Definition of Quality Management System (QMS):
Collective policies, plans, practices, and the supporting infrastructure by which an organization aims to reduce and eventually eliminate non-conformance to specifications, standards, and customer expectations in the most cost effective and efficient manner.
~BusinessDictionary.com
A Quality Management System (QMS) can be expressed as the organizational structure (responsibilities), procedures (methods), processes and resources needed to implement quality management. (Data management, monitoring, continuous improvement, customer satisfaction)
9 elements of a Quality Management System:
1. Organizational Structure
2. Responsibilities
3. Methods
4. Data Management
5. Processes
6. Resources
7. Customer Satisfaction
8. Continuous Improvement
9. Monitoring
Quality Management can be considered to have 3 main components:
1. Quality Assurance
2. Quality Control
3. Quality Improvement
8 principles of Quality Management:
1. Customer
2. Leadership
3. Involvement of people
4. Process approach
5. System approach to management
6. Continual improvement
7. Factual approach to decision making
8. Mutually beneficial supplier relationships.