CIS 3003: Project Management

Topic 8: Project Quality Management

• Definition of Project Quality Management

o Quality management of projects encompasses the processes and
activities used to determine and achieve the quality of a project's
deliverables. Quality can be an elusive term, though.

Concepts for managing project quality

o Project managers supervise the implementation of a project
management plan for the quality. The main idea, again, of delivering a
product or service to the customer or stakeholder 's specifications.
Doing so needs knowledge of the principles of quality control.
▪ Customer Satisfaction
▪ Prevention Over Inspection
▪ Continuous Improvement

How to implement Project Quality Management

Source and image: Project Management Body Of Knowledge (PMBOK) and

https://www.projectengineer.net/project-quality-management-according-to-the-pmbok/
 • Importance of Project Quality Management
o It contains the knowledge and processes necessary to ensure the
project is producing the highest quality products and deliverables.
Although a goal should always be the highest quality, that is not
necessarily the highest grade.
▪ Quality: The degree to which demands are met by a set of inherent
characteristics.
▪ Grade: The specification of the performance to which a product is
made.

o Within this area of knowledge there (3) are three processes:

Source and image: Project Management Body Of Knowledge (PMBOK) and

https://www.projectengineer.net/project-quality-management-according-to-the-pmbok/
 PMBOK, 6th Edition, Section 8.1.3.1, “Quality Management Plan”

The quality management plan is a component of the project management plan

that describes how the applicable policies, procedures, and guidelines will be
implemented to achieve the quality objectives. It describes the activities and
resources necessary for the project management team to achieve the quality
objectives set for the project.

The quality management plan may be formal or informal, detailed, or broadly

framed. The style and detail of the quality management plan are determined by the
requirements of the project.

• Tools and Techniques for Quality Control

o Strategies for conducting projects range from conventional to creative.
Which one to choose to run a project will depend on the specifics of a
project, its complexity, the teams involved and other factors. Most of
them can be used in various fields, however, there are techniques that
are commonly used in certain areas of operation, or specifically
developed for those fields.

Techniques for Quality Control

▪ Classic
o Often, the easiest, conventional approach is better suited for
running projects. This involves planning an upcoming work
schedule, forecasting activities to be done, allocating resources,
providing and collecting staff input, and tracking the output and
deadlines.

o Where to use: This technique is ideal for small teams running

projects when implementing a complex process is not really
necessary.

▪ Waterfall
o This technique is also considered traditional, but the new level
takes the simple classic approach. As its name suggests, the
technique is based on the performance of tasks in sequence.
The next step begins on completion of the previous one. Gantt
charts are frequently used to monitor progress and perform
steps, as they provide a clear visual representation of phases
and dependencies.

o Where to use: traditionally this technique is used for complex

projects where detailed phasing is required and successful
delivery depends on rigid structuring of the work.
▪ Agile PM
o The agile method of managing projects is a set of principles
based on a value-centered approach. It prescribes dividing
project work into short sprints, using adaptive planning and
continuous improvement, and fostering the self-organization and
collaboration of teams with a view to maximum value production.
Agile frameworks include techniques such as Scrum, Kanban,
DSDM, FDD and others.

o Where to use: Agile is used by small and highly collaborative

teams in software development projects which require frequent
iterations and are carried out.

▪ Rational Unified Process (RUP)

o Rational Unified Process (RUP) is a framework designed for
software program development teams and projects. It prescribes
imposing an iterative improvement process, where feedback
from product customers is taken into account for planning future
development phases.

o Where to use: RUP approach is applied in software program

development projects, the place end-user satisfaction is the key
requirement.

▪ Program Evaluation and Review Techniques (PERT)

o Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) is one of
extensively used processes in a range of areas. It includes
complicated and distinctive planning, and visual tracking of work
consequences on PERT charts. Its core part is the evaluation of
duties carried out within the project. Originally, this method used
to be developed by using the US Navy for the duration of the
Cold War to expand efficiency of work on new technologies.

o Where to use: this approach suits exceptional for large and

long-term initiatives with non-routine tasks and challenging
requirements.

