Applicability Matrix by Customer-Specific Requirements for IATF 16949
Applicability Matrix by Customer-Specific Requirements for IATF 16949
The Applicability Matrix is an extremely valuable tool for the Management System Architect as well as the QMS process owners. This tool is used to show the interaction between each identified QMS process and the applicable sections within the automotive OEM customer-specific requirements.
Why is this important? Instead of throwing various customer-specific requirements at top management and expecting them to determine which requirements apply, this Applicability Matrix by CSR provides a template for mapping out various OEM requirements. Primary focus of this tool is on the OE requirements as published on the IATF Oversight webpage - http://www.iatfglobaloversight.org/oem-requirements/customer-specific-requirements.
This tool can be combined with the Applicability Matrix by Clause or used independently.
One of the key changes to the IATF 16949:2016 Automotive QMS standard is the requirement for the inclusion of a customer-specific requirements document (matrix) as a part of various aspects of your QMS. A new requirement found in 7.5.1.1 QMS documentation states “The quality manual shall include, at a minimum (d) a document (i.e. matrix) indicating where within the organization’s quality management system their customer-specific requirements are met.” The Applicability Matrix vs. CSRs (customer-specific requirements) provides you with a massive head start at satisfying this new requirement.
This tool can (and should) also be used to satisfy new requirements for internal (7.2.3) and second-party auditor competency (7.2.4). As a part of the audit planning work, auditors can use this tool to ensure they are properly aware of, and sampling, customer-specific requirements during the process(es) they’re scheduled to audit.
