DEFINITIONS USED IN MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND

AUDITING
W Term Terms What it means
Audit A systematic, independent and documented process for obtaining
evidence and evaluating it objectively to determine the extent to
which audit criteria are fulfilled
Audit Criteria Set of policies, procedures or requirements
Audit Evidence Records, statements of fact or other information, which are relevant
to the audit criteria and verifiable
Audit Findings Results of the evaluation of the collected audit evidence against
audit criteria
Audit Conclusion Outcome of an audit, provided by the audit team after consideration
of the audit objectives and all audit findings.
Audit Client Organization or person requesting an audit
Auditee Organization being audited
Auditor Person with the competence to conduct an audit
Audit Team One or more auditors conducting an audit, supported if needed by
technical experts
Technical Expert Person who provides specific knowledge or expertise to the audit
team
Audit Programme Set of one or more audits planned for a specific time frame and
directed towards a specific purpose audit plan
Audit Plan Description of the activities and arrangements for an audit
Audit Scope Extent and boundaries of an audit
Competence Demonstrated personal attributes and demonstrated ability to apply
knowledge and skills
Accreditation Formal recognition of competence to issue a certificate
Authority What you can do (compare with responsibility)
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 Calibration Accuracy related to a recognized measurement standard
Certification Written assurance (from an accredited organization) that a product,
process or system conforms to specific requirements
Characteristic Distinguishing feature (variable or attribute) that may be physical,
sensory, behavioural, time-based, ergonomic or functional
Compliance Fulfillment of a regulatory requirement
Concession Permission to use or release a product that does not conform
Confidentiality Ensuring information is accessible only to those authorized to
access
Conformity Fulfillment of a requirement (compare with Compliance)
Note: The term “conformance” is synonymous but deprecated.
Consistency Uniformity of successive results or aspects of a system or process
that fit well together
Consumer Member of the public purchasing or using property, products or
services for private purposes (a type of customer)
Continual improvement Recurring activity to increase the ability to fulfill requirements and
Objectives
Control Establishing and meeting requirements
Control Plan Documented description of the systems and processes required for
controlling product (automotive)
Correction Action to eliminate a detected nonconformity
Corrective action Action to eliminate the causes of detected nonconformity
Customer Organization or person that receives a product (may be an internal
customer)
Customer focus Understand current and future customer needs, meet customer
requirements and strive to exceed customer expectations
Customer satisfaction Customer's perception of the degree to which the customer's
requirements have been fulfilled
Defect Non-fulfillment of a requirement related to an intended or specified
use
Design and/or A set of processes that transforms customer needs into
Development specifications for the product, processor system
Design population Designated group of workers delimited as a percentile range of the
general population, defined accorded to relevant characteristics such
as gender, age, skill level etc.
Design responsible Organization with authority to establish a new, or change an
Organization existing product specification (automotive)
Deviation permit Permission to depart from the originally specified requirements of a
product prior to realization
Document Information and its supporting medium (hard copy or electronic)
Effectiveness Extent to which planned activities are realized and planned results
Achieved
Efficiency Relationship between result achieved and resources used

Error proofing Product and process design and development to prevent

manufacture of nonconforming products
Evidence See Audit evidence
Factual approach to Decisions based on the analysis of data and information
decision making

Fulfills Meets or conforms (synonyms)

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 Guide Person appointed by the auditee to assist the audit team

Identify Provide a title (for a document) or place on a list so the item can be
Located

Information Meaningful data

Infrastructure System of facilities, equipment and services needed for the

operation of an organization
Inspection Conformity evaluation of a product
Intended use (or Use of a product or process per the manufacturer’s specifications or
Intended purpose) Instructions
Interested party Person or group having an interest in the performance or success of
an Organization
Leadership Establishing unity of purpose and direction of the organization and
inspiring people to engage in achieving the organization's objectives
Management System System to establish policy, objectives and (the processes) to achieve
the established objectives (NB: the organization is the system)
Measure Determine the characteristic(s) or quantity of something using
recognized units.
Monitor Observe, supervise, keep under review, measure or test at intervals
especially for control
Monitoring Conformity evaluation of a process
Mutually beneficial Customers and suppliers working together to create value for both
supplier relationships parties
Noncompliance Non-fulfillment of a regulation or permit (a legal term)
Nonconformity Non-fulfillment of a requirement (non conformance is common)
Objective Result to be achieved
Observation See Audit finding(s)
Observer Person who accompanies the audit team but does not audit (witness)
Organization Group of people and facilities with and arrangement of
responsibilities, authorities, relationships and processes (a system)
Organizational System by which an organization makes and implements decisions
Governance in pursuit of its objectives
Performance Measurable results of the management system, related to an
organization's control of its inputs, processes and products, based on
its policy, objectives and targets
Planning Deciding who is going to do what by when (setting objectives and
specifying the necessary processes [includes resources and controls]
to fulfill objectives)
Policy Overall intentions and direction of an organization related to any
theme (for example: quality or environment) as formally expressed
by top Management
Preventive Action Action to eliminate the causes of a potential nonconformity
Preventive Maintenance Planned action to eliminate causes of equipment failure and
unscheduled interruptions to production
Principle Fundamental basis for decision making or behaviour
Procedure (may not be Specified way to carry out a process (or a task within a process)
documented)
Process Work (by machine and/or human) that applies resources and
controls to transform inputs into outputs
Process approach Work managed as a process so it is designed, resourced and
controlled to efficiently achieve the desired result
Process owner The person with defined responsibilities that may include: acting on
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 suggested process improvements and ensuring the process and its
actual controls are defined
Process team The group of people responsible for helping each other to fulfill the
process objective
Product Result of a process (includes: services, software, hardware,
materials and by-products)
Programme Set of actions planned for a specific time frame and directed
towards a specific purpose (similar to project), e.g. audit
programme
QMS (Quality Management system to direct and control an organization with
Management System) regard to Quality
Quality Degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfills
requirements (meeting agreed customer requirements)
Quality assurance Providing confidence that requirements will be fulfilled
Quality Plan Document specifying which procedures and resources shall be
applied by whom and when to a specific project, product, process or
contract
Realization Converting stakeholder needs into the delivered product
Record Document stating results achieved or evidence of process
Repair Action on a nonconforming product to make it acceptable for the
intended use
Requirement Implied need or expectation that is stated so it is explicit
Rework Action on a nonconforming product to make it conform
Responsibility What you must do (compare with authority)
Risk Effect of uncertainty on objectives
Risk Acceptance Decision to tolerate a risk
Risk Analysis Systematic use of information to identify sources and to estimate
the risk
Risk Assessment Overall process of risk analysis and risk assessment
Risk Control Implementing protective measures to bring risks to, or keep risks
within, specified levels
Risk Criteria Basis for evaluating risk, may change, for example with the current
values of society
Risk Evaluation Process of comparing the estimated risk against given risk criteria to
determine the significance of risk
Risk Management Coordinated activities to direct and control an organization with
regard to Risk
Risk management file Set of records and other documents, not necessarily contiguous,
produced by the risk management processes
Risk Treatment Selecting and implementing measures to modify risk (see risk
control)
Safety Freedom from unacceptable risk
Service Action of an organization to meet a demand or need
Severity Measure of the possible consequences of a hazard
Six sigma Describes a process so dependable that it results in 3.4 defects per
million
Special characteristic Product feature or process parameter that can affect safety or
compliance, fit, function, performance or further processing
Special process A process where conformity of the resulting product cannot be
readily or
economically verified
Sphere of influence Range/extent of political, contractual, economic or other
relationships through which an organization has the ability to affect
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 the decisions or activities of individuals or organizations
Statement of Document defining the control objectives and controls that are
Applicability relevant and applicable to the organization’s system based on the
results and conclusions of assessing and treating risks
Suitability Appropriate to a given purpose or occasion
Supplier Organization or person (could be a contactor) that provides a
product (may be an internal supplier)
Supply chain Sequence of activities or parties that provides products or services
to the Organization
Sustainable Development that meets the needs of the present without
Development compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own
needs
System Parts that work together
Systemic approach to Determining, understanding and managing interrelated processes as
Management a system for effectiveness and efficiency in achieving objectives
Working systematically Planning the work, working as planned, measuring progress and
taking action to improve the plan and the work
Target Detailed performance requirement that contributes to the fulfillment
of an objective when it is met
Technical expert Person who provides specific knowledge or expertise to the audit
team
Threat The potential for abuse of protected assets
Top Management Person or group of people who directs and controls an organization
Traceability Ability to trace the history of a product
Transparency Openness about decisions and activities that affect society, the
economy and the environment and willingness to communicate
these in a clear, accurate, timely, honest and complete manner
Validation Confirmation that requirements for a specific intended use have
been fulfilled (for example, does the design work?)
Value (added) Provided when the product is worth more to the customer than the
price paid or more than the cost of resources, inputs and controls
Value chain Entire sequence of activities or parties that provide or receive value
in the form of products or services
Verification Confirmation that requirements have been met (for example, does
the design conform?)
Vulnerability A weakness in an asset or group of assets that could allow it to be
exploited and harmed by one or more threats
Vulnerable group Group of individuals who share one or several characteristics that
are the basis of discrimination or adverse social, economic, cultural,
political or health circumstances, that cause them to lack the means
to achieve their rights or otherwise enjoy equal opportunities
Worker Person who performs work (may be self-employed)
Work environment Physical, chemical, biological, organizational, social and cultural
factors surrounding a worker

WORKSHOP

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