TSE ISO/IEC TR 17032

TSE ISO/IEC TR 17032 is a technical report in conformity assessment that offers guidelines and examples for building a scheme for the certification of processes. Its focus is different from product or management system certification: it addresses how a certification arrangement can be structured to assess whether a process meets defined requirements.

How process certification schemes are organised

In conformity assessment, a “scheme” is the framework that defines what requirements are assessed, how the assessment logic is arranged, and how results are expressed. Process certification looks at whether an organisation carries out a specific activity, workflow, or operational method in line with predefined criteria. Such schemes typically need clear rules for traceability, consistency, evidence collection, surveillance, and decision-making.

What this technical report contributes

• General principles for designing a process certification scheme
• Examples that illustrate different use cases
• Core building blocks to consider when structuring a certification arrangement
• Conceptual distinctions between process-focused assessment and product or system certification

In general technical terms, process certification evaluates not only an output, but the controlled method used to produce it. That makes clear criteria, evidence handling, and decision logic especially important. This technical report gives organisations working in this field a conceptual framework together with practical examples to support scheme development.