4. Is it time to take stock?

Perhaps the time has come to take a step back and move beyond the debates among experts, for the benefit of those who use the ISO 9000 and ISO 9001 standards in businesses and organizations of all kinds.

In practical terms, the value of the historical overview provided here—which traces the long evolution of ISO 9001 toward clearer definitions—lies in highlighting the freedom of choice now afforded to users in determining which of their organization’s processes to include in their QMS.

These processes can legitimately be defined and implemented end-to-end as value-creating workflows carried out by the stakeholders within the relevant organizational units.

Each has its own missions and timeframe. Processes unfold in the present, through action and movement, drawing on coordinated individual contributions to serve...