What does the "Plan" phase of ISO 9001 include?

The "Plan" phase of ISO 9001 is fundamentally focused on establishing an organization's quality management framework, which includes defining the quality policy. The quality policy outlines the organization's intentions and direction regarding quality, articulating the overarching goals that guide its quality management efforts. This phase emphasizes the importance of leadership in creating a clear vision for quality that aligns with the organization's strategic direction.

Defining the quality policy is essential as it not only communicates the commitment to quality but also sets the stage for setting objectives and aligning resources accordingly. In this context, a well-structured quality policy serves as a foundation upon which the other quality management planning activities are built.

While setting performance metrics, regular training of employees, and finalizing service delivery methods are important elements in a quality management system, they are more related to subsequent phases of the ISO 9001 process, such as implementation or performance evaluation, rather than directly being part of the initial planning phase. Such activities generally stem from the established quality policy and the specific objectives laid out during the "Plan" phase.