Project Quality Management includes the processes for incorporating the organization's quality policy regarding planning, managing, and controlling project and product quality requirements in order to meet stakeholders’ objectives. Project Quality Management also supports continuous process improvement activities as undertaken on behalf of the performing organization.
The Project Quality Management processes are:
8.1 Plan Quality Management—The process of identifying quality requirements and/or standards for the project and its deliverables, and documenting how the project will demonstrate compliance with quality requirements and/or standards.
8.2 Manage Quality—The process of translating the quality management plan into executable quality activities that incorporate the organization's quality policies into the project.
8.3 Control Quality—The process of monitoring and recording the results of executing the quality management activities to assess performance and ensure the project outputs are complete, correct, and meet customer expectations.
Figure 8-1 provides an overview of the Project Quality Management processes. The Project Quality Management processes are presented as discrete processes with defined interfaces while, in practice, they overlap and interact in ways that cannot be completely detailed in the PMBOK® Guide. In addition, these quality processes may differ within industries and companies.
Figure 8-2 provides an overview of the major inputs and outputs of the Project Quality Management processes and the interrelations of these processes in the Project Quality Management Knowledge Area. The Plan Quality Management process is concerned with the quality that the work needs to have. Manage Quality is concerned with managing the quality processes throughout the project. During the Manage Quality process, quality requirements identified during the Plan Quality Management process are turned into test and evaluation instruments, which are then applied during the Control Quality process to verify these quality requirements are met by the project. Control Quality is concerned with comparing the work results with the quality requirements to ensure the result is acceptable. There are two outputs specific to the Project Quality Management Knowledge Area that are used by other Knowledge Areas: verified deliverables and quality reports.
KEY CONCEPTS FOR PROJECT QUALITY MANAGEMENT
Project Quality Management addresses the management of the project and the deliverables of the project. It applies to all projects, regardless of the nature of their deliverables. Quality measures and techniques are specific to the type of deliverables being produced by the project. For example, the project quality management of software deliverables may use different approaches and measures from those used when building a nuclear power plant. In either case, failure to meet the quality requirements can have serious negative consequences for any or all of the project's stakeholders. For example:
Quality and grade are not the same concepts. Quality as a delivered performance or result is “the degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfill requirements” (ISO 9000 [18].). Grade as a design intent is a category assigned to deliverables having the same functional use but different technical characteristics. The project manager and the project management team are responsible for managing the trade-offs associated with delivering the required levels of both quality and grade. While a quality level that fails to meet quality requirements is always a problem, a low-grade product may not be a problem. For example:
Prevention is preferred over inspection. It is better to design quality into deliverables, rather than to find quality issues during inspection. The cost of preventing mistakes is generally much less than the cost of correcting mistakes when they are found by inspection or during usage.
Depending on the project and the industry area, the project team may need a working knowledge of statistical control processes to evaluate data contained in the Control Quality outputs. The team should know the differences between the following pairs of terms:
The cost of quality (COQ) includes all costs incurred over the life of the product by investment in preventing nonconformance to requirements, appraising the product or service for conformance to requirements, and failing to meet requirements (rework). Failure costs are often categorized into internal (found by the project team) and external (found by the customer). Failure costs are also called the cost of poor quality. Section 8.1.2.3 provides some examples to consider in each area. Organizations choose to invest in defect prevention because of the benefits over the life of the product. Because projects are temporary, decisions about the COQ over a product's life cycle are often the concern of program management, portfolio management, the PMO, or operations.
There are five levels of increasingly effective quality management as follows:
TRENDS AND EMERGING PRACTICES IN PROJECT QUALITY MANAGEMENT
Modern quality management approaches seek to minimize variation and to deliver results that meet defined stakeholder requirements. Trends in Project Quality Management include but are not limited to:
TAILORING CONSIDERATIONS
Each project is unique; therefore, the project manager will need to tailor the way Project Quality Management processes are applied. Considerations for tailoring include but are not limited to:
CONSIDERATIONS FOR AGILE/ADAPTIVE ENVIRONMENTS
In order to navigate changes, agile methods call for frequent quality and review steps built in throughout the project rather than toward the end of the project.
Recurring retrospectives regularly check on the effectiveness of the quality processes. They look for the root cause of issues then suggest trials of new approaches to improve quality. Subsequent retrospectives evaluate any trial processes to determine if they are working and should be continued or new adjusting or should be dropped from use.
