ISO 10011-2-1991 (1993) PDF

Full title and description

ISO 10011-2:1991 — Guidelines for auditing quality systems — Part 2: Qualification criteria for quality systems auditors. First edition 1991 (corrected and reprinted 1 May 1993). This part defines recommended education, training, experience and personal/management attributes for personnel conducting quality-system audits; it was published as an ISO international standard and issued as a short-format PDF.

Abstract

Part 2 of the ISO 10011 series sets out qualification criteria for individuals who act as quality-systems auditors. It covers required formal education, training courses and on‑the‑job experience, desirable personal attributes and management capabilities, maintenance of competence, language considerations and guidance for selecting a lead auditor. Annexes provide practical evaluation guidance and notes on national auditor certification.

General information

• Status: Withdrawn (replaced by later guidance consolidated into ISO 19011 series).
• Publication date: First edition 1991 (published Apr/May 1991); corrected and reprinted 1 May 1993.
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 03.100.30; 03.120.10 (quality management / quality assurance).
• Edition / version: Edition 1 (1991).
• Number of pages: ISO bibliographic listing shows a very short document (ISO record indicates 5 pages); national adoptions/prints have produced alternative paginations (commonly 12–15 pages depending on format).

Scope

This standard provides guidance on the minimum qualification criteria for persons performing quality-system audits. It is intended to help organizations, certification bodies and audit programme managers identify and assess the education, training, practical audit experience and personal/management qualities required for auditors and lead auditors in quality-system audits. It does not prescribe a single certification scheme but gives criteria and examples for national and organizational schemes.

Key topics and requirements

• Recommended formal education and academic background appropriate to quality-system auditing.
• Training requirements: courses, classroom instruction and topic coverage for auditors.
• Practical experience: suggested minimum years and number of audit days (experience on full audits and incremental progression to lead roles).
• Personal attributes and professional behaviour expected of auditors (judgement, integrity, analytical ability, communication).
• Management capabilities for lead auditors and audit-team leaders.
• Maintenance and continual development of competence (CPD/training refresh, participation in audits).
• Language skills and communication considerations for multinational audits.
• Guidance for evaluating candidates and notes on national auditor certification schemes (annex guidance).

Typical use and users

Used historically by quality managers, certification and registration bodies, accreditation bodies, lead auditor training providers, auditor competency assessors and organizations establishing internal auditor qualification and selection criteria. Today it is primarily referenced for historical guidance or by organizations maintaining legacy documentation prior to migration to the consolidated ISO 19011 guidance.

Related standards

ISO 10011-1 and ISO 10011-3 (other parts of the original ISO 10011 auditing series) — all three parts were consolidated and superseded by ISO 19011 (first issued 2002); ISO 19011 has been updated (2011, 2018) and the current consolidated guidance is ISO 19011:2018. Practitioners should refer to ISO 19011 for up‑to‑date guidance on auditor competence and audit programme management.

Keywords

audit, auditing, quality system, auditor qualification, lead auditor, auditor competence, auditor training, ISO 10011, ISO 19011, audit programme, certification bodies

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 10011-2:1991 is Part 2 of the ISO 10011 series — international guidance that specified qualification criteria for quality‑systems auditors (education, training, experience, attributes). It is a short ISO document first published in 1991 (corrected/reprinted 1993).

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers recommended education levels, formal and on‑the‑job training, required practical audit experience, desirable personal and management attributes, competence maintenance and language/selection considerations for lead auditors, plus annexes on evaluating candidates and national certification.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Historically: quality managers, audit programme managers, certification bodies, training organizations and individual auditors. Today those audiences reference it mainly for historical context or when comparing legacy qualification criteria with current ISO 19011 guidance.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ISO 10011-2:1991 has been withdrawn and its content consolidated into ISO 19011 (first issued in 2002). ISO 19011 has since been revised (2011 and 2018); the current consolidated guidance is ISO 19011:2018. Organizations should use ISO 19011 for up‑to‑date auditor competence and audit programme guidance.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — it was Part 2 of the ISO 10011 series (Parts 1, 2 and 3). The three-part 10011 series was merged into ISO 19011.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Auditor qualification, auditor competence, lead auditor, audit training, quality‑system audit, ISO 10011, auditor evaluation, audit programme management.