Communication
Plain-language summary
Decide deliberately how the QMS communicates — what gets said, when, to whom, how and by whom — internally and externally, instead of leaving it to corridor chance.
What the clause is really asking
Determine the relevant internal and external communications for the QMS: the what, when, with whom, how, and who. Simple requirement, usually evidenced by everything else — meetings, boards, customer reporting, alerts.
What auditors look for
Auditors rarely camp here; they note failures found elsewhere: quality alerts not reaching night shift, customers not informed of issues, engineering changes not communicated to the floor — and cite this clause alongside the specific one.
Typical evidence
Communication matrix or plan; meeting structures and minutes; quality alert system; customer communication records.
How to comply — recommendations
A half-page communication matrix (message type / audience / channel / frequency / owner) covers the clause and, more usefully, exposes your real gaps — usually shift handover and customer bad-news protocols.
Common nonconformities
Quality alerts that die on the dayshift notice board; no defined route for telling customers about problems; shift handover with no structured quality content.
Related clauses
IATF 16949: applies unchanged; ISO 45001 7.4 (more prescriptive)
Qlause provides interpretive guidance only and is not a substitute for the standard. Refer to your licensed copy of ISO 9001 / IATF 16949 for the authoritative text.