1) A quality management system (QMS) defines operations to achieve consistency and meet customer expectations. The ISO 9000 series is the predominant international standard for QMS. 2) ISO 9000 provides generic quality management principles and guidelines that can be applied to any organization. Certification allows an organization's QMS to be audited by an outside agency. 3) Implementing a process approach and continual improvement are key principles of an effective QMS. Costs are allocated to quality to identify opportunities to reduce costs of non-conformance and improve efficiency.