MBA742 PM - Module 4 Terms Flashcards
Project Quality Management
Includes the processes and activities of the performing organization that determine quality policies, objectives, and responsibilities so that the project will satisfy the needs for which it was undertaken.
Benchmarking
The comparison of actual or planned practices, such as processes and operations, to those of comparable organizations to identify best practices, generate ideas for improvement, and provide a basis for measuring performance provides comparisons of the results among projects, which are used as a basis of measurement to generate ideas to improve performance.
Quality Assurance (QA)
The process of auditing the quality requirements and the results from quality control measurements to ensure that appropriate quality standards and operational definitions are used.
Mostly about ensuring compliance with Process
Remember, this is PROCESS oriented
Makes sure you are doing the right things, the right way
Quality Control (QC)
The process of monitoring and recording results of executing the quality activities to assess performance and recommend necessary changes.
PRODUCT oriented
Makes sure the results of what you’ve done are what you expect
Control Charts
A graphic display of process data over time and against established control limits, which has a centerline that assists in detecting a trend of plotted values toward either control limit
Control Limits
The area composed of three standard deviations on either side of the centerline or mean of a normal distribution of data plotted on a control chart, which reflects the expected variation in the data.
Specification Limits
The area, on either side of the center line, or mean, of data plotted on a control chart that meets the customer’s requirements for a product or service. This area may be greater than or less than the area defined by the control limits.
Statistical Sampling
Choosing part of a population of interest for inspection.
Design of Experiments
A statistical method for identifying which factors may influence specific variables of a product or process under development or in production
Trend Analysis
An analytical technique that uses mathematical models to forecast future outcomes based on historical results. It is a method of determining the variance from a baseline of a budget, cost, schedule, or scope parameter by using prior progress reporting periods’ data and projecting how much that parameter’s variance from baseline might be at some future point in the project if no changes are made in executing the project
Quality
The degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfills requirements
Grade
A category or rank used to distinguish items that have the same functional use (e.g. hemmer) but do not share the same requirements for quality (e.g. different hammers may need to withstand different amounts of force).
Customer Satisfaction
Within the quality management system, a state of fulfillment in which the needs of a customer are met or exceeded for the customer’s expected experiences as assessed by the customer at the moment of evaluation
Prevention over inspection
The cost of preventing mistakes is generally much less that the cost of correcting mistakes when they are found by inspection or during usage
Cost of Quality
A method of determining the costs incurred to ensure quality. Prevention and appraisal costs (cost of conformance) include costs for quality planning, quality control (QC), and quality assurance (QA) to ensure compliance to requirements (i.e., training, QC systems, etc.). Failure costs (cost of nonconformance) include costs to rework products, components, or processes that are non compliant, costs of warranty work and waste, and loss of reputation
Continuous Improvement
Referred to as “kaizen” in Japan, CI is an ongoing effort to improve products, services, or processes. These efforts can seek incremental improvement over time or breakthrough improvement all at once. This concept is described by Shewhart and Deming as Plan-Do-Check-Act.
Precision
A measure of exactness
Accuracy
A measure of correctness
Plan Quality Management Process
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
Quality
something to plan in, not inspect in.
Organizations should invest in prevention and appraisal efforts, establish how quality will be measured throughout the project, and be certain the end result will conform to the customer’s stated requirements.
Cost of Quality (COQ)
Refers to the total cost of all efforts to achieve product, service, or result quality. The cost of prevention and appraisal should be a part of the cost of doing business and should not be viewed as separate and distinct.
Cost of Conformence
Includes Prevention Costs (Build a quality product) and Appriasal Costs (Assess the quality). These dollars are money spent during the project to avoid failures
Cost of Nonconformence
Include Internal Failure Costs (Failure found by the project, like rework and scrap) and External Failure Costs (Failures found by the customer)
Prevention
Refers to designing quality in, allowing for project team-member, end-user, or customer training and the mapping out of a quality strategy before you begin work in order to keep you on course
Includes: design reviews, training and quality planning
Appraisal
Refers to preproduction and production inspections, tests, or sampling that is done to assure that the final product will be within the product specification levels.
Includes: lab tests, in process testing costs assocaited with these type of activities
Internal failures
Those that occur before leaving the organization and include scrap, rework, repair, and defect valuation. This causes costs to rise and employees to get disgruntled about having their efforts wasted. The goal is to design quality in so there is little to catch at the inspection phase.
