ISO 9000: common mistakes and easy successes

This paper does not attempt to debate the rights and wrongs (and them are some) of the standard nor does it seek to persuade those who are unconvinced about its inevitability. It is aimed at those who have chosen, for whatever reason, to follow its path. It attempts to identify mistakes which have been commonly encountered in the course of a long and diverse consultancy career with a great many organizations, in the hope that those now responsible for its adoption can avoid them. It also identifies opportunities which are available to be realized if they are acted on