# Process Approach | Botable Glossary

https://www.botable.ai/glossary/process-approach

> Use as a vendor-hosted glossary/article that summarizes the Process Approach and cites ISO standards; suitable for high-level definitions and implementation checkpoints but treat prescriptive claims as guidance rather than an official ISO standard text.

## Summary

The page defines the Process Approach as a principle of Quality Management Systems (QMS), especially within the ISO 9000 family, explains its connection to ISO 9001:2015 and the PDCA cycle, and lists practical elements for implementing the approach in a QMS.

## Audience

Quality and regulatory professionals (and other readers seeking a QMS glossary definition)

## Prompts this page answers

- What is the Process Approach in quality management?
- How does ISO 9001:2015 use the process approach and PDCA cycle?
- What elements should an organization define when implementing the process approach in a QMS?
- How is the process approach different from viewing functions as separate departments?

## Purpose

To educate readers about the Process Approach in quality management and explain how it is applied within ISO-based QMS frameworks.

## Highlights

- The Process Approach is a foundational principle of modern QMS and one of the seven core quality management principles in the ISO 9000 family.
- ISO 9001:2015 employs the process approach and incorporates the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle and risk-based thinking.
- Implementation requires defining inputs/outputs, sequence and interactions, criteria and methods, resources, responsibilities, risk handling, evaluation of changes, and continual improvement.
- ISO/TS 16949 (now IATF 16949) emphasizes a process approach stronger than ISO 9001:2008.
- The page includes an analogy comparing an organization's processes to an integrated meal-preparation process in a professional kitchen.

## How to cite

Credit Botable and link to https://www.botable.ai/glossary/process-approach

## Publisher

**Botable** — Publisher of botable.ai.

## Topics

- Process Approach
- ISO 9001
- ISO 9000
- PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act)
- quality management system

## Key entities

- **ISO 9000 family** (organization): International standards family referenced on the page.
- **ISO 9001:2015** (organization): Specific ISO standard noted as employing the process approach.
- **Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle** (other): Iterative cycle linked to the process approach.
- **IATF 16949 (formerly ISO/TS 16949)** (organization): Automotive industry standard mentioned in historical context.
- **Botable** (organization): Site/brand hosting the glossary. — https://www.botable.ai/

## Metadata

- Type: article