External failures
Those discovered by the customer include returns, complaints, corrective action, and field maintenance period there is no way to know the true cost of external failures. Unhappy customers may complain to their friends and acquaintances about the failure, and you will never know what the loss of that business might be. If loss of life occurs because of an unsafe product, the cost is immeasurable.
Seven Basic Quality Tools - Cause and Effect Diagram
A decomposition technique that helps trace an undesirable effect back to its root cause. Also referred to as Fishbone Diagram and Ishakawa Diagram
Seven Basic Quality Tools - Flowchart
The depiction in a diagram format of the inputs, process actions, and outputs of one or more processes within a system.
Seven Basic Quality Tools - Checksheet
A tally sheet that can be used as a checklist when gathering data.
Seven Basic Quality Tools - Pareto Diagram
A histogram, ordered by frequency of occurrence, that shows how many results were generated by each identified cause
Seven Basic Quality Tools - Histogram
A special form of bar chart used to describe the central tendency, dispersion, and shape of a statistical distribution
Seven Basic Quality Tools - Control Chart
A graphic display of process data over time and against established control limits, which has a centerline that assists in detecting a trend of plotted values toward either control limit.
Seven Basic Quality Tools - Scatter Diagram
A correlation chart that uses a regression line to explain or to predict how the change in an independent variable will change a dependent variable.
Cause and effect diagram (Fishbone/Ishakawa Diagram)
A decomposition technique that helps trace an undesirable effect back to its root cause. Also referred to as Fishbone Diagram and Ishakawa Diagram
Control Charts
A graphical display of the results of a process.
Are used to determine whether a process is within control limits
List causes that may be a result of random variation or unusual events.
List results based on:
Rule of Seven
Hugging
Out-of-control limits
Control Chart Example
See image
Control Chart Explained
The quality Control Chart contains a line in the center that represents the average of the two other lines of the control chart, the upper and lower control limits. These are set by the company, rather than the customer, and are intended to be more rigorous than the customers expectations, which are represented by the specification limits. These control limits are chosen so that if the process is in control, all the sample points will fall between them. As long as the points plotted are within the control limits, the process is assumed to be in control, and no action is necessary. However, a point that plots outside the control limits is interpreted as evidence that the process is out of control, and investigation and corrective action is required to find and eliminate the assignable, or special causes, responsible for this result. The data points are plotted and connected with straight line segments for easy visualization.
Control Chart - Rule of Seven
A run - When several successive points line up on one side of the central line
Length of run - The number of points in that run. There is abnormality in the process if the run has a length of seven points.
The rule of seven also states that seven consecutive data points trending in one direction indicates and abnormality.
What should Management do when a rule of Seven condition is identified?
Investigate the process to determine what might be influencing it
Process Flowcharts and System Flowcharts
Both types of flowcharts graphically display how various elements of a process or system relate. As a project progresses, understanding the tasks and decisions that occur in a given process can help the project team anticipate what and where quality problems might surface, which helps the team to develop approaches for dealing with them.
Pareto Diagrams
Are histograms
Are ordered by frequency of occurrence
Have results displayed by type or category of cause
Use rank ordering to guide the corrective action
Use the 80/20 rule
Most quality problems result from a small number of causes. Quality experts often refer to the principle as the 80/20 rule, which means that 80 percent of problems are caused by 20 percent of the potential sources.
A Pareto diagram puts data in a hierarchical order from most occurrences to fewest occurrences, suggesting that the highest number of occurrences, if resolved, would produce the greatest improvement. When seeking operational or process improvement project opportunities within an organization, this can be a helpful tool in deciding what to fix first.
Histogram
Consists of a series of bar charts that shows a distribution of data. The columns represent information attributes describing a situation, and the height of each bar represents the frequency of occurrence of each item listed.
This tool provides an excellent means to identify problems in a process by the display of each distribution.
Histogram Example
Use image to the right
Scatter Diagram (Scatter Plot Correlation)
Organize dates using two variables, and the relationship or correlation is shown on a simple graph with X and Y coordinates. The correlation can be negative, positive, or curvilinear, or the data might show that there is no correlation at all.
Scatter Plot Correlation Examples
See image
Design of experiments (DOE)
A statistical method that assists in identifying factors that may influence variables to find the most acceptable product combinations (for example, the best combination of flour, sugar, heat, and time to make a cake).
Performing Quality Assurance Process
The process of auditing the quality requirements and the results from quality control measurements to ensure that appropriate quality standards and operational definitions are used.
