8 Quality Management Terms

Question 1

Activity network diagram

Answer 1

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

Question 2

Affinity diagram

Answer 2

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

Question 3

Benchmarking

Answer 3

Comparing any two similar entities to measure
their performance.

Question 4

Cause-and-effect diagrams

Answer 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.

Question 5

Checklist

Answer 5

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

Question 6

Control chart

Answer 6

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

Question 7

Control quality

Answer 7

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

Question 8

Cost of conformance

Answer 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.

Question 9

Cost of nonconformance to quality

Answer 9

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

Question 10

Cost-benefit analysis

Answer 10

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

Question 11

Design of experiments

Answer 11

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

Question 12

External QA

Answer 12

Assurance provided to the external customers of
the project.

Question 13

Flowchart

Answer 13

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

Question 14

Internal QA

Answer 14

Assurance provided to management and the
project team.

Question 15

ISO

Answer 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.

Question 16

Matrix diagram

Answer 16

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

Question 17

Pareto diagram

Answer 17

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

Question 18

Quality

Answer 18

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

Question 19

Quality assurance

Answer 19

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

Question 20

Quality management plan

Answer 20

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

Question 21

Quality metrics

Answer 21

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

Question 22

Quality planning

Answer 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.

Question 23

Rule of Seven

Answer 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.

Question 24

Run chart

Answer 24

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

Question 25

Scatter diagram

Answer 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.

Question 26

Seven basic quality tools

Answer 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.

Question 27

Statistical sampling

Answer 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.

Question 28

System or process flowcharts

Answer 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.

Question 29

Tree diagram

Answer 29

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

Question 30

Trend analysis

Answer 30

The science of using past results to predict future
performance.

Question 31

Work performance information

Answer 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.