Various definitions of the concept of quality have been put forward.
One generic definition (Pass, 2006b) is as follows:
The overall characteristics of a product or service that fulfill the requirements of customers in terms of quality.
This definition aligns with the viewpoint of Joseph Juran, who, in the 1950s, defined quality as ‘fitness for use’ (as quoted in ASQ, 2019).
This definition is largely consistent with the definition of quality provided by APM (2019, p. 214):
The suitability for the intended purpose and the degree to which the output of a process or the process itself conforms to the requirements.
Now take a moment to consider the following statements about quality. Which ones do you agree with?
- Quality should prioritize the customer’s needs.
- Quality is an internal focus.
- Quality should be considered from the project’s inception.
- The execution phase of a project is crucial for achieving quality goals.
- Quality issues should be openly discussed to identify corrective actions.
- Quality problems should be concealed from customers and possibly managers.
- Individuals are enthusiastic about producing high-quality outcomes.
- Team members do not produce quality outputs without close supervision.
Share your thoughts on these statements in the discussion section below.
With Reference to ISO 9001: 2015, quality management system. ISO 9001 is a globally recognized standard for quality management. It helps organizations of all sizes and sectors to improve their performance, meet customer expectations and demonstrate their commitment to quality. The seven principles of quality management?
Engagement of people, Customer focus, Leadership, Process approach, Improvement.
Evidence-based decision making, Relationship management.
From understanding the above the following answers are
Quality should be focused on the customer’s needs. True
Quality is focused internally. True
Quality should be considered from the beginning of the project. True
The execution phase of a project is the most critical to achieve quality targets. True
Quality issues should be discussed openly to find corrective actions. True
Quality problems should be hidden from customers and possibly also managers. False
People are keen on producing quality outputs. True
Team members do not produce quality outputs without close supervision. False
Quality should be focused on customers needs. If it does not meet user requirements then it is not fit for use. Quality should also be considered from the beginning of the project so as to produce a good or service with high quality. Quality issues should be discussed openly with stakeholders and team members. it helps to understand where there might be errors, and things that might cause the quality to reduce and what requirements may or may not be met. People are and should be keen on producing quality products. it gives good reputations and high ratings.
I completely support the following statements and particularly emphasize the importance of openly addressing quality issues to implement corrective measures, managing project expenses, setting benchmarks, and outlining strategies to meet those standards.
I completely support the following statements and particularly emphasize the importance of openly addressing quality issues to implement corrective measures, managing project expenses, setting benchmarks, and outlining strategies to meet those standards.
ESTHER EZINNE UWOGHIREN
As a project Management your decision to a project work will determine how far the organization will go. As for that i will concede
1. Quality should be focused on the customer’s needs.
2.. The execution phase of a project is the most critical to achieve quality targets.
3. Quality issues should be discussed openly to find corrective actions.
4. People are keen on producing quality outputs.
COHORT 16
TEAM 4
Quality is not just about meeting minimum standards but also about continuous improvement and exceeding customer expectations. It involves rigorous standards, attention to detail, and a commitment to excellence throughout all aspects of production, delivery, and customer interaction.
Quality is very important in project management, because its a determinant for a success project output. Quality should be highlighted to both clients and team members. When a project manager communicates the importance of quality to his or team members, he shouldn’t be worried about supervising closely or micro-managing the team.
Having read the statements about quality above, I strongly agree with this as my first point. “Quality should be considered from the project’s inception”, it was mentioned that in most projects quality is considered at the last. Still, in my opinion, as a project manager, I would consider quality from the beginning of a project. This consideration will prompt the creation of quality plans, with targets and control. The deliverable outcome of a project will be based on the quality attached to it.
I would like to share my disagreement with other statements starting with “The execution phase of a project is the most critical to achieving quality targets”, a project manager shouldn’t wait till the execution phase of a project before putting it in place or considering the expected quality of the outcome. As I said above, the expected quality of a project output should be considered from the inception of the project, so such a project would have been built on quality plans, target, control, time and cost.
The second point I disagree with is “Quality problems should be hidden from customers and possibly also managers”, I wouldn’t say that quality problems should be discussed openly totally but I believe as a project manager, feedback from customers should add to the variables already conceived within. A balanced research and collection of data both from the customer and within the team will go a long way in determining the expected deliverable output of a project based on standard quality.
Next is “People are keen on producing quality outputs and Team members do not produce quality outputs without close supervision”. Factually, it’s not all people that are keen on producing quality output, some people don’t know the level at which to subject the expected quality, so in this case, quality can be underused or overused. Some people are knowledgeable about making sure they produce quality outputs and some aren’t, this is where the project manager comes in to orientate the team members on the expected quality. On the other hand, Team members aren’t necessarily supervised to produce quality output. I believe a team of professionals in an organization that are well oriented on the project at hand, should produce quality output with little or no supervision.
Ojomo Ayodele
Cohort 16
Team 7
Quality should never be compromised by any means, it is the reputation of any organization’s project, process and product around the world.
1. I believe quality should be considered from the inception of the project even from the idea because every steps taken after that it’s going to be built on that idea, if a product or idea’s foundation is bad,the whole thing is going to crash.
2. Another point i agree with is “quality issues should be discussed openly to find the corrective actions, which is true organizations and project managers should be open to criticisms of the projects, it will enable them learn, see the errors, grow and take corrective steps in fixing the errors, not just in that project or product alone but future ones as well.
3. Thirdly, it’s not just people that are keen on producing quality outputs, everyone likes to produce good products that can stand the test of time, anywhere. This can be achieved by choosing the right methods, following the rules of team building, having good set of core values & ethics by the team members and project manager, this will help to achieve quality results.
4. Quality should be focused on the customer’s needs because they are the final consumers or users of every project or product, the sustainability of any product depends on their reviews and comfortance so projects should always keep an ear out for reviews and feedbacks from the environment & consumers.
I disagree that quality is focused internally, it should also be external as well, project & projects are being made distributed to the public so it can’t be just internal.
2. The execution phase is not the most critical to achieve quality results, it starts from the beginning when plans are being drawn up and team members are pitching in ideas.
3. Quality problems must never be hidden, how then do errors in projects get fixed and improvements made upon? How do project managers and team members grow if not from experiences?
4. I also disagree that team memebers do not produce quality outputs without close supervision, trained, highly skilled and motivated team members WILL produce quality results with the right tools, processes, methods and conditions being met
Quality in project management refers to the degree to which a project meets its objectives and satisfies the stakeholders’ expectations. It encompasses several dimensions:
1. Conformance to Requirements: The project deliverables must meet the specified requirements, standards, and expectations agreed upon with stakeholders.
2. Fitness for Use: The deliverables should be suitable for their intended purpose and effectively fulfill the functional and performance requirements.
3. Customer Satisfaction: The end-users or customers should be satisfied with the quality of the deliverables, including usability, reliability, and other qualitative aspects.
4. Meeting Standards: Compliance with industry standards, regulatory requirements, and best practices ensures that the project meets external benchmarks for quality.
5. Continuous Improvement: Quality management in projects involves ongoing efforts to monitor and improve processes, identify defects or issues early, and implement corrective actions.
6. Cost-Effectiveness: Balancing quality with cost constraints is crucial. Projects should achieve high quality without unnecessary expenditures.
7. Risk Management: Effective risk management contributes to quality by identifying potential issues that could impact project objectives and taking proactive measures to mitigate them.
Overall, achieving quality in project management requires careful planning, rigorous monitoring, adherence to standards, and a commitment to continuous improvement throughout the project lifecycle.
From Joseph Ikechukwu Onyeocha.