Get-ISO practical guide
What to prepare for an ISO gap assessment
A practical preparation checklist for organisations planning an independent management system assessment.
A useful gap assessment starts with a defined scope and representative evidence. A large folder of documents is less useful than a clear explanation of your activities and how the system operates.
1. Define the scope
List the sites, business activities, products, services and standards to be assessed. Explain any outsourced processes and the scope of existing certification.
2. Make the working records available
- Process descriptions and current controlled documents.
- Risks, objectives and performance results.
- Internal audit findings, corrective actions and management review records.
- Competence records and examples of operational controls.
- Customer requirements, complaints and relevant project or service records.
3. Select representative examples
Include examples from normal operations, recent changes and problems that required corrective action. Sampling should show how processes work, including where expectations were not met.
4. Arrange the right people
Make process owners available to explain their work and demonstrate the records. Confirm site access, safety requirements and remote access arrangements before the assessment.
5. Agree what happens afterwards
Confirm how findings will be reported, who owns corrective actions and how follow-up will be handled. A gap assessment is separate from certification and does not guarantee a certificate.