How to achieve quality in a project

9 – QUALITY IN PROJECTS

‘Quality’ is often vaguely defined. In projects it is something precise. Quality has a central role in determining how it is done, and what it produces, are acceptable.  Therefore we need to understand how to achieve project quality.

There are no universal standards for quality. Specifically it is about what the client will regard as acceptable, which has to be realistic in terms of the time and resources needed to achieve that.

The customer is always right

9.1 – What is quality?

Understand that there are no universal standards for quality. Ultimately it is about what the client will regard as acceptable, which has to be realistic in terms of the time and resources needed to achieve that.

Think about the quality of the Alvis cars seen in the video titles. They were top quality in the 1960s. Their features would not be competitive today.

The boss of American Airlines had a special idea of what quality meant as explained in the story of the Convair 880 airliner.

You will learn:

• What is quality in a project.
• What is the definition of project quality.
• What quality has to prove.
• Where quality fits into a project.
• What is the cost of poor quality in a project.

Setting the benchmarks for the output and the project work

9.2 – Assessing quality

Learn about quality control and quality assurance. Quality control ensures that the output meets the required standards. Quality assurance considers the means by which it is produced.  Accordingly, this approach should not just be just applied at the end of the project. It must be applied all the way through.

You will learn:

• How to deliver quality.
• What is the difference between quality assurance and quality control?
• What is quality assurance?
• What is quality control?
• How to measure quality in a project.
• Why a project should have a quality system.

Making quality core to how work is done

9.3 – Embedding quality

Learn about techniques which enable the project work to achieve the required quality in the output.  Understand how an attitude of continuous improvement can drive ever better results, whilst reducing costs and project durations.

Know why organisations may choose to have their quality management regime certified against standards of organisations like the ISO or the British Standards Institute.  Learn how a project methodology like PRINCE 2 can provide a consistent way of conducting work.

The potential investment in quality management is limitless. Understand what is a sensible amount to spend given the quality expectations of the customer?

You will learn:

• What is a project methodology.
• Whether a project methodology is always appropriate.
• What a customer’s quality expectations are from a project.
• What is Total Quality Management.
• How to conduct continuous improvement in a project.
• What is a capability maturity model.
• How to determine the right level of quality in a project.

Proving the output works as it should

9.4 – Testing

Learn how to go about setting up and running a testing regime. This proves the output can do its intended job. Otherwise it will disclose flaws that can be rectified before it goes into widespread use.

You will learn:

• Why testing is important in a project.
• What are the aspects of project testing.
• How to make sure testing is honest.
• What is the value of a real-life testing.
• How testing can fail to show problems with the project output.

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