ISO 9001: 2008 requires organisations to define processes and procedures. In simple terms the difference between process and a procedure in this context is that a process is what you do and a procedure is how you do it. By introducing the process approach it is possible to link quality objectives with the overall objectives of the organisation. An example would be delivery performance, this being the measure of the performance of the delivery process, an important measure for most businesses.

Many organisations interpreted the process approach as requiring a process map, and they have used computer software to define all the activities (procedures) of the organisation. There is no need to do this, although some companies may find benefit from doing so.

It can be a time consuming task with limited benefits for many organisations. A simple explanation of what the organisation does and how various elements of the organisation interact with one another is all that is needed.

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