One of great things I learnt recently with one great audit was regarding the most basic and most integral part of ISO/QS/AS/TS or similar certification is Quality Manual.
And I have come more informed and better advised. Quality Manual is your business 101 basically is the advice. Represent and document it in similar fashion. It should point towards the best practices, processes and to provide and snapshot view of your company and scope. Instead of making it to follow the template for a particular standard family, a rather broader view and establish the fact that you are guided by the principle that we do what we say and say what we do.
Manual which represents just clauses from standard are redundant and no value. If at each clause relativity is established to make it very much what you understand is more accurate. It seems everyone wants to get it just perfect but the value is in writing it as your perception and improving on it. If you start with perfection it is very hard to improve and very few companies follow those protocols.
Start where you are and use the manual to project your organization as aligned to ISO 9001 guidelines but not a regurgitation of ISO 9001 standard.
Now with ISO 9001:2015 how much change will come? Will almost all firms get rid of the Quality Manual?
What risk management will you do to justify doing away with the Quality Manual?
