In ISO 9001:2008 in 4.2.2. States that there is only 3 things needed for a Quality Manual.
Why is it that most copy and paste the whole norm and make a massive Quality Manual?
Im in the process of creating mine, and wanted to know which is best and why some have chosen the extensive route v.s. the shorter route?
Javid,
Back in the day QA folk would put together a book to show auditors how their management system conformed to the standard. They were trying to make life easier for auditors so they'd be out of their hair sooner.
Well two things happened. Auditors got better and no longer were impressed by the "window dressing" represented by the old-style quality manuals; they'd ignore them in favor of auditing the management system that actually ran the business. Second, system managers recognized that the management system was meant to help employees to understand and fulfill requirements and that this management system comprised much that was not documented including interacting processes, leadership, training, coaching, monitoring and undocumented procedures.
The manual then became secondary until, today, it merely is a top level document summarizing the organization and its mission and context and describing for customers and employees how the management system delivers quality assurance and continual improvement in less than ten pages. Very little, if any, is written for auditors.
John
