Plan Quality Management

Plan Quality Management is a process in the Quality Management Knowledge Area and Planning Process Group. It involves identifying quality requirements and standards for the project and its deliverables and documenting how the project will meet these requirements. The result is the Quality Management Plan, which serves as a roadmap for ensuring quality throughout the project.

Inputs, Tools & Techniques, and Outputs of Plan Quality Management

Inputs

1. Project Management Plan:
   • Guides how the project will be executed, monitored, and controlled.
   • Includes baselines (scope, schedule, and cost), which influence quality standards.
2. Stakeholder Register:
   • Identifies stakeholders and their quality expectations.
3. Risk Register:
   • Highlights risks that may impact quality, such as supplier issues or inadequate testing.
4. Requirements Documentation:
   • Captures the project’s technical and business requirements, including quality criteria.
5. Enterprise Environmental Factors:
   • External influences such as regulatory standards, industry benchmarks, and market conditions.
6. Organizational Process Assets:
   • Internal resources like quality policies, templates, historical records, and lessons learned.

Tools & Techniques

1. Cost-Benefit Analysis:
   • Compares the cost of achieving quality against the benefits.
   • Example: Is investing in automated testing tools more cost-effective than manual testing?
2. Cost of Quality (CoQ):
   • Measures the cost of conformance (preventing defects) and non-conformance (fixing defects).
   • Example: Training costs (conformance) vs. rework costs (non-conformance).
3. Seven Basic Quality Tools:
   • Includes cause-and-effect diagrams, check sheets, control charts, histograms, Pareto charts, scatter diagrams, and flowcharts.
   • Example: Using a Pareto chart to identify the most frequent defects.
4. Benchmarking:
   • Compares project practices and performance metrics against industry standards or similar projects.
   • Example: Comparing software defect rates with industry averages.
5. Design of Experiments (DOE):
   • Statistical technique to identify optimal conditions.
   • Example: Testing combinations of temperature and pressure in manufacturing to determine the best settings.
6. Statistical Sampling:
   • Selecting a portion of a population to analyze quality.
   • Example: Inspecting 5% of products in a batch.
7. Additional Quality Planning Tools:
   • Includes brainstorming, nominal group techniques, and force field analysis.
   • Example: Using brainstorming to identify potential quality risks.
8. Meetings:
   • Involves discussions with stakeholders and team members to define quality standards.
   • Example: Conducting a workshop to finalize quality acceptance criteria.

Outputs

1. Quality Management Plan:
   • Defines how the project will achieve its quality objectives, including roles, responsibilities, and tools to be used.
2. Process Improvement Plan:
   • Details steps to optimize project processes for better quality.
3. Quality Metrics:
   • Provides measurable criteria for evaluating project deliverables.
   • Example: Customer satisfaction rating of 4.5 out of 5.
4. Quality Checklists:
   • Lists steps or tasks to ensure consistency and completeness.
   • Example: A checklist for software testing.
5. Project Document Updates:
   • Updates documents such as the risk register and requirements documentation based on quality decisions.

Developing the Quality Management Plan

The Quality Management Plan outlines the approach to achieve and maintain quality standards. It should include the following:

1. Quality Objectives:
   • Define the quality goals, such as meeting regulatory standards or achieving high customer satisfaction.
   • Example: “Ensure 95% defect-free product delivery.”
2. Roles and Responsibilities:
   • Assign quality-related tasks to team members, such as quality auditors and testing specialists.
3. Quality Standards:
   • Specify standards to be followed, such as ISO 9001, industry benchmarks, or internal guidelines.
4. Tools and Techniques:
   • Describe the tools to be used, such as statistical sampling or control charts.
5. Quality Metrics:
   • Define measurable indicators of quality.
   • Example: “Deliver 100% of software modules with less than 1% defect rate.”
6. Quality Assurance Activities:
   • Outline proactive measures to prevent defects.
   • Example: “Conduct peer reviews at the end of each sprint.”
7. Quality Control Activities:
   • Define the inspections and tests to verify deliverable quality.
   • Example: “Test each batch of manufactured goods for compliance with standards.”
8. Process Improvement Plan:
   • Include steps to optimize processes.
   • Example: “Implement a lessons-learned session after each milestone.”

Practical Example of a Quality Management Plan

Project: Development of a Mobile Banking App
Objective: Deliver a secure, user-friendly app with a 99% uptime and customer satisfaction rating of 4.7/5.

Contents of the Plan:

1. Quality Objectives:
   • Ensure app usability scores 90% in user testing.
   • Achieve a bug-free app at release.
2. Standards and Metrics:
   • Follow OWASP security guidelines for mobile apps.
   • Uptime target: 99.9%.
3. Tools and Techniques:
   • Perform statistical sampling during app testing.
   • Use Pareto charts to identify the top 20% of bugs causing 80% of issues.
4. Quality Assurance Activities:
   • Conduct weekly code reviews.
   • Benchmark app performance against competitors.
5. Quality Control Activities:
   • Test every release using automated testing tools.
   • Inspect user feedback during beta testing.
6. Roles and Responsibilities:
   • QA Manager: Oversees testing and defect tracking.
   • Development Team: Implements quality feedback.
7. Process Improvement Plan:
   • Optimize testing workflows by integrating automated tools.
   • Review the defect log biweekly to identify recurring issues.
8. Checklists:
   • Ensure all app features meet design requirements.
   • Verify app functionality on multiple devices and operating systems.

Conclusion

The Plan Quality Management process is a cornerstone of successful project delivery. It ensures that quality is not left to chance but is planned, monitored, and controlled throughout the project lifecycle. By using the outlined inputs, tools, and techniques, project teams can produce a robust Quality Management Plan that aligns with project objectives and stakeholder expectations.

Knowledge Area

Quality Management

Process Group

Planning

Plan Quality Management Inputs

• Project Management Plan
• Stakeholder Register
• Risk Register
• Requirements Documentation
• Enterprise Environmental Factors
• Organizational Process Assets

Plan Quality Management Tools and Techniques

• Cost-Benefit Analysis
• Cost of Quality
• Seven Basic Quality Tools
• Benchmarking
• Design of Experiments
• Statistical Sampling
• Additional Quality Planning Tools
• Meetings

Plan Quality Management Outputs

• Quality Management Plan
• Process Improvement Plan
• Quality Metrics
• Quality Checklists
• Project Documents Updates