Clause 7: Product Realization

"Once you start a working on something, don't be afraid of failure and don't abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest."

Chanakya (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275 BC) 

Start with planning. Plan the journey from the point where the customer asks for something, right through to delivery (and beyond if necessary). Product realisation then goes on to ensure you have sound systems in place to control:

• Sales processes
• Design and development
• Purchasing
• Production/service activities
• Monitoring and measuring equipment.

Don’t worry if some of the topics here do not relate to you. Remember the standard is designed to be used by all types of organizations and hence clause 1.2 allows you to exclude any requirement of clause 7. You simply concentrate on the areas relevant to you.

The sub-clauses within clause 7 of ISO 9001 are:

7.1 Planning of product realization
7.2 Customer-related processes
7.3 Design and development
7.4 Purchasing
7.5 Production and service provision
7.6 Control of monitoring and measuring devices

Though clause 1.2 states that any requirement within clause 7 can be excluded, I do not see any situation where clause 7.1 can be excluded. Clause 7.1 is base clause and asks to determined product realization cycle considering requirements of clause 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5 and 7.6.

Similarly clause 7.5.1, also, can not be excluded because 7.5.1 demands defining control of production and service provision. The requirements within 7.5.1 are to be applied if applicable to product or service.

External Document Reference: Documentation Kit

Quality Manual Section: Product realization processes