What is the difference between methods & procedures used in different of ISO series standards.:thanks:

What is the difference between methods & procedures used in different of ISO series standards.:thanks:

Hello amanbhai,

I looked at Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1).

METHOD
–noun
1. a procedure, technique, or way of doing something, esp. in accordance with a definite plan: There are three possible methods of repairing this motor.
2. a manner or mode of procedure, esp. an orderly, logical, or systematic way of instruction, inquiry, investigation, experiment, presentation, etc.: the empirical method of inquiry.

PROCEDURE
–noun
1. an act or a manner of proceeding in any action or process; conduct.
2. a particular course or mode of action.


Normally, these words have the same meaning. However, in the context of ISO Standards, "Procedure" means that this particular course of action (method) is documented.

Stijloor.

What is the difference between methods & procedures used in different of ISO series standards.:thanks:

When terms matter, ISO standards define them.

The word 'procedure' used in ISO 9001 is defined in the companion ISO 9000 standard as 'a specified way to carry out an activity or process.' The Notes mention that 'procedures can be documented or not.'

Neither ISO 9001 nor ISO 9004 use the word 'method.'

I haven't worked with it for a while but when I last looked, TL 9000 (that's ISO 9001 for telecom suppliers) explicitly defined 'method' in its glossary as a procedure that did not have to be documented. The intent was to give auditors no excuse to insist upon a documented procedure for processes that required 'methods' to be established. An example was the software estimating method. (I've been out of that area for a couple of years so please check the latest version of the standard if you're using TL 9000.)

How to audit a 'method?' Check for systematic communication of the method, systematic understanding of it, systematic execution, and systematic effectiveness evidenced by records. (That's how Baldrige assessors are taught to assess procedures, instead of relying on documentation which may or may not be accurate.)

So the answer is, look in the definitions of terms and glossaries for the standard you are working with, they may or may not be using standard dictionary definitions.

Hope this helps,
Pat

Maybe I am a bit old fashion, but to me a procedure describes - "what" the activity is, defines "who" is to perform the activity and suggest "when" the activity is to take place.

Methods on the other hand is about "how" the activity is to be carried out.

Maybe I am a bit old fashion, but to me a procedure describes - "what" the activity is, defines "who" is to perform the activity and suggest "when" the activity is to take place.

Methods on the other hand is about "how" the activity is to be carried out.

While I don't think that the distinction is important enough to worry about, in this set of definitions "method" is what we normally think of as work instructions, so I think it makes sense.

Friends,

The intent of my response was to provide an "un-ISO biased" definition of the terms to gain a clear independent understanding of their meaning. Sometimes, my Fellow Covers get wrapped up in semantics. The second part of my response simply compares the two terms in an ISO standard context. As simple as that, no more, no less. BTW, I do know that when terms indeed matter, the formal ISO definitions prevail.

Stijloor.

The Food and Drug Administration uses these 2 terms interchangeably -
refer http://www.fda.gov/cder/guidance/2396dft.htm#P155_4936, where it is stated "Analytical procedure is interchangeable with method or test procedure"