Systematic process improvement using ISO 9001:2000 and CMMI

4.1 ISO 9001:2000 69
• Which tools are needed to execute the process
• If we increase resources, can we achieve goals and objectives
• What are the constraints
• How can we improve efficiency
• Do we need more training
Documentation is essential for understanding the impact of one process
on another. This is particularly important at the lower process levels where
the interactions among subprocesses may be more pronounced and effects
of one on another more prominent. ISO 9001 does not explicitly specify the
extent of the required documentation and does not provide guidelines for
the type of documents that may be helpful when describing the process. In
the following chapters, we will show how the synergy between the CMMI ®
and ISO 9001 can be used for that purpose.
4.1.3.2 Management responsibility
Section 5 of ISO 9001:2000 addresses management responsibility, particularly
the responsibility of top management. As indicated earlier, publication
and implementation of the QMS is an important strategic decision. The
commitment to issue and follow this document is the responsibility of top
management. The standard requires top management to provide evidence
of its commitment to following the QMS and to continually improving its
effectiveness. Top management develops and publishes a quality policy that
must consider customer focus, responsibility, authority, communication,
QMS planning, and reviews.
We now discuss each of those items in the order of their appearance in
the standard. Numbers in parentheses denote major clauses in the standard.
The subclauses are also indicated in the text.
Management commitment (5.1) The standard uses the term top management
throughout this section. Top management is the ‘‘person or group of
people who direct and control an organization at the highest level’’ [4]. In
contrast, the 1994 standard used the term ‘‘management with executive
responsibility’’ [9], which implies that lower level management, for example,
at the department level, may have sufficient authority to take actions
required by the standard.
Now, top management is required to show evidence of its commitment
by these means: