Any activity or operation which receives inputs and converts them to outputs is a process, which covers almost all product and/or service activities and operations. For organisations to function they have to define and manage numerous inter-linked processes.

The process model for the ISO9001:2008 standard shows its four main elements following the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle. It is simply a way of representing an organisation's quality management system in relation to customer's requirements and the achievement of customer satisfaction.

Adopting a process management approach will bring your quality management system closer to the business processes. For example, you could link quality activities to your business objectives, and have these cascade down through the organisation as meaningful staff performance objectives which would be measurable.

The new standard encourages the adoption of this process approach, and as a means of identifying and managing opportunities for improvement. Unlike the current 20-element standard, the model is rather like the four decks of a ship with all the chairs on the correct deck!