We recently went through our 2nd periodical audit to the ISO9001:2000 standard. It was much different than any previous audit (1996-2003).
The auditor focused on 13 different processes - checking to see if we evaluated the process for effectivness, understood the inputs and outputs. had metrics available. It was an interesting 3 long days.

A couple months ago we had just sterted performing a process audit - which impressed the auditor and helped us receive only an observation.

Any registrar's just performing process audits?

I'm a little confused by your post, Rockanna. If you could explain it in a bit more detail, I'd appreciate it.

My understanding is that external auditors always did (and continue to do) process audits. For example, I seldom had an external auditor show up and ask me questions solely to do with document control, for example. They see a document on the floor or on someone's computer, and using that as their example follow through on the document control process.

For our first full ISO 9000:2000 audit, our external auditor conducted their audit by ISO element. When I asked "aren't you going to conduct a process audit?", they replied "probably at the next surveilence audit."

We may need to have a look at what we actually mean when we say Process audit and System audit.

I suppose a system audit of a process based system could seem very similar to a pure process audit?

/Claes

We may need to have a look at what we actually mean when we say Process audit and System audit.

I suppose a system audit of a process based system could seem very similar to a pure process audit?

/Claes

*grumble* Sounds like a chicken-egg situation. Do you process audit the system or system audit the process? :bonk:

In every case of a surveliance audit, I have always had the process audit. In every company i worked in including GE. Process audits are the norm.
I recently relocated to Fl and took on a position as QA Manager. This company was set up on a checklist style.
Currently, I am converting to a Process Style for auditing the system.