A Management Review Meeting (MRM) is a formal review of the Quality Management System (QMS) by top management. It helps an organization evaluate quality performance, customer satisfaction, process effectiveness, audit results, risks, resources and improvement opportunities.
For automotive organizations, IATF 16949 Management review has additional requirements that should be included in the MRM.
This practical guide explains what MRM means in quality, the MRM agenda, management review meeting guidelines, MRM inputs and outputs, and IATF 16949 MRM requirements. A ready-to-use MRM Agenda and Management Review Meeting Format PDF is also available for download.
- What is MRM in Quality?
- Why is Management Review Meeting important?
- Management Review Meeting as per ISO 9001
- Management Review IATF 16949 requirements
- IATF MRM Agenda
- Management Review Meeting Guidelines
- Management Review Meeting Minutes
- MRM Outputs
- MRM Action Plan
- How often should MRM be conducted?
- Who should attend a Management Review Meeting?
- Common MRM Mistakes
- Management Review Meeting Format and PDF
- MRM Full Form in Quality
- What Is the MRM Agenda for IATF 16949?
- Conclusion
- Input/checkpoints to be discussed during MRM:
- 1. Status of actions from previous management review:
- 2. Change in external and internal issues that are relevant to the QMS:
- 3. Customer satisfaction and feedback from relevant interested parties:
- 4. Quality Objective achievement status:
- 5. Process performance and conformity of products and services:
- 6. Nonconformity and corrective actions:
- 7. Monitoring and measurement results:
- 8. Audit results:
- 9. Performance of external providers:
- 10. The adequacy of resources:
- 11. Effectiveness of action taken to address risk and opportunities:
- 12. Opportunity for improvement:
- 13. Cost of poor quality (COPQ):
- 14. Process effectiveness:
- 15. Process efficiency:
- 16. Product conformance:
- 17. Feasibility study during NPD and ECN:
- 18. Performance review of maintenance objective:
- 19. Warranty performance:
- 21. Customer scorecards review:
- 22. Identification of potential field failure identified through risk analysis ( FMEA):
- 23. Actual field failures and their impact on safety or the environment:
- 24. Customer-Specific Requirements:
- 25. Kaizens:
- 26. Business Plan:
- Management Review Check Points PDF:
What is MRM in Quality?
MRM stands for Management Review Meeting.
In quality management, an MRM is a planned meeting where top management reviews the performance and effectiveness of the organization’s QMS and makes decisions for improvement.
The purpose is not simply to discuss quality problems. Management should use actual data and trends to decide whether:
- Quality objectives are being achieved
- Customer requirements are being met
- Processes are effective
- Products conform to requirements
- Resources are adequate
- Risks are controlled
- Corrective actions are effective
- Improvement opportunities exist
A simple way to understand MRM is:
Performance Data → Analysis → Gap → Management Decision → Action → Follow-up
Why is Management Review Meeting important?
A well-conducted MRM connects the QMS with actual business performance.
Management can use the meeting for a Management review.
- Customer complaints
- Customer satisfaction
- Quality objectives
- Process KPIs
- Product rejection
- Customer PPM
- Supplier performance
- Audit results
- Corrective actions
- Risks and opportunities
- Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ)
- Maintenance performance
- Resource requirements
- Improvement projects
The MRM should therefore be a decision-making meeting, not just a documentation activity for an external audit.
Management Review Meeting as per ISO 9001
ISO 9001 requires management to review the organization’s QMS at planned intervals.
Typical management-review inputs include:
- Status of previous management-review actions
- Changes in internal and external issues
- Customer satisfaction and feedback
- Quality objectives
- Process performance
- Product and service conformity
- Nonconformities and corrective actions
- Monitoring and measurement results
- Audit results
- External provider performance
- Adequacy of resources
- Effectiveness of actions addressing risks and opportunities
- Opportunities for improvement
The organization should determine how these inputs are monitored and presented based on its processes and risks.
