This article reviews common practices for, and the positive results of, establishing measurable quality objectives for ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 quality management systems. The author suggests a practical model for identifying and documenting objectives to drive the continual improvement of management systems and increase of customer satisfaction. An example of a Quality Objectives matrix offers a useful format for documenting and monitoring objectives of quality management systems. The paper will be helpful to those organizations that have not yet formally documented their quality objectives and for those that are interested in improving the effectiveness of their quality management systems and the performance of their businesses.
Through my consulting and auditing career I have been collecting "the best and the worst" samples of management systems and QMS documentation. Here are a few examples of the worst quality objectives from my collection: