--- title: "What goes into a visual QMS · VisualQMS" url: "https://visualqms.com/blog/what-is-a-visual-qms/" language: "en" description: "A visual QMS lets everyone see the quality system from the angle that suits their job. Here are the parts it is made of, and how to start." dateModified: "2020-01-20" --- [Getting started](https://visualqms.com/blog/) # What goes into a visual QMS A visual QMS lets everyone see the quality system from the angle that suits their job. Here are the parts it is made of, and how to start. 20 January 2020 Steen D. Madsen, CEO 2 min read ![A customer complaint process drawn as seven connected steps, from Register the complaint to Close the complaint, each naming its responsible role, with ISO 9001 and GDPR tags on the steps they apply to](https://visualqms.com/img/0wynuh_Sm8-200.webp) In this article 1. [Four parts that link to each other](#four-parts-that-link-to-each-other) 2. [Start with what hurts most](#start-with-what-hurts-most) The idea behind a visual QMS is to let everyone see what they need, in a way that makes sense from where they sit. One person wants to see the quality system as **processes**: what happens, in what order, and who does it. Another prefers the **compliance** angle, starting from the ISO and other requirements and how the company meets them. Someone else just wants to **search** for a document and still see the processes and requirements it belongs to. For what VisualQMS is today, see [What is VisualQMS](https://visualqms.com/what-is-visualqms/). ![ISO 9001 statements in a tree with 7.2 Competence expanded to show Guiding Documents (3), Process Activities (1) and Quality Activities (2), and the Recruit new employee diagram on the right](https://visualqms.com/img/ff87y2dU_U-200.png) Requirement 7.2 Competence with what meets it: guiding documents, the process step Recruit new employee and a planned internal audit. ## Four parts that link to each other[#](#four-parts-that-link-to-each-other) Setting up a visual QMS comes down to four parts: - Draw your processes as a map people can click through. - Import your requirements, such as ISO 9001, into a requirement library. - Build a library of guiding documents, with the details people need to find information fast, and approval flows that let the organisation publish new content easily. - Add the quality activities you need, such as training, issue and [deviation](/modules/deviation-management/ "Deviation Management") handling, and [internal audits](/modules/internal-audit/ "Internal Audit Management"). ## Start with what hurts most[#](#start-with-what-hurts-most) How big the project is depends on your goals and your existing documentation. You can put a full quality management system in place in the first project, with modules such as [risk management](/modules/risk-management/ "Risk Management") and customer feedback, or start with a smaller scope and add modules as you go. If the basics are enough for now, the first project covers the [process map](/features/visual-processes/ "Visual Processes") and the controlled documents, with your requirements linked to both. The _Getting started_ series goes through a typical implementation step by step, starting with [the four milestones](https://visualqms.com/blog/get-started-with-visual-qms/). See [which QMS modules you would use](https://visualqms.com/modules/), or [book a demo](https://visualqms.com/book-a-demo/?message=Demo%20request%3A%20VisualQMS%20overview) and see the same quality system from each of these angles. Write to [sales@solutionmanagement.eu](mailto:sales@solutionmanagement.eu) with your questions, and we answer the same working day. [← All articles](https://visualqms.com/blog/) In this article 1. [Four parts that link to each other](#four-parts-that-link-to-each-other) 2. [Start with what hurts most](#start-with-what-hurts-most) [Book a demo](https://visualqms.com/book-a-demo/) ## See it on a process map you can click Book a personal demo and we show you VisualQMS with your standards and modules in mind. [Book a demo](https://visualqms.com/book-a-demo/)