Admass University School of Graduate Studies

MAPMC-721: Project Quality Management

By

Temesgen Disassa Marru (PhD)

April 2022
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Chapter1: The Concept and Nature of Project Quality Management

1.1. What is project and its Characteristics

1.2. What is Quality?
1.3. Quality Management for Projects
1.4. Features of Quality Management
1.5.Purpose of Quality Management
1.6. Key Processes of Project Quality Management
 Brain storming:

“What do you think the major success and failure factors for mega projects in our country?”
 1.1 Basic concepts of Project and Its characteristics
What is a project?
• A project is a complex, non-routine, one-time effort limited by
time, budget, resources, and performance specifications design to
meet customer needs.

• A project is a unique endeavor to produce a set of deliverables

within clearly defined constraints of time, cost and quality.

• A project is an investment activity where resources are used to

create capital assets which produces benefits overtime and has a
beginning and an ending with specific objectives.
 Basic concepts of Project…………………….

 Therefore, a project has:

 A starting point and an end point

 Clear objectives
 A plan of the work to be done
 A budget
 Specific performance requirements that must be met.

The description of a project has , therefore, evolved to imply a single,

dedicated effort to produce a system, product/service.
 Basic concepts of Project…………………….
Projects take on several different meanings, and all can be logical from the
different perspectives of the owner, contractor, project manager, project
team or other participants.
Some interpretations and definitions lead to a more general statement
regarding the project's definition:

“Projects are temporary, goal-oriented efforts that produce a product/

service for delivery to a customer. The time-constrained nature of the
project dictates a rapid assembly of personnel with the correct skills and
knowledge to convert raw materials, components, parts, assemblies, and
pieces into a product that conforms to the customer's requirements. The
project can be viewed as an integration effort where the project manager set
together the correct mix of personnel, materials, processes, and procedures.”
 Basic concepts of Project…………………….
The definition in PMBOK focuses on the time and resource constraints of the
project:

“Project is any undertaking with a defined starting point and defined

objectives by which completion is identified. In practice, most projects
depend on finite or limited resources by which the objectives are to be
accomplished”.

Note that the first definition involves quality in that ""the product conforms
to the customer's requirements" while the PMBOK definition is a more general
statement about time and resources to accomplish the objectives.
Basic concepts of Project…………………….
Any definition of a project must include time, cost (of resources), and quality
(product satisfaction of the customer's requirements).

The increased emphasis within the business community to obtain "total customer
satisfaction" almost dictates that quality become the "first among equals" in the
time-cost-quality harmony.

Given that a project is a temporary process to produce one or a few units of a unique
product/service, it is appropriate to examine the characteristics of the process.
The essential characteristic of the process by which a project is performed is the
progressive elaboration of the requirements.
A project is initiated by a person (perhaps a member of an organization) recognizing
a problem or opportunity about which some action is to be taken.
 Project Versus Programme
• A programme is an ongoing development effort or plan.

• A programme is therefore a wider concept than a project.

• It may include one or several projects at various time, with specific objectives
linked to the achievement of higher level of common objective:

• E.g. a health program may include a water project, as well as construction

of a health center both aimed at improving the health
of a given community.
 Project Versus Programme
• Projects which are not linked with others to form a program are sometimes
referred to as stand alone projects.

• A project to build a feeder road from an interior agricultural district to a

district headquarter may qualify to be a stand alone project.

• When projects are designed to improve health of the community such as

rural clean water supply project, health center construction project, pit latrine
construction project and sanitary education project they can be referred to as a
programme.
 Project Vs. Business Operations
• Projects are different from business operations in terms of uniqueness, timescale,
budget, resources, risks and change.

