12 steps to make the transition from ISO/TS

16949:2009 to IATF 16949:2016

Author: Strahinja Stojanovic

The latest revision of IATF 16949 came out in November of 2016, and as the deadline for
transitioning gets closer, people are starting to become concerned about what steps they need to
take to make sure they are compliant with this latest version.

Its true that IATF 16949:2016 has brought some substantial changes with regard to concepts and
methods, but its nothing too difficult. As long as companies take the time to properly plan for the
transition, and approach the process systematically, theres no reason why it cant be completed
before the deadline.

Timing
Starting on October 1, 2017, all new certification audits must be conducted according to the new
IATF 16949:2016 and the IATF Rules 5th edition. Organizations already certified against ISO/TS
16949:2009 can make the transition for their next recertification audit. When the grace period
ends on September 14, 2018, the old ISO/TS 16949:2009 certificates will no longer be valid.

Those organizations that need to transition from ISO/TS 16949:2009 to IATF 16949:2016 will
need to pass a transition audit, including VETO approval for certification, on or before that
September 14 deadline. Those companies undergoing their transition audit between July and
September of 2018 will have 120 days, at a maximum, to receive a positive VETO decision after
their transition audit is complete.

Transition steps
Here are the 12 steps, in order, that I recommend for any organization looking to transition to the
2016 version of the IATF 16949 standard:

1) Define the context of the organization. Consider this new requirement carefully, as it serves
as the foundation of your new Quality Management System (QMS). There are no extra
requirements beyond those of ISO 9001:2015, but due to the nature of the industry, IATF 16949 is
known for raising the bar, so you should anticipate this clause to be looked at closely when it
comes time for the certification audit.

2) List all interested parties. Technically, this is part of the same clause where youll find
context of the organization, but because it is new, you may want to pay extra attention. Identifying
all interested parties and acknowledging their expectations are important when defining the
companys strategic direction.
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3) Review the scope of the QMS. Now is the time to take another look at the existing scope of
your Quality Management System, because the reliability and integrity of your QMS depend on it.
The new revision of the standard requires the evaluation of customer-specific obligations, and
their inclusion in the scope of the QMS.

4) Demonstrate leadership. Leadership requirements in the new revision of the standard are
nearly identical to those for management commitment in the last version. However, IATF
16949:2016 places even greater importance on organizational leadership, with additional
requirements listed for corporate responsibility. Top management can show leadership by creating
a Quality Policy and quality objectives, holding themselves accountable for the Quality
Management System, and providing adequate resources to keep it running smoothly.

5) Assess risks and opportunities. The latest revision requires the assessment of risks and
opportunities. The focus is on the organizations ability to achieve the planned results, as well as
other concepts like compliance obligations and context of the organization. Risk assessment
should include past experiences from audits, customer complaints, product recalls, scrap and
rework, and field returns and repairs. Once risks and opportunities have been assessed, plans
should be made to address them.

6) Align QMS objectives with strategic direction of company. Your companys Quality
Management System cannot be in opposition to the companys overall business strategy.
Likewise, quality objectives should be aligned with the companys other activities. The new
revision requires the creation of plans for achieving the objectives, as well as the definition,
establishment, and maintenance of quality objectives to meet customer requirements.

7) Control documented information. The new term documented information includes both
procedures and records. The transition is a good time to make improvements to your existing
documentation while you work on realigning your existing procedures with the new clause
numbers. For more information, see: List of mandatory documents required by IATF 16949.

8) Increase operational control. IATF 16949:2016 calls for better control over processes for
example, operating criteria, and the implementation of controls over processes according to these
criteria. In addition, confidentiality requirements have been increased, along with expansion of
operational planning and control obligations.

9) Redefine the design and development process. The definition of your design and
development process needs to be expanded to include inputs, outputs, controls, and
responsibilities; as well as how changes to the design and development process will be managed
like who is authorized to make changes, who will review results of any changes, and what will be
done to avoid negative impacts.

10) Control external providers. The purchasing process has been renamed Control of externally
provided processes, products and services. The requirement basically says that you must do
whatever you have to, in order to make sure your providers deliver what is expected. This can be
achieved through verifying that processes, services, and products supplied by external providers
comply with your requirements. To do this, youll have to determine what information needs to be
provided to suppliers, including type and extent of any controls.

11) Evaluate QMS performance. You are required to evaluate your QMS with regards to its
performance, effectiveness, and efficiency. You may already be familiar with KPIs (Key
Performance Indicators) you just need to figure out what needs to be monitored, how it should
be monitored, and how often.

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12) Measure and report. Measuring and reporting are assigned greater importance in the new
standard, particularly when it comes to the performance evaluation mentioned previously.
Likewise, management review and the internal audit process must be aligned with the new
standard. Even though theres no change to the methods of conducting these activities, some
changes have been made to the requirements to be audited as part of the internal audit, as well as
to the input elements for the management review.

Transitioning to the new version of the standard may seem overwhelming in the beginning, but I
estimate that over the course of a year, it shouldnt take more than an hour or two per month.
These arent changes for the sake of changes they do make sense, and offer a tremendous
opportunity to further integrate your Quality Management System with your other business
activities, and get a leg up on your competition.

If you want to learn more about IATF 16949 implementation, check out this free IATF 16949
Implementation diagram.

Related articles

List of mandatory documents required by IATF 16949:2016

How to structure IATF 16949:2016 documentation

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Dheeraj Arora 3 months ago

Looking for Manuals and Procedure for IATF 16949 : 2016
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