Guide to Instruments and Methods of Observation. Volume V – Quality Assurance and Management of Observing Systems. 2018 edition.

Abstract

This chapter is general and covers operational meteorological observing systems of any size or nature. Although the guidance it gives on quality management is expressed in terms that apply to large networks of observing stations, it should be read to apply even to a single station.Quality managementQuality management provides the principles and the methodological frame for operations, and coordinates activities to manage and control an organization with regard to quality. Quality assurance and quality control are the parts of any successful quality management system. Quality assurance focuses on providing confidence that quality requirements will be fulfilled and includes all the planned and systematic activities implemented in a quality management system so that quality requirements for a product or service will be fulfilled. Quality control is associated with those components used to ensure that the quality requirements are fulfilled and includes all the operational techniques and activities used to fulfil quality requirements. This chapter concerns quality management associated with quality control and quality assurance and the formal accreditation of the laboratory activities, especially from the point of view of meteorological observations of weather and atmospheric variables.The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9000 family of standards is discussed to assist understanding in the course of action during the introduction of a quality management system in a National Meteorological and Hydrological Service (NMHS); this set of standards contains the minimum processes that must be introduced in a quality management system for fulfilling the requirements of the ISO 9001 standard. The total quality management concept according to the ISO 9004 guidelines is then discussed, highlighting the views of users and interested parties. The ISO/International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 17025 standard is introduced. The benefits to NMHSs and the Regional Instrument Centres (RICs) from accreditation through ISO/IEC 17025 are outlined along with a requirement for an accreditation process.The ISO/IEC 20000 standard for information technology (IT) service management is introduced into the discussion, given that every observing system incorporates IT components.