This is the #1 question for CB’s with the new revision of ISO 9001:2015 standard.  Most management experts acknowledge that ISO 9001:2015 is a significant change.

Auditability implies consistent outcomes from auditing management systems.  If outcomes are different among CB’s, then the quality of the assessment and the reliance on the outcomes may be called into question.  

Again, the hallmark of audit quality is consistency.  If there is variability in audit outcomes then this would imply ISO QMS audit quality could be questioned.  This is the last thing that CB’s, auditees, and audit customers want.

So, there are a number of critical attributes of auditability that the CB’s will focus on:

• Meet the explicit and implicit requirements of ISO 9001:2015.
• Conduct the audit within prescribed time frames.
• Determine whether the audit is truly independent.
• Ensure agreement between the auditor and auditee of critical concepts such as risk, reasonableness, methodology, findings, standards, etc.
• Determine level of risk assurance from the assessment.
• Determine the scope of the assessment.
• Ensure consistent definitions of RBT and other critical risk terms.
• Define the criteria to be used in determining findings and nonconformances.
• Ensure availability of audit evidence and consistent processes.
• Ensure accurate and sufficient evidence is acquired to form the basis of a QMS finding or nonconformance.
• Develop internal procedures to assure ISO 9001:2015 audits are reasonably consistent within sectors, across sectors and across nations.

Lesson Learned:  Understand the ramifications for your organization’s auditability to ISO 9001:2015 and RBT.  This may be a challenge for CB’s with the new ISO standard.

Bio:

Greg Hutchins PE and CERM (503.233.101 & GregH@QualityPlusEngineering.com)  is the founder of:

CERMAcademy.com
800Compete.com
QualityPlusEngineering.com
WorkingIt.com

He is the evangelist behind Future of Quality: Risk®.  He is currently working on the Future of Work and machine learning projects.

He is a frequent speaker and expert on Supply Chain Risk Management and cyber security.  His current books available on all platform are shown below: