Structograms - A New Approach to Documenting the Quality Management System

Effectiveness and efficiency of modern quality management systems, based upon ISO 9001: 2008 standard significantly depend upon simplicity and clarity of their documentation, especially documented quality procedures. This paper proposes implementation of structograms (or more frequently called Nassi-Shneiderman diagrams) for presentation of sequence of activities in quality procedures. Two ways of presentation are compared, i.e. structograms vs. conventional flowcharts. Their fundamental elements and principals are shown, explained and compared, with the presentation of advantages and drawbacks. Detailed comparison was made on real life example of a documented procedure for material specification in shipbuilding. It has been concluded that structograms really do have many benefits compared to flow charts and that their use is to be preferred.