Probing the Limits<br>ISO 9000: More Hindrance Than Help
If superior quality is your goal, then ISO 9001 is not what you need.
ISO 9000 is more of a hindrance than a help for companies that want to achieve superior quality and use quality as a strategic advantage. I've been spreading this message in various forums during the last several months, and while I've received tremendous support, it's a message that has also sparked consternation in some circles.
I do agree with ISO 9000 supporters that the standard can be an effective stepping stool to transform a poorly performing quality system into one that meets customer requirements. But that is where the standard draws the line -- at just meeting customer expectations. If you believed all the hype about ISO 9001 being a guide to superior quality, then you were misled just like I was. Now that I've managed our ISO 9000 program for four years, I regret being a champion for it.