All organisations have a management system of some sort. It may be very informal, but most have found it necessary to document some of the ways they do things (processes/procedures) and their rules (policies), as well as keeping certain records. What they already do usually goes some way towards satisfying ISO Quality Management System requirements.
So in designing a management system it’s important to recognise and utilise what you already have, because:
- It’s a waste of time and money to reinvent the wheel.
- If you’re already doing it and it works, then it would be crazy to stop.
- This is all about having the best possible system – don’t change it if it’s already great.
But how do you know if it is the best system possible?
That’s where a Gap Analysis comes in. As the name implies, it will identify where there are gaps between how you currently run your organisation, and the requirements for ISO certification.
From this, a plan can be developed — in plain English — that states the actions required to fill those gaps and progress towards ISO certification. It’s the only logical and sensible way to start your business on the ISO journey. At GrowEQ, we consider it essential.
How Long Does a Gap Analysis Take?
For most organisations, a Gap Analysis should take about one day. Before it’s done, we send you a list of the types of documents that are relevant to the ISO Standard/s you’ve chosen, so that you can prepare.
We meet with you to get an overview of your organisation from management, the reasons why you want certification, your organisation’s needs, and the scope of certification (for example, do you want ISO 9001 certification only? Or do you need a Health and Safety, or Environmental System as well? Is it for the entire organisation, or just part of it, or a certain location?).
The next step is to examine your documentation. Some organisations have a lot of documents that are already compliant with ISO, and these businesses will require less time to transition to an ISO system. Others will be starting from near scratch. That’s what our Gap Analysis will identify. Then we provide you with a Gap Assessment Report that contains:
- Every requirement in the ISO Standard/s you wish to be certified to.
- A plain English interpretation of the requirements.
- Whether a policy or procedure/process needs to be documented to meet the requirement.
- Whether records need to be kept to demonstrate compliance with the requirement.
- Whether the documents you already have demonstrate compliance with each requirement.
- Whether those documents meet the requirement fully or only partially.
- The actions required to fill the gaps.
- A summary stating, as a percentage, your current compliance with ISO 9001:2105 Quality Management Systems.
- A Project Plan which tells you exactly what is needed to gain certification.
So put simply, a Gap Analysis is the best starting point on the road to ISO certification. To start the journey, or just find out more about it, please contact Liz Cole on 0411 829 963 or click here.
Not sure why you should bother with a Quality Management System?
Read Liz’s latest advice here: