Cost and Value Management in Projects, 2nd Edition

Chapter 11Quality Management in Projects

Lesson Objectives

After completing this lesson, you should be able to:

• Define quality in the context of a project environment.
• Identify the determinants of project quality.
• Outline the concepts of total quality management and its relevance to projects.
• Explain the different quality management methods that are applicable to a project organization.
• Discuss the various standards for monitoring project quality.

Quality management, quality assurance, and quality control are being increasingly recognized as critical dimensions of project success in an increasingly competitive environment. The modern approach to quality management is based on work by Deming, Juran, Taguchi, and many other quality experts whose works have contributed to the contemporary approach to project quality. In this chapter we will discuss the concept of quality, and its management in the context of a project environment.

In terms of enhancing value in projects, cost, time, and quality are the three key criteria. However, the term quality can mean different things to different stakeholders, and there is no single definition that is universally applicable. This is also true in a project environment. Because project managers and other project stakeholders are uncertain about what constitutes quality in a project context, there is greater uncertainty among them when asked about the process required to manage quality. Many project participants refer to a project's ...