QA may be performed by:
QA department
A related discrete organization
Selected individuals within line organization
Quality System
A network of interrelated processes. A process is made up of people, work, activities, tasks, records, documents, forms, resources, rules, regulations, reports, materials, supplies, tools, equipment, and so on - all the things that are needed to transform inputs and outputs. in general, a quality system includes all the things that are used to regulate, control, and improve the quality of your project, products, or service.
What is Quality Assurance assuring?
That the quality of the product or service you are providing the customer is as agreed according to the service level agreement, SOW, or contract. So, another task of the project manager, distinct from the QA roll, is confirming that all customer-provided product specifications are clearly documented in the scope of the project. Next, the project manager will identify how delivery of the product specifications will be confirmed during the project and at the time of customer inspection or testing prior to turnover
Is QA a proactive process, or reactive?
QA is a proactive process that assists in controlling the project and delighting the customer. It may be a full review of contractual terms, the project plan, and quality standards throughout the project, not just at the end.
Quality Management and Control Tools - Affinity Diagram
A group creativity technique that allows large numbers or ideas to be classified into groups for review and analysis
Quality Management and Control Tools - Process decision program charts (PDPC)
This tool is used to understand a goal in relation to the steps for getting to the goal.
Quality Management and Control Tools - Interrelationship diagraphs
A quality management planning tool, the interrelationship digraphs provide a process for creative problem-solving in moderately complex scenarios that possess intertwined logical relationships.
Quality Management and Control Tools - Tree diagrams
A systematic diagram of a decomposition hierarchy used to visualize as parent-to-child relationships a systematic set of rules
Quality Management and Control Tools - Prioritization matrices
A quality management planning tool used to identify key issues and evaluate suitable alternatives to define a set of implementation priorities.
Quality Management and Control Tools - Project schedule network diagram
A graphical representation of the logical relationships among the project schedule activities
Quality Management and Control Tools - Matrix diagrams
A quality management and control tool used to perform data analysis within the organizational structure created in the matrix. The matrix diagram seeks to show the strength of relationships between factors, causes, and objectives that exist between the rows and columns that form the matrix.
Quality Audits
These activities provide a structured way to review quality management activities. They may also provide lessons learned that can lend improvement to the current effort or be applied to your project.
In house are often scheduled, whereas independent may be scheduled or random.
What will the intended outcome of a quality audit accomplish? (6 total)
- The planned project quality is met.
- Products are safe and fit for use.
- All laws and regulations are followed.
- Data systems are accurate and adequate.
- Proper corrective action is taken when required.
- Improvement opportunities are identified.
Control Quality Process
The process of monitoring and recording results of executing the quality activities to assess performance and recommend necessary changes
What is the main benefit of the Control Quality Process?
That it performed correctly it identifies and eliminates the causes of poor process or quality
What are the 7 basic Control Quality Processes?
- Cause and Effect Diagram
- Flowchart
- Checksheet
- Pareto Diagram
- Histogram
- Control Chart
- Scatter Diagram
Statistical Sampling
The selection of a subset of data from within the full set of data to estimate characteristics of the whole population. Testing some, rather than all, can help substantially reduce the cost of conforming to quality, as long as we get a valid representation of the whole in the sample size we select.
Attribute sampling
A method of measuring quality that consists of noting the presence (or absence) of some characteristics (attributes) in each of the units under consideration. After each unit is inspected, the decision is made to accept a lot, reject it, or inspect another unit.
Six Sigma
A quality management model that incorporates a strategy using statistical tools within a structured methodology to gain the knowledge needed to deliver products and services better, faster, and less expensively than the competition. It was highlighted by Motorola, GE, the end others in the early 1990s, in his growing in popularity based on impacts to the bottom line.
A Six Sigma process has a process mean (average) that is ????? standard deviations from the nearest specification limit. This provides enough buffer between the process natural variation and the specification limits
Six, looking for six standard deviations
Can Six Sigma be thought of a process to improve performance?
Yes, once the current performance of the process is measured, the goal is to continually improve the sigma level striving towards 6 sigma. Even if the improvements do not reach 6 sigma, the improvements made from 3 sigma to 4 sigma to 5 sigma will still reduce costs and increase customer satisfaction.
What does Project Resource Management include?
The processes that organize, manage, and lead the project team resources and physical resources.
What are the two categories of Organizational Structure?
