11. Understand quality in the context of a project Flashcards
11.1 Explain
what is meant by quality planning
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Quality - The fitness for purpose or the degree of conformance of the outputs of a process or the process itself to requirements.
Quality management - A discipline for ensuring the outputs, benefits and the processes by which they are delivered, meet stakeholder requirements and are fit for purpose.
Quality planning - Takes the defined scope and specifies the acceptance criteria used to validate that the outputs are fit for purpose to the sponsor. = Setting standards which apply to the outputs and the benefits and the processes by which they ae delivered = Starting point for quality management
Quality management system - The complete set of quality standards, procedures and responsibilities for a site or organisation.
Quality assurance (QA) - The process of evaluating overall project performance on a regular basis to provide confidence that the project will satisfy the relevant quality standards. = Use of standard policies and procedures
Quality assurance plan - A plan that guarantees a quality approach and conformance to all customer requirements for all activities in a project.
Quality audit - An official examination to determine whether practices conform to specified standards or a critical analysis of whether a deliverable meets quality criteria.
Quality control - Consists of inspection, measurement and testing to verify that the project outputs meet acceptance criteria defined during quality planning.
Quality criteria - The characteristics of a product that determine whether it meets certain requirements.
Quality guide - Describes quality and configuration management procedures and is aimed at people directly involved with quality reviews, configuration management and technical exceptions.
Quality review - A review of a product against an established set of quality criteria.
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Quality Plan
- quality objectives for project
- quality responsibilities
- standards
- acceptance criteria
- agreed by stakeholders and governance board
- quality control process - verification methods, pass/fail criteria, frequency of tests, checks and audits, resource requirements (scheduling and costing)
- quality assurance process
- quality documents = quality log/register, quality records
- part of PMP
- applicable regulations, standards, specifications and values of investing orgn e.g. TQM, IIP
- facilitates project handover on completion
- KSF for project management
scope (phase or time period in iterative)
specify acceptance criteria used to validate quality of outputs fit for purpose and acceptable to sponsor
specify quality standards to meet sponsor requirements
TQM, IIP
The benefits of quality management include:
• Right first time
• Lowers costs
• Improves team morale
• Encourages structured and objective thinking
• Reduces risk through fit-for-purpose deliverables.
11.2 Differentiate
between quality control and quality assurance
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Quality assurance (QA) - The process of evaluating overall project performance on a regular basis to provide confidence that the project will satisfy the relevant quality standards.
Quality assurance plan - A plan that guarantees a quality approach and conformance to all customer requirements for all activities in a project.
Quality audit - An official examination to determine whether practices conform to specified standards or a critical analysis of whether a deliverable meets quality criteria.
Quality control (QC) - Consists of inspection, measurement and testing to verify that the project outputs meet acceptance criteria defined during quality planning.
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Application - QA - consistent use of standard processes and procedures as set out in quality plan - are processes and procedures being followed; QC - inspection, measurement and testing verify that project outputs meet acceptance criteria defined during quality planning and that acceptance is achieved = prevent problems being passed onto customer
Acceptance and flexibility - QC - less flexible than QA; pass/fail re time, cost, quality, scope, risk and benefit TCQ SRB - Change control and test plans vital to formally authorise modifications (eg sampling, protocols, independent inspection), when have results ask Why to promote improvement.
QA - process can be followed to a degree and deliver an acceptable output
Delivery and scheduling - QA important that it is independent and as soon as project starts.
QC - in house - QC set by PM with tech experts - generally following start of physical outputs e.g. definition in deployment or outputs such as reports, processes, comms materials, financial models
Zero defects A measure of the quality of a deliverable where the deliverable is defect-free.
