Quality Management System Handbook for Product Development Companies describes a systematic approach for quality management and continuous improvement via a formal management system. The approach centers on a high-level process for defining a QMS — from essential prerequisites to improvement mechanisms. The book outlines the five major QMS phases: implementation planning; definition; refinement; deployment; and continuous improvement. The text provides all of the information that a company needs to implement a quality management system (QMS). It describes the high-level QMS implementation process and offers guidance on how to define, deploy, and continually upgrade a QMS. Recognizing the importance and acceptance of a process-oriented view of business operations, this book integrates a process-oriented approach to the establishment of a QMS, and describes the quality practices that are essential for product development.