Projectized and Functional
Projectized Organization
An organizational structure in which the project manager has full authority to assign priorities, apply resources, and direct the work of persons assigned to the project.
What is the authority level of a Project Manager dependent on?
The type of structure in place and how management has positioned and supports the project manager
Functional Organization
A hierarchical organization where each employee has one clear superior, and staff are grouped by areas of specialization and managed by a person with expertise in that area.
What is a Matrix Organization?
A blend of Projectized and Functional organizations.
This type of organization can be classified as weak, balanced, or strong depending on the relative level of power and influence between functional and project managers.
Weak Matrix Organization
Maintain many of the characteristics of a functional organization, and the role of the project manager is more of a coordinator or expediter.
Strong Matrix Organizations
Have many of the characteristics of the projectized organization, and have full-time project managers with considerable authority and full-time project administrative staff.
Does a balanced matrix organization provide the Project Manager with the full authority over the project and project funding?
No
Project Management Office
Centralize and coordinate the management of projects
May provide project management support functions, such as:
-Training
-Software administration
-Standardized methods and procedures
May be involved in the selection of projects
May manage the deployment of resources
Plan Resource Management Process
The process of identifying and documenting project roles, responsibilities, required skills, reporting relationships, and creating a staffing management plan.
What is the key benefit of the Plan Resource Management Process?
The establishment of the roles, responsibilities, and organizational charts for the project.
Networking (in the context of Plan Resource Management)
Establishing connection and relationships with other people from the same or other organizations
Organization Charts Purpose
To ensure a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities
Responsibility Assignment Matrix (AKA: RACI Chart)
Relates WBS elements to the resources
R
A
C
I
Responsibility Matrix
Responsible (who will accomplish the work)
Accountable (Who is accountable for the work)
Consulted (who is/was consulterd for the work, can be consultants or SME’s)
Inform (who is informed, this is usually the PM or person whose work package depends on the completion of the Work Package)
Responsibility Assignment Matrix (AKA: RACI Chart)
See image
Estimate Activity Resources Process
The process of confirming human resource availability and obtaining the team necessary to complete project activities.
Benfit of the Acquire Project Team Process is?
In guiding the team selection to obtain a successful team (either directly or through facilitation)
Should PM’s expect to negotiate for the human resources necessary to complete the project?
Yes - The project manager can expect, in many cases, to negotiate for the human resources necessary to complete a project. These negotiations may involve the functional managers who control the resources and have direct line responsibility and authority, or there may e negotiations with other project managers regarding the allocation of scarce resources who are assigned across more than one project.
Acquire Resources Process
The process of obtaining team members, facilities, equipment, materials, supplies, and other resources necessary to complete project work.
What is the key benefit of the Acquire Resources Process?
This process outlines and guides the selection of resources and assigns them to their respective activities. This process is performed periodically throughout the project as needed.
Develop Project Team Process
The process of improving competencies, team member interaction, and overall team environment to enhance project performance.
Collocation (In Develop Project Team Process context)
A technique that places most or all of the team members for a project in one physical location
Stages of Team Building
Storming
Forming
Norming
Performing
Adjourning
Stages of Team Building - Forming
The group is not yet a group but a number of individuals. At this stage, the purpose of the group is discussed, along with its title, leadership and life span. Individuals will be keen to establish their personal identities in the group
Stages of Team Building - Storming
Most groups go through a stage of conflict following the initial, often false, consensus. At this stage, purpose, leadership, roles and norms may all be challenged. Personal agendas may be revealed and some interpersonal hostility is to be expected. If successfully handled, this stage leads to the formulation of more realistic objectives and procedures. It is particularly important in the formation of trust within the group
Stages of Team Building - Norming
During this stage the group members establish the patterns of work and norms for the group. What degree of openness, trust and confidence are appropriate? At this stage, there will be a lot of tentative experimentation by individuals testing the climate of the group and establishing their levels of commitment
Stages of Team Building - Performing
Only when the previous three stages have been successfully completed will the group be able to be fully and sensibly productive. Although some kind of performance will be achieved at all stages prior to this phase, output will have been diminished by the energy put into resolving the group processes and by the personal hidden agendas. In many periodic committees the basic issues of objectives, procedures and leadership are never resolved and continue to plague the group in almost every meeting, leading to frustration and substantially reduced effectiveness
Stages of Team Building - Adjourning
The phase when a team eventually disbands, having completed its task, is also characterised by distinctive processes. Members may face significant uncertainties as they move away to new challenges. They may need feedback on how well they have done, what they have learned and how they are likely to cope with new challenges. The team leader may need to minimise the stress that is associated with changes and transitions. The team members may be feeling some sadness if their experiences within the team were particularly satisfying. If appropriate, the team leader may encourage the team members to maintain links with each other and develop their relations through new activities and projects
Graph of Stages of Team Building
See image
Team Leadership Tips/Ideas
Encourage teamwork and participation
Make sound and timely decisions
Empower team members
Match skills with resources
Listen effectively
Give positive feedback
Seek responsibility and accept accountability
Effective Leadership 3 Factors:
Establishing direction
Aligning People
Motivating and Inspiring
Effective Leadership 3 Factors - Establishing Direction
Developing a vision and the strategies to achieve that vision
Effective Leadership 3 Factors - Aligning People
Communicating the vision through words and deeds to the project stakeholders whose cooperation is essential for success.
