity.

 

(3) Supplier: A supplier is another important stakeholder who can impact the quality of the final product or service. A supplier may have expectations regarding timely payment, clear communication on quality and quantity of the materials or services it provide etc. If supplier's needs are not met, it can lead to delays, quality issues, and ultimately, decline in production.

 

(4) Contractor: Contractors are also important stakeholders who carry out certain tasks according to the organization’s needs. Contractors may have expectations regarding timely payment terms, clear communication of the benchmarks of services they provide etc. If contractor's needs are not met, it can lead to delays, quality issues, and ultimately, decline in production.

 

Overall, failure to recognize the needs and expectations of interested parties can lead to a breakdown in communication, inadequate planning and execution, and ultimately, a weak quality management system. Therefore, organizations should remain vigilant in monitoring and reviewing the needs and expectations of interested parties and be prepared to respond appropriately.

 

Think of the following Questions

(i) What are the requirements for understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties in ISO 9001:2015?

(ii) Why should an organization determine interested parties and their needs ans expectations?

(iii) Who can be the interested parties and what can be their needs and expectations?

(iv) What may be the step-by-step process for understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties?

 

Best wishes,

- Keshav Ram Singhal

Please have your comments / reaction.

To train your employees with ISO 9001:2015 QMS Awareness, please supply them “TRAINING HANDBOOK ON ISO 9001:2015 QMS AWARENESS” (ASIN‏: ‎B093YFFY7Z), which is available worldwide at Amazon.

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