ISO Quality Terms*
(as related to ISO 9000 and typical American Industry Jargon)
by Dexter A. Hansen

ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA: Defined limits placed on characteristics of materials, products or services.

APPRAISAL/AUDIT: A documented investigation to verify that all applicable requirements are being implemented.

CALIBRATION: Comparison and adjustment to a standard of known accuracy.

COMPONENT: Individual pieces used in the assembly of a product.

CONFORMANCE: Compliance with specified requirements.

CONTROL: To exercise authority over and regulate.

CONTROL FEATURE: A documented activity to ensure conformance with specific requirements of applicable specifications.

CORRECTIVE ACTION: Measures taken to rectify conditions adverse to quality and to minimize recurrence.

CUSTOMER INTERNAL/EXTERNAL: Any individual or organization who is furnished materials, products or services.

DESIGN: A detailed plan for a product.

DESIGN CHANGE: Revision to a Bill of Material or Drawing after its initial approval and release.

DESIGN REVIEW: A re-examination to determine the appropriateness of assumptions, methodology, and accuracy of formulations and calculations used to design a product.

DOCUMENTATION: Recorded information.

FAILURE: Any condition which prevents the product or service form performing its specified function.

FINDING: Objective evidence that a control feature of the approved quality program was not implemented.

MANAGEMENT REVIEW: A periodic review of this documented quality policy to ensure the program meets industry customer requirements, a random review of implementation and corrective action, and a review of the effectiveness of the overall quality program.

NONCONFORMANCE: Any deviation from specified requirements.

OBJECTIVE EVIDENCE: Facts which are observed and documented.

OBSERVATION: Evidence that a surveyable/auditable element exists which is not contrary to documented requirements, but may warrant further qualification or improvement.

PRODUCT INSTRUCTIONS: Details how a specified task is performed in the process of manufacturing a specific product/products, or administering a specific service.

PROJECT ENGINEER: The person assigned to handle the technical aspects of a project. This person may be a project engineer, lead engineer, group leader, project leader, designer, or project manager.

PROJECT MANAGER: The person assigned by their department Manager to handle the coordination and commercial aspects of a project. This person may be a project manager, project engineer, group leader, or spare parts coordinator.

PRODUCT RELEASE: A final approval given before the normal production process begins.

PROTOTYPE: A design that is not previously released, or design which has not been previously built.

QUALITY: Conformance to specified requirements.

QUALITY ASSURANCE: Those planned, systematic and preventive actions which are required to ensure that materials, products or services will conform to specified requirements.

QUALITY OF CONFORMANCE: The aspect concerned with assuring that products conform to predetermined standards.

QUALITY CONTROL: Inspection, test or examination to ensure that materials, products or services conform to specified requirements

QUALITY PROGRAM: An established documented system to ensure quality.

RECORD: An official, written registration of an activity which can be electronic.

REPAIR: A process which will make a discrepant part usable, but not up to design standards, or requires, special tools or processes.

REWORK: A process which will bring a discrepant part up to design standards.

SERVICING: Where servicing is specified in the contract, the supplier (company) will establish and maintain procedures for performing and verifying that servicing meets the specified requirements.

SUPPLIER: Any individual or organization who furnishes materials, products or services.

TRACEABILITY: The ability to determine the product history through marking and records.

VERIFY: To determine conformance to specified requirements.

WORK INSTRUCTIONS: A document that provides detailed 'How To' instructions to accomplish a task.

* Refer to ISO 9004 for a more complete explanation and set of definitions.

Back to top of page

Back to ISO 9000 Help Page

Back to Dexter's Home Page

Get Acrobat Reader

Amazon.com Get WebPhone

Get SmartDraw



LEGAL PAGE Find out about the terms and condition for the use of this information before proceeding further or more about licensing use of this book at dexter.a.hansen@worldnet.att.net, or call 612/906-3501.
Last Revised 5.6.98

Copyright © 1997 Dexter A. Hansen