Process control (ISO 9000) and process improvement (APEX) in the transmission systems business unit

Continuous improvement implies both process control (i.e., standardization to reduce variation) and process improvement, accompanied by all of the process changes these imply. This paper describes why and how AT&T's Transmission Systems Business Unit (TSBU) standardized its processes using International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9000, and improved its processes with the APEX (Achieving Process Excellence) process management structure.