In order to facilitate frequent, incremental delivery, agile methods focus on small batches of work, incorporating as many elements of project deliverables as possible. Small batch systems aim to uncover inconsistencies and quality issues earlier in the project life cycle when the overall costs of change are lower.
8.1 PLAN QUALITY MANAGEMENT
Plan Quality Management is the process of identifying quality requirements and/or standards for the project and its deliverables, and documenting how the project will demonstrate compliance with quality requirements and/or standards. The key benefit of this process is that it provides guidance and direction on how quality will be managed and verified throughout the project. This process is performed once or at predefined points in the project. The inputs and outputs of this process are depicted in Figure 8.3. Figure 8.4 depicts the data flow diagram for the process.
Quality planning should be performed in parallel with the other planning processes. For example, changes proposed in the deliverables in order to meet identified quality standards may require cost or schedule adjustments and a detailed risk analysis of the impact to plans.
The quality planning techniques discussed here are those used most frequently on projects. There are many others that may be useful on certain projects or in specific application areas.
8.1.1 PLAN QUALITY MANAGEMENT: INPUTS
8.1.1.1 PROJECT CHARTER
Described in Section 4.1.3.1. The project charter provides the high-level project description and product characteristics. It also contains the project approval requirements, measurable project objectives, and related success criteria that will influence the quality management of the project.
8.1.1.2 PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN
Described in Section 4.2.3.1. Project management plan components include but are not limited to:
8.1.1.3 PROJECT DOCUMENTS
Project documents that can be considered as inputs for this process include but are not limited to:
8.1.1.4 ENTERPRISE ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
The enterprise environmental factors that can influence the Plan Quality Management process include but are not limited to:
8.1.1.5 ORGANIZATIONAL PROCESS ASSETS
The organizational process assets that can influence the Plan Quality Management process include but are not limited to:
8.1.2 PLAN QUALITY MANAGEMENT: TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES
8.1.2.1 EXPERT JUDGMENT
Described in Section 4.1.2.1. Expertise should be considered from individuals or groups with specialized knowledge or training in the following topics:
8.1.2.2 DATA GATHERING
Data-gathering techniques that can be used for this process include but are not limited to:
8.1.2.3 DATA ANALYSIS
Data analysis techniques that can be used for this process include but are not limited to:
The optimal COQ is one that reflects the appropriate balance for investing in the cost of prevention and appraisal to avoid failure costs. Models show that there is an optimal quality cost for projects, where investing in additional prevention/appraisal costs is neither beneficial nor cost effective.
8.1.2.4 DECISION MAKING
A decision-making technique that can be used for this process includes but is not limited to multicriteria decision analysis. Multicriteria decision analysis tools (e.g., prioritization matrix) can be used to identify the key issues and suitable alternatives to be prioritized as a set of decisions for implementation. Criteria are prioritized and weighted before being applied to all available alternatives to obtain a mathematical score for each alternative. The alternatives are then ranked by score. As used in this process, it can help prioritize quality metrics.
8.1.2.5 DATA REPRESENTATION
Data representation techniques that can be used for this process include but are not limited to:
8.1.2.6 TEST AND INSPECTION PLANNING
During the planning phase, the project manager and the project team determine how to test or inspect the product, deliverable, or service to meet the stakeholders’ needs and expectations, as well as how to meet the goal for the product's performance and reliability. The tests and inspections are industry dependent and can include, for example, alpha and beta tests in software projects, strength tests in construction projects, inspection in manufacturing, and field tests and nondestructive tests in engineering.
8.1.2.7 MEETINGS
Project teams may hold planning meetings to develop the quality management plan. Attendees can include the project manager, the project sponsor, selected project team members, selected stakeholders, anyone with responsibility for project quality management activities, and others as needed.
8.1.3 PLAN QUALITY MANAGEMENT: OUTPUTS
8.1.3.1 QUALITY MANAGEMENT PLAN
The quality management plan is a component of the project management plan that describes how 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. The quality management plan should be reviewed early in the project to ensure that decisions are based on accurate information. The benefits of this review can include a sharper focus on the project's value proposition, reductions in costs, and less frequent schedule overruns that are caused by rework.
The quality management plan may include but is not limited to the following components:
8.1.3.2 QUALITY METRICS
A quality metric specifically describes a project or product attribute and how the Control Quality process will verify compliance to it. Some examples of quality metrics include percentage of tasks completed on time, cost performance measured by CPI, failure rate, number of defects identified per day, total downtime per month, errors found per line of code, customer satisfaction scores, and percentage of requirements covered by the test plan as a measure of test coverage.
8.1.3.3 PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN UPDATES
Any change to the project management plan goes through the organization's change control process via a change request. Components that may require a change request for the project management plan include but are not limited to:
8.1.3.4 PROJECT DOCUMENTS UPDATES
Project documents that may be updated as a result of carrying out this process include but are not limited to:
8.2 MANAGE QUALITY
Manage Quality is the process of translating the quality management plan into executable quality activities that incorporate the organization's quality policies into the project. The key benefits of this process are that it increases the probability of meeting the quality objectives as well as identifying ineffective processes and causes of poor quality. Manage Quality uses the data and results from the control quality process to reflect the overall quality status of the project to the stakeholders. This process is performed throughout the project.
The inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs of this process are depicted in Figure 8-7. Figure 8-8 depicts the data flow diagram of the process.
Manage Quality is sometimes called quality assurance, although Manage Quality has a broader definition than quality assurance as it is used in nonproject work. In project management, the focus of quality assurance is on the processes used in the project. Quality assurance is about using project processes effectively. It involves following and meeting standards to assure stakeholders that the final product will meet their needs, expectations, and requirements. Manage Quality includes all the quality assurance activities, and is also concerned with the product design aspects and process improvements. Manage Quality work will fall under the conformance work category in the cost of quality framework.
The Manage Quality process implements a set of planned and systematic acts and processes defined within the project's quality management plan that helps to:
The project manager and project team may use the organization's quality assurance department, or other organizational functions, to execute some of the Manage Quality activities such as failure analysis, design of experiments, and quality improvement. Quality assurance departments usually have cross-organizational experience in using quality tools and techniques and are a good resource for the project.
Manage Quality is considered the work of everybody—the project manager, the project team, the project sponsor, the management of the performing organization, and even the customer. All of these have roles in managing quality in the project, though the roles differ in size and effort. The level of participation in the quality management effort may differ between industries and project management styles. In agile projects, quality management is performed by all team members throughout the project, but in traditional projects, quality management is often the responsibility of specific team members.
8.2.1 MANAGE QUALITY: INPUTS
8.2.1.1 PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN
Described in Section 4.2.3.1. Project management plan components include but are not limited to the quality management plan. Described in Section 8.1.3.1, the quality management plan defines the acceptable level of project and product quality and describes how to ensure this level of quality in its deliverables and processes. The quality management plan also describes what to do with nonconforming products and what corrective action to implement.
8.2.1.2 PROJECT DOCUMENTS
Project documents that can be considered as inputs for this process include but are not limited to:
8.2.1.3 ORGANIZATIONAL PROCESS ASSETS
The organizational process assets that can influence the Manage Quality process include but are not limited to:
8.2.2 MANAGE QUALITY: TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES
8.2.2.1 DATA GATHERING
A data-gathering technique that can be used for this process includes but is not limited to checklists (see Section 11.2.2.2). A checklist is a structured tool, usually component-specific, used to verify that a set of required steps has been performed or to check if a list of requirements has been satisfied. Based on the project's requirements and practices, checklists may be simple or complex. Many organizations have standardized checklists available to ensure consistency in frequently performed tasks. In some application areas, checklists are also available from professional associations or commercial service providers. Quality checklists should incorporate the acceptance criteria included in the scope baseline.
8.2.2.2 DATA ANALYSIS
Data analysis techniques that can be used for this process include but are not limited to:
8.2.2.3 DECISION MAKING
A decision-making technique that can be used for this process includes but is not limited to multicriteria decision analysis. Described in Section 8.1.2.4. Multicriteria decision making is used to evaluate several criteria when discussing alternatives that impact project or product quality. Project decisions can include choosing among different implementation scenarios or suppliers. Product decisions can include evaluating the life cycle cost, schedule, stakeholder satisfaction, and risks associated with resolving product defects.
8.2.2.4 DATA REPRESENTATION
Data representation techniques that can be used for this process include but are not limited to:
8.2.2.5 AUDITS
An audit is a structured, independent process used to determine if project activities comply with organizational and project policies, processes, and procedures. A quality audit is usually conducted by a team external to the project, such as the organization's internal audit department, PMO, or by an auditor external to the organization. Quality audit objectives may include but are not limited to:
The subsequent effort to correct any deficiencies should result in a reduced cost of quality and an increase in sponsor or customer acceptance of the project's product. Quality audits may be scheduled or random, and may be conducted by internal or external auditors.
