Anchoring to Quality Standards: Achieving ISO 9001 Certification at the Naval Postgraduate School’s Department of Defense Management

Abstract

This capstone project examines the Department of Defense Management (DDM) at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) to determine the steps required for achieving ISO 9001:2015 certification. While the DDM adheres to rigorous academic standards and maintains multiple globally recognized accreditations in graduate education and project management, gaps in its Quality Management System (QMS) – notably in areas of process documentation, risk management, and operational consistency – present obstacles to certification. Employing a systems engineering approach, this study deconstructs ISO 9001:2015 requirements, conducts a two-tiered gap analysis, and identifies compliance deficiencies across seven critical areas: context, leadership, planning, support, operations, performance evaluation, and improvement. The findings reveal that the DDM currently meets 82% of ISO 9001:2015 requirements but requires targeted improvements in areas such as procedural standardization, performance metrics, and property accountability. The capstone team developed a detailed assessment of the compliance gaps and offered actionable insights to address identified deficiencies. This project underscores the value of ISO 9001:2015 certification in strengthening the DDM’s operational consistency, quality assurance, and alignment with international standards. By systematically addressing areas of non-compliance and prioritizing structured improvements, the DDM is well-positioned to achieve ISO certification.