Uniqueness: Projects involve doing something that has not been done before,
whereas operational activities typically involves repetitive (if not identical) processes
Timescale : A project has clearly specified start and end dates within which
deliverables are produced to meet customers requirements.
Budget : A project has a maximum limit to the expenditure within which the
deliverables must be produced, to meet the customers requirements
Resources : A project is allocated a specified amount of labor, equipment and
material at the start.
Risk: A project involve uncertainty and therefore carries business risks
Change : The purpose of a project is typically to improve a situation through the
implementation of change.
 Strategic Success Factories for a project

Project Mission - defined and agreed-upon objectives in the project plan.

Top Management Support - it is necessary for top management to get behind the
project at the outset, and make clear to all personnel involved that they support
successful completion.

E.G. Giving clear direction on that Quality is the most significant factor in the
success of construction projects.


Project’s Action Plan - detailed plan of the required steps in the implementation
process needs to be developed including all resource requirements.

A successfully managed project is one that is completed at a specified time,
acceptable quality delivered on or before the deadline, and within the budget.
 Project Management Area

o Project management (PM) is a process of applying a set of tools,

techniques, and knowledge that helps to achieve the main constraints of
scope, cost, time and quality.

o PM is the capacity to marshal resources, lay out plans, program work and
urge effort for a temporary endeavor to create a unique product or service.

o PM is, therefore, the utilization of skills, tools and

management processes to undertake a project successfully
.
 Project Management Area

•PM also includes a set of specialized knowledge, skills and experience help to
reduce the level of risks and improve the likelihood of success.

oThe essence of project management is to:

Maximize chances of reaching the objectives of the project which fits with
the specification, and respect or exceed the agreed quality to be delivered in
time, scope and budget.

Strive for efficiency because of limited resources which are available, and the
need to achieve the objectives of the project as earlier as possible.
 Project Management Area

PMBOK has identified the following ten PM areas:

• Project integration mgt

• Project cost Mgt
• Project scope Mgt
• Project time Mgt
• Project quality Mgt
• Project human resource Mgt
• Project communication Mgt
• Project risk Mgt
• Project procurement Mgt
• Project stakeholders Mgt
 1.2 What is Quality?

Brainstorming : What does quality mean to you?

 1.2 What is Quality?
 Quality can be defined as:
oThe ability of a set of inherent characteristics of a product, system, or
process to fulfill requirements of customers and other interested parties
(ISO-9000 and Project Management Institute).
o “Value to some person”.
o The capacity to satisfy stated or implied needs.
o Quality is conforming to the standards and specifications of a
product/service.
o Quality is zero defects or meeting the specifications 100%.
 1.2 What is Quality?

 Quality can be defined as:

o Quality means that product/service possesses the fitness for purpose of use based
on its functions.
o Quality is the ability of a product/service to meet the customer’s needs and
expectations.
o Quality is assessed by customer upon the critical features and characteristics of a
product/service considered by customer.
o Quality is determined by the deviation of the measures of quality characteristics
of a product.
o Quality is customer satisfaction and capacity to satisfy stated or implied needs.
 1.2 What is Quality?
o Common central themes/elements to define quality:

1. Products: We define quality by our view of the features / attributes of

some particular product. This view can lead us with confidence to the
destructive “I’ll know it when I see it” definition of quality.
2. Defects: We expect quality products to be free of defects. E.G. No
cracks in a Building
3. Processes: What you do may keep a smile on your customer’s face,
but how you do it will keep you on schedule and on budget and that
may make the customer’s smile even brighter and longer lasting.
 1.2 What is Quality?
 Common central themes/elements to define quality:
4. Customers : People who sell what they make may be very product focused in their
view of quality. They seek to make products that are superior to those of competitors and
always strive to be the best: “This is the best DVD player on the market today.”

 This means quality is defined by customers, their needs, and their expectations.

5. Systems : A system is a group of things that work together. At higher level of

analysis, quality may be viewed as arising from things that work together.

 Products, defects, processes, and customers are all part of a system that generates
quality, as are suppliers, policies, organizations, and perhaps some other things unique to
a specific situation.
 1.2 What is Quality?

