Are we required by ISO 9001:2000 to have process maps for each department?

[Rockanna]

Our company has detailed quality plans of how the various parts are produced with drawings. We have added a flow chart to the quality manual documenting the manufacturing process beginning with contract review ending in shipping. Are we required by ISO to have process maps for all the different departments?

[WALLACE]

J lean,
Ask yourself this question outwith the ISO standard, Regardless of the requirements of the standard, would it be advantageous (Profitable) for my organization to process map all processes throughout all departments?
Measure the need for process mapping by assessing departmental linkages, this will save you lots of time and stress.
Wallace.

I wouldnt have thought it necessary to hav seperate departmental process maps so long as departmental responsibility is defined inthe overall map.

On our part we just one process mapping on our production department.

Vash

[Claes Gefvenberg]

Hi j lean,

Are we required by ISO to have process maps for all the different departments?

I would say no. The idea is to map the processes, not departments.

Imho one of the major problem areas in any QMS is interaction between different departments. Mapping the processes instead would serve to clarify matters. They are what's keeping us alive anyway.

Let's say we have a process stretching over several departments: If you map this process only within a certain department, I think you're asking for trouble. It would take you right back to the department interaction problem.

/Claes

[M Greenaway]

Exactly Claes.

Do not map departments - that is totally missing the point.

MAP PROCESSES.

[Raffy]

I think process mapping is not a requirement from ISO9k:2K, but instead it is a just a tool to guide us.
Raffy

[M Greenaway]

Raffy

It is a requirement to define in your quality manual your processes and their interaction.

Now this can be done in any way, however a process map is an ideal tool for this.