Quality audits can confirm the implementation of approved change requests including updates, corrective actions, defect repairs, and preventive actions.
8.2.2.6 DESIGN FOR X
Design for X (DfX) is a set of technical guidelines that may be applied during the design of a product for the optimization of a specific aspect of the design. DfX can control or even improve the product's final characteristics. The X in DfX can be different aspects of product development, such as reliability, deployment, assembly, manufacturing, cost, service, usability, safety, and quality. Using the DfX may result in cost reduction, quality improvement, better performance, and customer satisfaction.
8.2.2.7 PROBLEM SOLVING
Problem solving entails finding solutions for issues or challenges. It can include gathering additional information, critical thinking, creative, quantitative and/or logical approaches. Effective and systematic problem solving is a fundamental element in quality assurance and quality improvement. Problems can arise as a result of the Control Quality process or from quality audits and can be associated with a process or deliverable. Using a structured problem-solving method will help eliminate the problem and develop a long-lasting solution. Problem-solving methods generally include the following elements:
8.2.2.8 QUALITY IMPROVEMENT METHODS
Quality improvements can occur based on findings and recommendations from quality control processes, the findings of the quality audits, or problem solving in the Manage Quality process. Plan-do-check-act and Six Sigma are two of the most common quality improvement tools used to analyze and evaluate opportunities for improvement.
8.2.3 MANAGE QUALITY: OUTPUTS
8.2.3.1 QUALITY REPORTS
The quality reports can be graphical, numerical, or qualitative. The information provided can be used by other processes and departments to take corrective actions in order to achieve the project quality expectations. The information presented in the quality reports may include all quality management issues escalated by the team; recommendations for process, project, and product improvements; corrective actions recommendations (including rework, defect/bugs repair, 100% inspection, and more); and the summary of findings from the Control Quality process.
8.2.3.2 TEST AND EVALUATION DOCUMENTS
Test and evaluation documents can be created based on industry needs and the organization's templates. They are inputs to the Control Quality process and are used to evaluate the achievement of quality objectives. These documents may include dedicated checklists and detailed requirements traceability matrices as part of the document.
8.2.3.3 CHANGE REQUESTS
Described in Section 4.3.3.4. If changes occur during the Manage Quality process that impact any of the components of the project management plan, project documents, or project or product management processes, the project manager should submit a change request and follow the Perform Integrated Change Control process as defined in Section 4.6.
8.2.3.4 PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN UPDATES
Any change to the project management plan goes through the organization's change control process via a change request. Components that may require a change request for the project management plan include but are not limited to:
8.2.3.5 PROJECT DOCUMENTS UPDATES
Project documents that may be updated as a result of carrying out this process include but are not limited to:
8.3 CONTROL QUALITY
Control Quality is the process of monitoring and recording results of executing the quality management activities in order to assess performance and ensure the project outputs are complete, correct, and meet customer expectations. The key benefit of this process is verifying that project deliverables and work meet the requirements specified by key stakeholders for final acceptance. The Control Quality process determines if the project outputs do what they were intended to do. Those outputs need to comply with all applicable standards, requirements, regulations, and specifications. This process is performed throughout the project.
The inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs of this process are depicted in Figure 8-10. Figure 8-11 depicts the data flow diagram of the process.
The Control Quality process is performed to measure the completeness, compliance, and fitness for use of a product or service prior to user acceptance and final delivery. This is done by measuring all steps, attributes, and variables used to verify conformance or compliance to the specifications stated during the planning stage.
Quality control should be performed throughout the project to formally demonstrate, with reliable data, that the sponsor's and/or customer's acceptance criteria have been met.
The level of effort to control quality and the degree of implementation may differ between industries and project management styles; in pharmaceutical, health, transportation, and nuclear industries, for example, there may be stricter quality control procedures compared to other industries, and the effort needed to meet the standards may be extensive. For example, in agile projects, the Control Quality activities may be performed by all team members throughout the project life cycle. In waterfall model-based projects, the quality control activities are performed at specific times, toward the end of the project or phase, by specified team members.
8.3.1 CONTROL QUALITY: INPUTS
8.3.1.1 PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN
Described in Section 4.2.3.1. Project management plan components include but are not limited to the quality management plan. Described in Section 8.1.3.1, the quality management plan defines how quality control will be performed within the project.
