8. Project Quality Terms

Question 1

These diagrams, such as the project network diagram, show the flow of the project work.

Answer 1

Activity network diagram

Question 2

This diagram breaks down ideas, solutions, causes, and project components and groups them together with other similar ideas and components.

Answer 2

Affinity diagram

Question 3

Comparing any two similar entities to measure their performance.

Answer 3

Benchmarking

Question 4

Diagrams that show the relationship between variables within a process and how those relationships may contribute to inadequate quality. The diagrams can help organize both the process and team opinions, as well as generate discussion on finding a solution to ensure quality.

Answer 4

Cause-and-effect diagrams

Question 5

A simple approach to ensure that work is completed according to the quality policy.

Answer 5

Checklist

Question 6

A quality control chart that maps the performance of project work over time.

Answer 6

Control chart

Question 7

An inspection-driven process that measures work results to confirm that the project is meeting the relevant quality standards.

Answer 7

Control quality

Question 8

This is the cost associated with the monies spent to attain the expected level of quality. It is also known as the cost of quality.

Answer 8

Cost of conformance

Question 9

The cost associated with not satisfying quality expectations. This is also known as the cost of poor quality.

Answer 9

Cost of nonconformance to quality

Question 10

A process to study the trade-offs between costs and the benefits realized from those costs.

Answer 10

Cost-benefit analysis

Question 11

An approach that relies on statistical scenarios to determine what variables within a project will result in the best outcome.

Answer 11

Design of experiments

Question 12

Assurance provided to the external customers of the project.

Answer 12

External QA

Question 13

A diagram illustrating how components within a system are related. It shows the relation between components, as well as help the project team determine where quality issues may be present and, once done, plan accordingly.

Answer 13

Flowchart

Question 14

Assurance provided to management and the project team.

Answer 14

Internal QA

Question 15

The abbreviation for the International Organization for Standardization. ISO is Greek for “equal,” while “International Organization for Standardization” in a different language would be abbreviated differently. The organization elected to use “ISO” for all languages.

Answer 15

ISO

Question 16

A data analysis table that shows the strength between variables and relationships in the matrix.

Answer 16

Matrix diagram

Question 17

A histogram that illustrates and ranks categories of failure within a project.

Answer 17

Pareto diagram

Question 18

According to ASQ, the degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfills requirements.

Answer 18

Quality

Question 19

A management process that defines the quality system or quality policy that a project must adhere to. It aims to plan quality into the project rather than to inspect quality into a deliverable.

Answer 19

Quality assurance

Question 20

This plan defines how the project team will implement and fulfill the quality policy of the performing organization.

Answer 20

Quality management plan

Question 21

The operational definitions that specify the measurements within a project and the expected targets for quality and performance.

Answer 21

Quality metrics

Question 22

The process of first determining which quality standards are relevant to your project and then finding out the best methods of adhering to those quality standards.

Answer 22

Quality planning

Question 23

A component of a control chart that illustrates the results of seven measurements on one side of the mean, which is considered “out of control” in the project.

Answer 23

Rule of Seven

Question 24

A quality control tool that shows the results of inspection in the order in which they’ve occurred. Its goal is first to demonstrate the results of a process over time and then to use trend analysis to predict when certain trends may reemerge.

Answer 24

Run chart

Question 25

A quality control tool that tracks the relationship between two variables over time. The two variables are considered related the closer they track against a diagonal line.

Answer 25

Scatter diagram

Question 26

These seven tools are used in quality planning and in quality control: cause-and-effect diagrams, flowcharts, check sheets, Pareto diagrams, histograms, control charts, and scatter diagrams.

Answer 26

Seven basic quality tools

Question 27

A process of choosing a percentage of results at random. For example, a project creating a medical device may have 20 percent of all units randomly selected to check for quality.

Answer 27

Statistical sampling

Question 28

Flowcharts that illustrate the flow of a process through a system, such as a project change request through the change control system, or work authorization through a quality control process.

Answer 28

System or process flowcharts

Question 29

It shows the hierarchies and decomposition of a solution, an organization, or a project team. The WBS and an org chart are examples of tree diagrams.

Answer 29

Tree diagram

Question 30

The science of using past results to predict future performance.

Answer 30

Trend analysis

Question 31

The results of the project work as needed. This includes technical performance measures, project status, information on what the project has created to date, corrective actions, and performance reports.

Answer 31

Work performance information