Effective Leadership 3 Factors - Motivating and Inspiring
Energizing people to overcome barriers that keep them from fulfilling commitments and objectives
McGregor’s View (Theory X and Y)
Developed by Douglas McGregor: states that, managers and organizational cultures hold one or the other of the 2 sets of assumptions about human motivation. Situational leadership will call on the self actualized project manager to apply the theory (X or Y) most fitting the resource and/or situation.
McGregor’s View - Theory X
People need close supervision
Will avoid work when possible
Will avoid responsibility
Desire only money
People in general, must be pushed to perform
McGregor’s View - Theory Y
People want independnce at work
Seek resonsibility
Motivated by self fulfillment
Naturally want to work
Drive themselves to perform
Herzberg’s Theory of Motivation
Theory that employee satisfaction has two dimensions: “hygiene” and motivation.
Hygiene issues, such as salary and supervision, decrease employees’ dissatisfaction with the work environment. Motivators, such as recognition and achievement, make workers more productive, creative and committed.
Satisfaction and dissatisfaction always arose from different factors. Certain factors truly motivate. Other factors (hygiene factors) do not motivate if present, but tend to lead to dissatisfaction if they are NOT present.
Herzberg’s Theory of Motivation - Hygiene Factors
Salary
Status
Security
Relationship with Peers/Supervisor
Work Conditions
Company Policies
Administration
Herzberg’s Theory of Motivation - Motivators
Achievement
Recognition
The work itself
Responsibility
Advancement
Personal Growth
Manage Project Team Process
The process of tracking team member performance, providing feedback, resolving issues, and managing changes to optimize project performance
Involves tracking team-member performance, providing feedback, resolving issues, and coordinating changes to enhance project performance.
The key benefit of the Manage Project Team process
it influences team behavior, manages conflict, and resolves issues. This process is performed throughout the project
Control Resources Process
The process of ensuring that the physical resources assigned and allocated to the project are available as planned, as well as monitoring the planned versus actual utilization of resources and taking corrective action as necessary.
Control Resources Process Benefits
Ensuring that the assigned resources are available to the project at the right time and in the right place and are released when no longer needed. This process is performed throughout the project.
Conflict Management
The activities associated with managing the project team may result in a need to make changes to the assigned staff to resolve an issue or to remove a disruptive team member. In some cases, the project manager may be required to discipline a team member who may be causing project team conflict.
Conflict Management Type - Withdraw/Avoid
Conflict Management Strategy/Type where the Manager retreats from actual or potential conflict. This does not solve the problem
Conflict Management Type - Smooth/Accomodate
Conflict Management Strategy/Type that emphasizes areas of agreement rather than areas of difference. This provides only a short-term solution
Conflict Management Type - Compromising
Conflict Management Strategy/Type where the Manager searches and bargains for solutions that bring a degree of satisfaction to all parties. This provides definitive resolution
Conflict Management Type - Force/Direct
Conflict Management Strategy/Type where the result is one viewpoint pushed at the expense of others; offers only win/lose solutions. This has hard feelings that may come back in other ways
Conflict Management Type - Collaborate (Consensus)
Conflict Management Strategy/Type where the Manager incorporates multiple viewpoints and insights; leads to consensus and commitment. This provides actual long term solutions
Conflict Management Type - Confronting/Problem Solving
Conflict Management Strategy/Type where the conflict is treated as a problem to be solved by examining alternatives; requries give-and-take and open dialougue. This provides the ultimate resolution
