When pursuing quality management, what should be done first according to ISO vs Baldridge?

Choosing to pursue ISO first is aligned with the structure and intent of ISO standards, specifically ISO 9001, which is fundamentally about establishing a quality management system (QMS). ISO standards provide a systematic approach to managing an organization's processes, ensuring that they consistently produce high-quality products or services.

By prioritizing ISO, an organization can set up essential quality management principles such as customer focus, leadership, engagement of stakeholders, process approach, and continuous improvement. Implementing these foundational structures creates a robust framework for quality assurance.

Once the ISO framework is in place, organizations can then move toward pursuing the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence. The Baldrige framework is more comprehensive and focuses not only on quality management but also on overall business excellence across various categories, including leadership, strategic planning, customer focus, measurement, workforce, and operations. In essence, establishing a solid ISO 9001 compliant system first provides the operational groundwork necessary for adopting the broader scope of the Baldrige criteria.

While other options such as implementing a strategic plan or conducting employee training are important components of quality management, they often come after the foundational quality standards provided by ISO have been established. Strategically aligning these efforts becomes more effective once an organization has the ISO framework to support