Managing Project Quality

In this chapter

• Understand why project quality starts and ends with the customer
• Understand how project quality management is integrated into all aspects of project management
• Learn the key principles of managing project quality
• Learn the essential tools and techniques for implementing project quality
• Review powerful strategies to help improve project quality
• Review seven common challenges associated with project quality

Quality is one of the critical success factors for any project and one of the key tenets of modern project management. Yet, project quality is often misunderstood and poorly managed. Why is this?

Suppose a project delivers a technically sound, zero-defect product, but the project is over-budget and the customer is not satisfied. Do you have project quality in this case or not?

Your organization must already comply with an industry quality standard (ISO 9000/10000, QS-9000, GxP, SEI/CMMi) or already employ one of the popular quality methodologies (Total Quality Management, Six Sigma, Continuous Improvement). Do you need to worry about project quality or not?

In this chapter, we will explore these questions and address many more fundamental project quality topics. We will clarify what project quality means and how it relates to managing project risks, project requirements, and client expectations. We will review the core principles, key tools, and best practices of project quality management, including the critical quality techniques that are often overlooked by many project management texts. In addition, we will share insights on the typical challenges surrounding managing project quality, so you can avoid these on your first (or next) project.

As mentioned in the book introduction, this chapter will not address advanced quality management concepts that are more the domain of operational quality management programs. The review of quality control tools such as Pareto analysis, statistical sampling, control charts, fishbone diagrams, or trend analysis, and the review of quality management pioneers such as Dr. W. Edwards Deming, Dr. Joseph Duran, and Philip Crosby will be left to other textbooks and courses that have a primary quality management focus.