There are many scholars who have given definitions of ‘quality’ (Edward,
1968; Juran,1974; and Crosby ,1979):

 Edward defined ‘quality’ as the capacity of a product or service to

satisfy the consumer requirements. Consumer’s wants are complex and
multi-faceted, thus it may not always be satisfied in a particular way.

Juran defined quality as being ‘fitness for purpose of use,…, it is judged

by the users, not the manufacturers, or the merchants.
 1.2 What is Quality?

Juran also asserted that each product/service has multiple quality characteristics,
which can be divided into two kinds:
o the features desired by customers, and
o the freedom from deficiencies.

In relation to this Crosby defined quality as ‘conformance to customers’

requirements’ from the viewpoint of the customers.
 Crosby also emphasized the ideal of ‘zero defects’ or ‘meeting all the
specifications of product/service all the time’.

"Zero defects" states that there is no tolerance for errors within the system, which
is impossible in real situation.
 1.2 What is Quality?

 Likewise, Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS Z8101) and International Standard

Organization (ISO 8402-1986) give the same definition of ‘quality’ as the totality of
features and characteristics of a product/service which determines the ability to
satisfy the customers’ needs and expectations.

 They stated that the providers of products/services need to determine the

specifications upon the features and characteristics which can meet the customers’
requirements and expectations.
 1.2 What is Quality?

The above definitions indicated that “Quality” has been defined from many
different perspectives:

o Quality is the totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that

bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs.

o The quality of a product or service in terms of meeting

requirements/specifications is the value provided to the customer within the time
specified for the price paid.

o The requirements/specifications are a combination of attributes and

characteristics that describe the product or service in concrete and precise terms.
 1.2 What is Quality?....................................
This implies that the world of quality is moving forward for many individuals,
companies, and countries through the recognition that quality is needed to achieve
productivity and the sale of products which meet the customers' requirements.

Therefore, the shift is toward achieving total customer satisfaction through programs
which respond to those requirements and bring about products that meet the customer's
expectations.

In addition, there are some decisive concepts of quality to be emphasized.

oJapanese quality philosophy is ‘zero defects’.
oIt means that quality is the result of doing the right thing and doing the thing right
the first time:
 ‘Doing the right thing’ is to meet the customers’ needs and expectations, and
 Doing the thing right’ is to follow the standards of the totality of quality.
 1.2 What is Quality?....................................

In some industries, government agencies, and educational

institutions, quality is described as :
"fitness for use,"
"fitness for purpose,"
"customer satisfaction," or
"conformance to the requirements."

These terms are the goals of quality programs, not the definition of quality.
 1.2 What is Quality?....................................

Fitness for use: If a product or service is capable of being used, it is assumed

that it will provide the customer the economic satisfaction desired.
 Fitness for purpose: similar to fitness for use in that the product or service
will meet its intended purpose in all respects and provide the customer
economic satisfaction.
Customer satisfaction: When the product or service meets the customer's
expectations and provides the belief that the product or service has economic
value.
 Conformance to the requirements: used to describe the condition of the
product or service in relation to the customer's requirements. If the product
conforms to the customer's requirements, it is assumed to be precisely what the
customer desires.
 1.2 What is Quality?....................................

Quality involves products, defects, processes, customers, and systems.

 It is a fourth among equals in relation to the project triple constraint of time,

cost, and scope.

It is not an expensive process, an expensive product, or time consuming.

 Basic concepts of quality……………………..

The modem concepts of quality focus heavily on customer satisfaction and

conformance to the (customer's) requirements more than fitness for use or
purpose.
This is not to say any of the concepts should be totally discarded, but that the
terms may be used to convey different meanings during the total cycle of
product and service development, fabrication, testing, operation and
maintenance, and disposal stages.

Conformance to the customer's requirements is the best term to be used in a

concept of building or operating a product because it focuses attention on
elements of work to be accomplished to meet requirements or specifications.
 Basic concepts of quality……………………..

The term "customer satisfaction" best describes the goal of a project or

company in its relationship with the customer, from initial contact through
delivery of the product or service.

 In modern quality concepts, fitness for use or purpose does not describe the
intention of bringing customer satisfaction or of conforming to the
customer's requirements and, therefore, has little relationship to current
quality trends.
 Basic concepts of quality……………………..

On top o that, in the initial development of quality concepts, it was assumed
that any system or process would produce errors or defects because that was a
fact of life.
Management, therefore, set an allowable number of defects for any process or
procedure.
This was usually in the range of two or three percent, but could often be
significantly more.
Zero defect programs were instituted as slogans to be placed on bulletin
boards and letter heads.
Little was done to attempt to achieve a defect-free environment.
An example is the slogan on the bottom of a letter received from some
industries and government institutions ‘The Year of Zero Defects’.
 Basic concepts of quality……………………..

On other hand, the ability to meet the customer's requirements depends upon an
understanding of the range of practices for describing a product.
The type of customer, the number of customers, and the understanding of the
characteristics and attributes of a product are essential to describing products
for a mutual understanding of the requirements.
The form of describing the requirements also materially affects the outcome for
integrating or building a product.
For a project, the correct combination of the product's attributes and
characteristics to describe the customer's requirements provides the baseline
for a quality product.
Subsequent communications regarding the project are facilitated because of
the mutual understanding from the onset of the work.
 1.3 Quality Management for Projects
 Quality management(QM) is the process for ensuring that all project activities
necessary to design, plan and implement a project are effective and efficient with
respect to the purpose of the project objective and its performance.

 The notion of QM is to enhance the efforts to achieve the required level of quality
for the product through conducting adequate planning and organizing activities.

 QM is focused not only on product and service quality, but also on the means to
achieve it in the entire project works.
 QM, therefore, uses quality assurance and control of processes as well as products
to achieve more consistent quality.
 QM is receiving increased attention because it is one of the major contributors to
changes in productivity.
 Quality Management for Projects………………………………..

 QM is a process for ascertaining that the project meets the needs it was
originally intended.

 The required quality can be maintained through determining and by doing:

Verification
Precision
Accuracy
Tolerance
Validation
 Quality Management for Projects……………………..

 The trends and emerging practices to determine the product/service quality:

Customer satisfaction
Continuous improvement
Management responsibility
Mutual beneficial partnership with suppliers

Hence , all the process of quality management are applied in a tailored way to
make it a unique project.
 Quality Management for Projects……………………..

 Project quality management(PQM) includes the process and activities of the

performing organization that determine quality polices, objectives, and
responsibilities so that the project will satisfy the needs for which it was undertaken.
 PQM is not a separate, independent process that occurs at the end of an activity to
measure the level of quality of the output.
 PQM works to guarantee that the project requirements, including product
requirements are met and validated.
 PQM implies that quality is the responsibility of each and everyone in the
organization. Quality also comes at a cost.
 Optimal quality is reached at the point where the incremental revenue from
improvement equals the incremental cost to secure it.
 1.4. Features of Quality Management

1. Quality management(QM) is a continuous process that starts and ends with

the project.

o QM is not an event, it is a process, a consistently high quality product

or service cannot be produced by a defective process.
o QM is a repetitive cycle of measuring quality, and updating
processes until the desired quality is achieved.

2. It is more about preventing and avoiding than measuring and fixing poor
quality outputs.
 1.4. Features of Quality Management

3. It is part of every project management processes from the moment the

project initiates to the final steps in the project closure phase.

 QM is not about finding and fixing errors after the fact,

 QM is also the continuous monitoring and application of quality
processes in all aspects of the project.

4. QM focuses on improving stakeholder’s satisfaction through continuous

and incremental improvements to processes, including removing
unnecessary activities;

 QM achieves that by the continuous improvement of the quality of material

and services provided to the beneficiaries.
 1.4. Features of Quality Management

• The central focus of quality management is:

meeting or exceeding stakeholder’s expectations and

conforming to the project design and specifications

• The vital decision for quality is the beneficiary, and represents how close the
project outputs and deliverables come to meeting the beneficiaries’
requirements and expectations.
 1.4. Features of Quality Management

• How a beneficiary defines quality may be completely subjective, but there are
many ways to make quality objective; by defining the individual
characteristics and determine one or more metrics that can be collected to
mirror the characteristic.

• For instance, one of the features of a quality product may be that it has a
minimum amount of errors.

• This characteristic can be measured by counting errors and defects after the
product is used.
 1.5. Purpose of Quality Management

The main principle of project quality management is to ensure that the project will
meet or exceed stakeholder’s needs and expectations.

• The project team must develop a good relationship with key stakeholders, specially the
donor and the beneficiaries of the project, to understand what quality means to them.

• One of the causes for poor project evaluations is the project focuses only in meeting
the written requirements for the main outputs and ignores other stakeholder needs and
expectations for the project.

• Thus, QM is to undertake timely corrective measures through periodic monitoring and

evaluation activities.
 1.5. Purpose of Quality Management

• Project quality management begins at home. As a project manager make

sure that the in house project team understands the basic concepts of quality.

• If a project donor is not satisfied with the quality of how the project is
delivering the outcomes, the project team will need to make adjustments to
scope, schedule and budget to satisfy the donor’s needs and expectations.

• To deliver the project scope on time and on budget is not enough, to achieve
stakeholder satisfaction the project must develop a good working relationship
with all stakeholders and understand their stated or implied needs.
 1.5. Purpose of Quality Management

• QM is to provide the environment within which related tools, techniques and

procedures can be deployed effectively leading to operational success for a
company.

• From the perspective of a construction company, QM is to maintain the quality

of construction works at the required standard so as to obtain customers’
satisfaction that would bring long term competitiveness and business survival
for the companies.

• QM is requirement for a construction company to sustain in current

construction market which is highly challenging and competitive.
 1.5. Purpose of Quality Management

 QM is to promote the benefits of quality in project performance:

 A quality project and product will yield customer satisfaction.

 A satisfied customer may perceive greater value than originally anticipated, which goes
beyond customer satisfaction to customer delight.
 Quality processes can reduce waste, improve efficiency, and improve supplies, all things
that mean the project may cost less than planned.
 Quality processes outputs: Better products, better project performance, and lower costs
translate directly into increased competitiveness in an ever-more-global market.
 This is the essence of a quality chain reaction described by W. Edwards Deming:
improve quality, reduce costs, improve productivity, capture the market, stay in business,
provide more jobs.

In short QM is to ensure quality benefits: customer satisfaction, reduced costs, increased
profits, and increased competitiveness.
 1.6. Key Processes of Project Quality Management

The following are key processes of project quality management:

1. Quality Planning :
 Determine a plan for quality
 A major task is preparation of the quality management plan
 Belongs to planning process group

2. Quality Assurance:
 Determine if the project is complying with the organizational
( as well as project) policies and procedures.
 A major task is conducting regular process audits.
 Results of audit are corrective and preventive actions.
 Belongs to execute process group
 1.6. Key Processes of Project Quality Management

There are three key processes of project quality management:

3. Quality Control:
 Measure specific project results (Product) against standards
 A major activity is to inspect and verify the projects product,
detect repair, and measuring whether the quality indicators
are improving.
 Belongs to monitor and execution process group
 1.6. Key Processes of Project Quality Management

There are three key processes of project quality management:

4. Quality Improvement:

• It is the processes that looks to remove waste, loss, rework, frustration, etc. in
order to make the processes of work more effective, efficient, and
appropriate.
• Here the major issues include:
• Steps of quality improvement
• Cost of Quality
• Leadership
• Maturity Models
• Continuous Improvement
Thanks for Your Attention!