Quality Theme

Question 1

What’s the definition of quality?

Answer 1

The degree to which a set of inherent characteristics of a product, service, process, person, organization, system or resource fulfils requirements

Question 2

What’s the definition of quality management?

Answer 2

The coordinated activities to direct and control an organization with regard to quality

Question 3

What’s the main aim of quality management within a project environment?

Answer 3

Ensure that products meet business expectations and enable the desired benefits to be realized

Question 4

What’s the definition of customers’ quality expectations?

Answer 4

A statement about the quality expected from the project product, captured in the project product description

Question 5

Which principle is central to the approach to quality?

Answer 5

Focus on products

Question 6

What’s the definition of acceptance criteria?

Answer 6

A prioritized list of criteria that the project must meet before the customer accepts it

Question 7

What is quality planning?

Answer 7

It’s about defining the project’s products and their quality criteria.
The Project Board needs to agree to the overall quality expectation, the products and quality criteria
These need to be communicated so all stakeholders have a common understanding
Quality planning also sets a baseline for the project’s quality controls

Question 8

What is quality control?

Answer 8

It’s about testing products and making sure they meet quality criteria, and identifying ways of eliminating poor performance

Question 9

What is the difference between quality assurance and project assurance?

Answer 9

Quality assurance is independent of the project and checks that it is managed and directed properly (process-focused)
Project assurance is a Project Board responsibility, making sure the project is managed correctly to fit their needs (product-focused)

Question 10

What does the quality management approach need to cover as a minimum? (8)

Answer 10

1. Approach to quality control
2. Approach to project assurance
3. The way quality will be communicated through the life cycle
4. Relevant roles and responsibilities
5. Quality criteria for products, specified in the product descriptions
6. Maintain quality records
7. Specify the customer’s quality expectations and acceptance criteria
8. Use lessons to inform planning

Question 11

What two products must be produced and maintained under the quality theme?

Answer 11

1. Quality management approach

2. Quality register

Question 12

What is contained in a quality management approach?

Answer 12

It describes how quality will be managed and includes specific processes, procedures and techniques, standards and responsibilities

Question 13

What is a quality register?

Answer 13

It summarizes all the quality activities and provides information for end stage and end project reports.
It
- has a unique reference for each quality activity
- acts as a pointer to quality records
- acts as a summary of the number and type of quality activities undertaken

Question 14

CQE

Answer 14

Customer quality expectations

Question 15

What should be covered in the customer quality expectations? (4)

Answer 15

1. quality requirements for the project’s product
2. standards and processes that should be applied
3. how any customer or supplier quality management system will be used
4. Any measurements that will be useful to assess whether the product meets expectations

Once these are covered, the (prioritized) acceptance criteria should be developed.

Question 16

What is the purpose of quality planning, and what is included in it?

Answer 16

The purpose is to establish the objectives and requirements for quality and lay out the overall approach to quality during the initiation stage.
It is important to:
- establish the activities that are needed within a stage to ensure quality is achieved
- ensure the customer’s quality expectations and acceptance criteria are fully understood and documented before the project starts

Question 17

What are the two types of quality control?

Answer 17

1. In-process (during creation of products)
2. Appraisal (finished products are assessed)

These are set our in the quality management approach

Question 18

What provides an audit trail of quality activities?

Answer 18

The quality register

Question 19

What is a quality review?

Answer 19

A team of qualified people get together and check a completed product for errors
Typically this is carried out in the managing product delivery process

Question 20

What are the four objectives of a quality review?

Answer 20

1. To assess the conformity of a product
2. To involve key interested parties in checking the product’s quality and providing wider acceptance of the product
3. To provide confirmation that the product is complete and ready for approval
4. To baseline the product for change control

Question 21

What are the three basic steps in the quality review technique?

Answer 21

1. Review preparation (set up meeting and determine participants, distribute product and quality criteria/question list)
2. Review meeting agenda (discuss and clarify any major errors, agree on appropriate actions and review outcome, and sign off on appropriate actions
3. Review follow-up (complete actions, communicate results and file records)

Question 22

What are the three possible results of a quality review?

Answer 22

1. Complete (product is fit for purpose)
2. Conditionally complete (complete subject to some further actions)
3. Incomplete (another review cycle is required)

Question 23

What are the four roles in the quality review process?

Answer 23

1. The Chair (responsible for conducting the review)
2. The Presenter (Responsible for introducing the product to the reviewers)
3. The Reviewer
4. The Administrator (who records results and any recommended actions)

You need a minimum of two people too carry out a review.