Question

Create a memo to your supervisor persuading him/her to pursue ISO 9001:2015 certification for your business (fictional or otherwise). The memo should include the following:

• Appropriate letter headings including: Date, Your Name, Subject, To Whom it is directed
• Explanation of ISO 9001:2015 certification.
• Explanation of the importance of and the potential benefits of ISO 9001:2015 certification.
• Description of issues that may arise with implementation of standards and what might be done to overcome this.
• Conclusion that gives a brief summary of your argument for pursuing ISO 9001:2015 certification

Answer 1

The ISO 9001 quality management system focuses on a wide range of business activities - not just quality control. Applying ISO 9001 will affect almost all of your business operations and employees.

The third common mistake during the ISO 9001 implementation process is related to the inability to properly and promptly inform all staff and receive support. The full support of managers and staff at all levels is critical to the success of your ISS 9001 quality management system. The earlier you get this support the better.

You must inform all managers and employees of:

Plans for ISO 9001 and how to obtain ISO 9001 certification

Benefits for them and their work

Expectations regarding their cooperation

This type of awareness program is critical to protecting employees from threats by ISO 9001 and ultimately becomes an obstacle to your efforts to implement ISO 9001.

Getting managers and employees is best done in the form of departmental meetings. The easiest and most effective option is to present an incentive video for introducing ISO 9001 to a group of employees.
ISO 9001 Leader - To prepare leaders for the ISO 9001 certification process

You have a good understanding of ISO 9001, which allows you to set goals and make decisions about your implementation. However, you may still be wondering how to continue to get ISO 9001 certification, now is a good time to learn about it.

You should be familiar with the following:

ISO 9001: 2015 and its requirements

The most commonly accepted interpretation of standards and practices

Steps of implementation (similar to this guide, but in more detail)

There are many options for gaining the necessary knowledge, from self-study to courses and coaching. For example, you can use a book that explains the requirements and provides explanations and instructions that explain the steps of implementation. An effective and time-saving option is an online course. Shortcuts can be guides and instructions combined with a good certificate that should be enough for everyone.

Plan your project

Before jumping into the actual project to implement ISO 9001, it is best to plan for it. In most cases you do not need a comprehensive plan with a Gantt chart, but a simple plan with implementation steps and target dates will be helpful. A detailed project guide, combined with a good certification tool, will simplify your project plan.

Many companies find it useful to analyze gaps to assess whether they have already met the ISO 9001 requirements and to focus on implementation efforts. Gap analysis is best done using a checklist. Based on the results, you will be able to present a better plan for your ISO implementation project and focus your efforts on the most important areas.