Denise Robitaille

Consultant, trainer, and author

Author of more than a dozen books on a variety of quality topics, Denise Robitaille has participated internationally in standards development for more than 20 years, serving in several leadership roles, including her current position as chair of TC176/SC1. That committee is responsible for the development of ISO 9000, the guiding document on quality fundamentals and terminology that is the foundation for ISO 9001.

Robitaille also chairs PC302, the committee responsible for revising the ISO 19011 standard on auditing quality management systems. She has facilitated the implementation of ISO 9001 for multiple organizations for more than 25 years, is a Fellow of the American Society for Quality, and a certified lead assessor.

Mon, 05/10/2004 - 22:00
ISO 9001 Is Being RevisedTo retain relevance, ISO 9001 must continue to accommodate evolving realities
Thu, 03/28/2024 - 12:03
The buzz has begun. ISO 9001 is being revised. There hasn’t been a revision in about 10 years, so it’s due—if not overdue. Still, there are individuals who don’t understand the justification or the purpose of the revision. After all, it’s a…
The ISO 9000 Revision: Why It MattersWithout ISO 9000, ISO 9001 lacks context
Mon, 02/26/2024 - 12:03
ISO 9001 has begun its revision process. In the next few months, all eyes will be riveted on that arena as everyone seeks to anticipate the changes and what they’ll augur for their own quality management systems. The attention is not undeserved.…
The Basics of Internal Auditing
Tue, 01/29/2019 - 13:05
As with any other process, auditing requires planning, definition, consistent implementation and control to be effective. Without these features, auditing is a resource-draining waste of time. Internal auditing is one of the elements that makes your…
Feynman and the O-RingRoot cause analysis takes commitment, and sometimes, courage
Mon, 08/08/2016 - 11:19
The great physicist Richard Feynman is best known—at least among laypeople—as the person who solved the mystery of the Challenger space shuttle explosion more than two decades ago. Many of us remember the image of an O-ring suspended in a glass of…
What’s Really Cool About ISO 9001:2015Benefits and enhancements in the new revision
Tue, 08/25/2015 - 14:09
OK, so “cool” probably isn't the precise term—unless you happen to be a standards uber-geek. But there are definitely some enhancements to the 2015 revision of ISO 9001 that are worth getting a little excited about. The final draft international…
ISO 9001: 2015—Things You Can Do NowFocus on context, risk, and objectives
Mon, 02/09/2015 - 12:31
ISO 9001 continues to wend its way through the revision process, and as it does so there have been lots of discussions and prognostications over the impending changes. All the wringing of hands and ongoing debate will not hurry the process or…
What Takes So Long?The labor-intensive road to ISO 9001:2015
Wed, 09/10/2014 - 13:22
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the last two years, you can’t help to have noticed that the ISO 9001 standard is in the middle of its revision process. Seems like people have been talking about this revision for ages. And, it’s not even…
Self-Certification Is Not a Real ThingTraining, competence, and impartiality are just a few of the benefits of accredited certification
Wed, 02/12/2014 - 17:55
Every once in a while we hear of a company that claims to have a self-certification to ISO 9001—or some other management system standard. The company “certifies” that its organization conforms to the requirements of ISO 9001. It sounds pretty good…
It Ain’t Over Till the Fat Lady SingsWhat we know about ISO 9001:2015, and what we should do now
Wed, 10/02/2013 - 11:00
As ISO 9001 wends its way through the revision process, there have been dozens of articles, webinars, forums, and discussions anticipating what the final product will look like. Pundits and experts, consultants and gurus are all weighing in on what…
Series: ISO 9001 Revisions for 2015
Thu, 07/25/2013 - 10:24
What’s Happening With ISO 9001? Stakeholders have offered suggestions for the upcoming revision Committee Draft of ISO 9001 Is OutChanges include genuine improvement; some will make implementation more difficult