Management Review IATF 16949 requirements
For an automotive organization, IATF 16949 Clause 9.3 – Management Review adds automotive-specific requirements to the management-review process.
The MRM should consider applicable supplemental inputs such as:
- Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ)
- Process effectiveness
- Process efficiency, where applicable
- Product conformity
- Manufacturing feasibility
- Customer satisfaction
- Maintenance objectives
- Warranty performance, where applicable
- Customer scorecards, where applicable
- Potential field failures identified through risk analysis
- Actual field failures and their impact on safety or the environment
- Summary results of measurements at specified stages of product and process design and development, where applicable
These additional inputs make an IATF MRM more comprehensive than a generic ISO 9001 management review.
The IATF has also issued Sanctioned Interpretations and FAQs that organizations should consider when determining current applicable requirements. Therefore, the latest official IATF requirements should always be checked before using an MRM checklist for certification or audit purposes.
IATF MRM Agenda
A practical MRM agenda for IATF 16949 can include the following:
1. Previous MRM Action Status
Review:
- Completed actions
- Open actions
- Overdue actions
- Effectiveness of completed actions
2. Changes affecting the QMS
Review significant changes related to:
- Customers
- Products
- Processes
- Machines
- Manpower
- Suppliers
- Technology
- Regulatory requirements
- Business conditions
3. Customer Satisfaction
Review:
- Customer complaints
- Customer PPM
- Customer feedback
- Delivery performance
- Customer scorecards
- Customer ratings
- Warranty performance, where applicable
4. Quality Objectives
Compare target vs actual performance.
For example:
| KPI | Target | Actual | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer PPM | ≤500 | 420 | Achieved |
| Internal Rejection | ≤1.0% | 1.4% | Not Achieved |
| OTD | ≥98% | 99% | Achieved |
| Customer Complaints | ≤3/month | 2 | Achieved |
When an objective is not achieved, management should determine the required action.
5. Process Performance
Review relevant process indicators such as:
- Productivity
- OEE
- Process rejection
- Rework
- Scrap
- Process capability
- Cycle time
- Delivery performance
- Downtime
6. Product Conformity
Review:
- Incoming inspection
- In-process inspection
- Final inspection
- Product audit
- Customer rejection
- PPM
- Scrap and rework
7. Audit Results
Review results from:
- QMS internal audits
- Manufacturing process audits
- Product audits
- Customer audits
- Certification audits
- Supplier audits
Also review recurring findings and corrective-action effectiveness.
8. Supplier Performance
Review:
- Supplier PPM
- Supplier delivery
- Supplier complaints
- Supplier audit results
- Corrective actions
- Supplier development
9. Nonconformity and Corrective Action
Review:
- Internal nonconformities
- Customer complaints
- Supplier problems
- Audit findings
- 8D status
- Root-cause analysis
- Corrective-action effectiveness
10. Resources
Determine whether adequate resources are available for:
- Manpower
- Competence and training
- Machines
- Infrastructure
- Inspection equipment
- Maintenance
- Technology
- Investment
11. Risk and Opportunities
Review significant risks from:
- Process FMEA
- Supplier risks
- Capacity risks
- Business risks
- Contingency planning
- Product safety
- Process changes
12. IATF-Specific Inputs
Where applicable, review:
- COPQ
- Process effectiveness
- Process efficiency
- Manufacturing feasibility
- Maintenance objectives
- Warranty
- Customer scorecards
- Potential field failures
- Actual field failures
- Product/process development measurements
Management Review Meeting Guidelines
For an effective MRM, follow these practical guidelines.
Use Actual Data
Avoid statements such as “All parameters are satisfactory.”
Present actual results:
Target → Actual → Trend → Gap → Action
Use Trends
A single month’s result may not show the real situation.
For example, customer PPM may increase from:
250 → 350 → 480 → 620
Even if the annual target has not yet been exceeded, the increasing trend requires management attention.
Focus on Poor Performance
MRM should particularly focus on:
- Missed objectives
- Recurring customer complaints
- Repeated audit findings
- Increasing rejection
- Poor supplier performance
- Increasing COPQ
- Equipment problems
- Resource shortages
Record Management Decisions
The MRM record should demonstrate what management decided.
Instead of:
“Customer complaints discussed.”
Record:
“Customer complaints increased by 20%. Management decided to initiate a focused 8D and review the effectiveness in the next MRM.”
Assign Responsibility and Due Dates
Every significant action should have:
Action + Responsible Person + Target Date + Status
This makes follow-up easier and provides stronger audit evidence.
Management Review Meeting Minutes
Management Review Meeting Minutes are the documented record of the meeting.
The minutes should capture important discussions, decisions and actions.
A practical format is:
| Agenda Item | Key Result / Discussion | Decision / Action | Responsibility | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Customer PPM | 620 vs target 500 | Improvement project | Quality | 30 Aug |
| Supplier PPM | 850 vs target 500 | Supplier 8D | SQE | 20 Aug |
| Internal Rejection | 1.4% vs target 1% | Kaizen initiated | Production | 31 Aug |
| PM Compliance | 96% | Improve PM completion | Maintenance | 15 Aug |
The minutes should be an authentic record of the actual meeting and not something prepared only when an auditor arrives.
MRM Outputs
The management review should result in appropriate decisions and actions.
Typical outputs include:
- QMS improvement actions
- Process improvement actions
- Product quality improvement
- Resource requirements
- Changes to objectives
- Risk-reduction actions
- Customer satisfaction improvement
- Corrective actions
- Improvement projects
The most important point is that MRM inputs should lead to meaningful management decisions where necessary.
MRM Action Plan
A simple action plan can be maintained as follows:
| No. | Issue | Action | Responsible | Target Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Customer PPM high | Implement Poka-Yoke | Quality | 20 Aug | Open |
| 2 | Supplier rejection high | Supplier 8D | SQE | 25 Aug | Open |
| 3 | PM compliance low | Improve PM planning | Maintenance | 15 Aug | Open |
At the next MRM, review the status and effectiveness of these actions.
How often should MRM be conducted?
The organization should establish a planned frequency appropriate to its QMS, risks, customer requirements and business needs.
Many organizations conduct MRM:
- Quarterly
- Half-yearly
- Annually
For automotive manufacturing organizations, quarterly management review meetings can be useful because management can identify negative trends before they become major customer problems.
The important point is that the defined frequency should meet the applicable standard requirements and be followed consistently.
Who should attend a Management Review Meeting?
Typical participants may include:
- Plant Head / Managing Director
- Quality Head
- Production Head
- Maintenance Head
- Purchase / SCM Head
- Engineering / NPD
- HR
- Sales / Customer Service
- Other relevant process owners
Participants should be able to provide relevant information and make decisions within their areas of responsibility.
Common MRM Mistakes
Avoid these common problems:
1. MRM conducted only for certification
It should be a real management activity.
2. No performance data
Management should review measurable results.
3. No trend analysis
Trends often reveal problems before targets are missed.
4. No action for missed targets
A significant performance gap should be evaluated and addressed where necessary.
5. No responsibility or target date
Actions should be assigned and controlled.
6. Previous actions not reviewed
Open and completed actions should be followed up.
7. IATF supplemental inputs missing
An IATF organization should ensure applicable automotive-specific inputs are addressed.
8. No evidence of decisions
The MRM record should demonstrate management involvement and decisions.
Management Review Meeting Format and PDF
If you are looking for a ready-to-use Management Review Meeting Format, you do not need to create the document from scratch.
I have prepared practical PDF resources that can be used for ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 Management Review Meetings, including:
- Management Review Meeting Format
- IATF MRM Agenda
- MRM inputs
- MRM discussion points
- Action-plan format
- Responsibility and target-date fields
Download the MRM Resources
[Download Management Review Meeting Format PDF]
Download IATF 16949 MRM Agenda PDF :
These templates can be customized according to your organization’s processes, KPIs and applicable customer-specific requirements.
MRM Full Form in Quality
MRM = Management Review Meeting.
It is a planned meeting where top management reviews the effectiveness and performance of the QMS and decides on necessary actions and improvements.
What Is the MRM Agenda for IATF 16949?
An IATF 16949 MRM agenda should include normal management-review inputs plus applicable automotive-specific inputs such as:
COPQ + Process Effectiveness + Process Efficiency + Product Conformity + Manufacturing Feasibility + Customer Satisfaction + Maintenance Objectives + Warranty + Customer Scorecards + Potential Field Failures + Actual Field Failures + Product/Process Development Measurements
Conclusion
A Management review meeting is more than a routine quality meeting.
It is a mechanism through which top management evaluates QMS performance and makes decisions based on facts and trends.
For an IATF 16949 organization, the MRM should cover both the general management-review requirements and applicable automotive-specific inputs.
The most effective MRM follows a simple cycle:
Review Data → Identify Gaps → Analyze Trends → Make Decisions → Assign Actions → Monitor Effectiveness
A well-structured MRM helps organizations improve customer satisfaction, product quality, process performance, supplier performance and overall QMS effectiveness.
For practical implementation, use the downloadable MRM Format and IATF 16949 MRM Agenda PDFs provided with this article.
QC Tools Solutions provides practical support for IATF 16949 consultancy, QMS implementation, internal audits, manufacturing process audits, supplier audits and automotive Core Tools training.
Input/checkpoints to be discussed during MRM:
Below is the IATF Management Review Checklist:
1. Status of actions from previous management review:
If no specific action is pending from the last MRM, then it is OK. If any action is pending for the previous MRM, then review its progress. Take action to close that point immediately.
2. Change in external and internal issues that are relevant to the QMS:
Verify that if any change in the issue of all interested parties. Then take action to close that issue. If no change, then it is OK.
3. Customer satisfaction and feedback from relevant interested parties:
Review the scorecard received from all customers. If not received, then ask customer satisfaction report from the customers. If it is less than the target in any month, then review the action taken and the closure. If the customer does not provide the report, then prepare the customer satisfaction report as per available data. The customer satisfaction target should be 100%.
4. Quality Objective achievement status:
Review the Key Performance Indicator ( KPI ) of each department against the target. If found less than the target, then take action accordingly.
5. Process performance and conformity of products and services:
Do a product and process audit as per the plan with a product and process audit check sheet. Close all observations within the time limit.
6. Nonconformity and corrective actions:
a) Customer Complaint:
Review complaints of all customers of the last 6 months ( From the last MRM). There should not be any repetitive customer complaints.
b) In-house Rejection PPM:
Review the in-house rejection ppm of the last 6 months against the target. If it is within target, then OK. If rejection PPM is above the target, then take action accordingly. In-house rejection PPM will be captured through the Red bin analysis process.
7. Monitoring and measurement results:
Verify Monitoring and measurement resources, their calibration record and measurement system analysis (MSA)
8. Audit results:
a) Internal Audit:
Internal audit was conducted following IATF 16949 standard during this period ( from…. to…..) as per the schedule prepared by MR and all departments have been covered during the audit. The following NCs were reported during the audit and all are minor. Found that there is no repetition of the same NCs.
Action Plan: Analysis has been carried out for all the NCs and correction and corrective actions have been taken. All these NCs have been closed after verification of actions by the respective auditors. To ensure that there is no repetition of these NCs in the future. The status of the effectiveness of actions taken is to be reviewed in the next MRM.
b) Process & Product Audit:
The following processes were taken up for process audit as per the plan in the last 6 months.
Action Plan: Actions have been taken on all the observation points reported during the process audit. The concerned process owner is to ensure that these observations are not repeated in the subsequent audits.
Process Audit is done as per the Process Audit Check Sheet, covering all processes and all shifts once a year.
c) External Audit:
Mention the details of the audit done by all the customers, IATF certification bodies like BSI, TUV, DNV etc.
Action Plan: Actions have been taken on all the observation points reported during the customer audit. The concerned department head is to ensure that these observations are not repeated in the subsequent audits.
How to close the IATF 16949 audit NC on the NC CARA Portal.
d) Supplier Audit:
Supplier audits have been carried out as per the plan during the period. Make a list of the suppliers for the audits carried out last 6 months.
Action Plan: Actions have been taken on all the observation points reported during an audit of the supplier. Closure evidence is collected from the supplier. The supplier has to ensure that these observations are not repeated in the subsequent audits
9. Performance of external providers:
Supplier rating is calculated as per the criteria every month for all suppliers. Review the supplier rating as per the target. If the rating of any supplier is less than the target, then take action as per the supplier control procedure.
10. The adequacy of resources:
Review the requirements of any resources and also discuss the added resources in this period
11. Effectiveness of action taken to address risk and opportunities:
Review the Risk and Opportunity identified. For some of the risks identified in risk assessment, actions have been taken to prevent/mitigate the risk.
12. Opportunity for improvement:
List out the improvements that have already been carried out.
Also list out the improvements to be carried out in the next period.
13. Cost of poor quality (COPQ):
Review the cost of poor quality data of the last 6 months against the target decided. Take action if it is found less than the target in any month. The cost of poor quality should be as minimal as possible.
14. Process effectiveness:
Overall equipment effectiveness OEE
15. Process efficiency:
Process efficiency refers to the extent to which a process or system can achieve its intended goals or objectives in a timely and cost-effective manner. It is a measure of how well a process or system is performing in terms of output and resource utilization.
Process efficiency can be evaluated by measuring the time, resources, and costs required to complete a process or achieve a desired outcome. A highly efficient process minimizes waste, reduces costs, and maximizes productivity while delivering high-quality results.
Improving process efficiency involves identifying areas of inefficiency and implementing measures to streamline processes, eliminate bottlenecks, and optimize resource utilization. This can involve automation, redesigning workflows, improving communication and collaboration, and leveraging technology to streamline and optimize processes. By improving process efficiency, organizations can reduce costs, improve productivity, and enhance customer satisfaction.
16. Product conformance:
Product conformance refers to the extent to which a product or service meets specified requirements, standards, and expectations. It refers to the product’s ability to function as intended and meet the needs of its intended users, while also complying with applicable regulations and industry standards.
Product conformance can be evaluated through various methods, including testing, inspection, and certification. Organizations may establish their internal standards or follow external standards set by regulatory bodies or industry associations. Compliance with these standards demonstrates a commitment to quality and can enhance the credibility and marketability of the product.
17. Feasibility study during NPD and ECN:
Review the new product development status against the inquiry received. Also review that the feasibility should be done within 10 days.
18. Performance review of maintenance objective:
Review the maintenance objective against the target. e.g. Breakdown hours, Preventive maintenance as per Plan, OEE, MTTR and MTBF.
19. Warranty performance:
Review the status if you have any parts under warranty. If no such part exists, then it is OK.
21. Customer scorecards review:
Review the scorecard of all customers of the last 6 months. Also review the action taken when the score was lower.
22. Identification of potential field failure identified through risk analysis ( FMEA):
The potential field failures have been addressed in the process FMEA and the corresponding points are included in the control plan for implementation.
23. Actual field failures and their impact on safety or the environment:
The actual field failures have been addressed in the process FMEA and the corresponding points are included in the control plan for implementation.
24. Customer-Specific Requirements:
Customer-specific requirements or any other system-related requirements have to be taken into our QMS. All customer-specific requirements are considered. We should prepare a matrix for all customer & their requirements.
25. Kaizens:
Review the status of Kaizen done each month against the target. Also motivate employees to do the kaizens.
26. Business Plan:
A business plan is prepared and the same is available. This has been integrated with the QMS.
Action: The practice of integrating the business plan with the QMS is to be continued. Also monitoring of the improvement in business results by the implementation of QMS to be done.