▪ Critical Path Technique

o This technique is actually an algorithm for scheduling and
planning project works which is often used in conjunction with
the above-mentioned PERT method. This technique involves
detecting the longest path (task sequence) from start to finish of
a project, and defining the critical tasks. Critical tasks affect the
project's deadlines and require closer attention.

o Where to use: Critical Path approach is used for complicated

initiatives where shipping terms and time limits are critical, in
such areas as construction, defense, software program
development, and others.
 ▪ Extreme Project Management
o Extreme project management method (XPM) emphasizes
elasticity in formalism and deterministic management planning,
open approach, and reduction. Based on extreme programming
techniques, the emphasis is on human factors in project
management instead of structured approaches and linear
stages.

o Where to use: XPM is used for large, complex and uncertain

projects requiring the management of uncertain and
unpredictable factors.

Tools for Quality Control

You will need to use different methods when applying any of the techniques
to the project you intend to do to effectively execute the technique. Here’s a list
of software tools that are used in project management on different work steps.
▪ Organizing Workflow and Planning
o This step is the core section of starting a project: it defines how
the task will be performed, and how the satisfactory of its
consequence will be ensured. Large organizations regularly use
such comprehensive options as MS Project. For smaller teams,
quite a number of options are available. They don’t supply all the
prosperous functionality regular to complicated and pricey tools,
however they have planning and roadmap aspects that are
enough for visualizing future mission progress. There are also
free assignment administration options that swimsuit fantastic for
startups and small businesses

▪ Communication
o Contact within a project team needs to be well organized as the
central point of many methods and methodologies. Having a
corporate messenger is also essential whilst using email for
formal communication and important messages – Slack and
Skype are the most popular ones. And, if the team members use
specific contact devices, eliminate the discomfort of having
multiple messengers by integrating them.

▪ Scheduling
o When allocating resources and preparing for the future it is
important to know for particular dates who is available on the
team. To do so, use scheduling tools! Such tools as actiPLANS
provide a clear visual chart of absences for upcoming dates, and
allow the leaves and time off of team members to see all the
necessary details.

▪ Time Management
o Knowing where your team’s time goes not just helps managing
current project risks. It also provides valuable information for
future planning and estimating. Time management tools, such as
 actiTIME, help managers understand both individual time
expenses and team’s results for any period. Informative reports
with time & cost summaries and notes to the logged time provide
insights into how time is used and what can be optimized.

▪ Finance & Accounting

o Understanding the financial result of the projects is important for
any project manager and company owner to assess and prepare
for the future. Certain accounting approaches can be appropriate
for smaller project teams. They require less investment but also
give insights into the profitability of the project, the performance
of teams and estimation accuracy
Source: https://www.actitime.com/project-management/project-management-tools-and-techniques/

• Modern Quality Management

o Complementary to modern quality management and project management,
both emphasize customer satisfaction. Quality leads to satisfied customers. In
quality management the main objective is to ensure that the project satisfies
the needs it was originally designed to meet — nothing more, nothing less. To
put it another way, ensure quality that you must meet stakeholder needs.

Project high-quality management consists of three primary processes:

• Plan exceptional management: identifying the pleasant necessities and
requirements for the venture and product (planning method group).
• Perform quality assurance: auditing the first-rate necessities and excellent
manipulate consequences to ensure that appropriate fantastic
standards are used (executing procedure group).
• Control quality: monitoring and recording the effects of excellent activities
to verify performance and recommend vital changes (monitoring and
controlling technique group).

Source: Tim McClintock, Global Knowledge Senior Instructor

https://d1wl9nui6miy8.cloudfront.net/media/965849/wp-tools-and-techniques-useful-in-quality-planning.pdf

• Cost of Quality
o Compliance costs are required to complete various tasks that help the project
meet quality standards and prevent failures. There are two categories under
the compliance paragliding costs: cost of prevention and cost of evaluation.

o Expenses for prevention - These include equipment and repair, preparation,

training, reporting, human resources, quality assurance, process
management, etc.

o Cost assessment - Examples include product and service evaluation,

completion of inspections, field testing, quality assurance execution, detection
and repair of defects prior to sale of goods, destruction of defective products,
etc.
Source https://magoosh.com/pmp/cost-of-quality-pmp/