8.3.1.2 PROJECT DOCUMENTS
Project documents that can be considered as inputs for this process include but are not limited to:
8.3.1.3 APPROVED CHANGE REQUESTS
Described in Section 4.6.3.1. As part of the Perform Integrated Change Control process, a change log update indicates that some changes are approved and some are not. Approved change requests may include modifications such as defect repairs, revised work methods, and revised schedules. Partial change completion may result in inconsistencies and later delays due to incomplete steps or corrections. The implementation of approved changes should be verified, confirmed for completeness, retested, and certified as correct.
8.3.1.4 DELIVERABLES
A deliverable is any unique and verifiable product, result, or capability to perform a service that is required to be produced to complete a process, phase, or project. Deliverables that are outputs from the Direct and Manage Project Work process are inspected and compared to the acceptance criteria defined in the project scope statement.
8.3.1.5 WORK PERFORMANCE DATA
Described in Section 4.3.3.2. Work performance data contains data on product status such as observations, quality metrics, and measurements for technical performance, as well as project quality information on schedule performance and cost performance.
8.3.1.6 ENTERPRISE ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
The enterprise environmental factors that can influence the Control Quality process include but are not limited to:
8.3.1.7 ORGANIZATIONAL PROCESS ASSETS
The organizational process assets that can influence the Control Quality process include but are not limited to:
8.3.2 CONTROL QUALITY: TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES
8.3.2.1 DATA GATHERING
Data-gathering techniques that can be used for this process include but are not limited to:
8.3.2.2 DATA ANALYSIS
Data analysis techniques that can be used for this process include but are not limited to:
8.3.2.3 INSPECTION
An inspection is the examination of a work product to determine if it conforms to documented standards. The results of inspections generally include measurements and may be conducted at any level. The results of a single activity can be inspected, or the final product of the project can be inspected. Inspections may be called reviews, peer reviews, audits, or walkthroughs. In some application areas, these terms have narrow and specific meanings. Inspections also are used to verify defect repairs.
8.3.2.4 TESTING/PRODUCT EVALUATIONS
Testing is an organized and constructed investigation conducted to provide objective information about the quality of the product or service under test in accordance with the project requirements. The intent of testing is to find errors, defects, bugs, or other nonconformance problems in the product or service. The type, amount, and extent of tests needed to evaluate each requirement are part of the project quality plan and depend on the nature of the project, time, budget, and other constraints. Tests can be performed throughout the project, as different components of the project become available, and at the end of the project on the final deliverables. Early testing helps identify nonconformance problems and helps reduce the cost of fixing the nonconforming components.
Different application areas require different tests. For example, software testing may include unit testing, integration testing, black-box, white-box, interface testing, regression testing, Alpha testing, etc. In construction projects, testing may include cement strength, concrete workability test, nondestructive tests at construction sites for testing the quality of hardened concrete structures, and soil tests. In hardware development, testing may include environmental stress screening, burn-in tests, system testing, and more.
8.3.2.5 DATA REPRESENTATION
Data representation techniques that can be used for this process include but are not limited to:
8.3.2.6 MEETINGS
The following meetings may be used as part of the Control Quality process:
8.3.3 CONTROL QUALITY: OUTPUTS
8.3.3.1 QUALITY CONTROL MEASUREMENTS
Quality control measurements are the documented results of Control Quality activities. They should be captured in the format that was specified in the quality management plan.
8.3.3.2 VERIFIED DELIVERABLES
A goal of the Control Quality process is to determine the correctness of deliverables. The results of performing the Control Quality process are verified deliverables that become an input to the Validate Scope process (Section 5.5) for formalized acceptance. If there were any change requests or improvements related to the deliverables, they may be changed, inspected, and reverified.
8.3.3.3 WORK PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
Described in Section 4.5.1.3. Work performance information includes information on project requirements fulfillment, causes for rejections, rework required, recommendations for corrective actions, lists of verified deliverables, status of the quality metrics, and the need for process adjustments.
8.3.3.4 CHANGE REQUESTS
Described in Section 4.3.3.4. If changes occur during the Control Quality process that may impact any of the components of the project management plan or project documents, the project manager should submit a change request. Change requests are processed for review and disposition through the Perform Integrated Change Control process (Section 4.6).
8.3.3.5 PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN UPDATES
Any change to the project management plan goes through the organization's change control process via a change request. Components that may require a change request for the project management plan include but are not limited to the quality management plan, as described in Section 8.1.3.1.
8.3.3.6 PROJECT DOCUMENTS UPDATES
Project documents that may be updated as a result of carrying out this process include but are not limited to: