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.
WHAT IS QUALITY (Discussion)
1. QUALITY SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON THE CUSTOMER’S NEEDS (I Agree) – Quality ultimately depends on whether the product or service meets or exceeds customer expectations. If a project delivers something that doesn’t align with customer needs, it can’t truly be considered high quality.
2. QUALITY IS FOCUSED INTERNALLY (I Disagree) – While internal processes, standards, and controls contribute to quality, it isn’t purely an internal matter. Quality must be evaluated based on external factors, particularly customer satisfaction and usability.
3. QUALITY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE PROJECT (I Strongly Agree) – Quality cannot be “added in” later, it must be built into the project from the start through proper planning, requirements gathering, and risk management. Waiting until later stages often results in costly rework.
4. THE EXECUTION PHASE OF A PROJECT IS THE MOST CRITICAL TO ACHIEVE QUALITY TARGETS (I Partially Agree) – While execution is crucial for maintaining quality, ensuring quality starts earlier with proper design, planning, and requirement-setting. If quality isn’t considered early, even the best execution won’t fix fundamental issues.
5. QUALITY ISSUES SHOULD BE DISCUSSED OPENLY TO FIND CORRECTIVE ACTIONS (I Strongly Agree) – Transparency is essential for continuous improvement. Hiding issues leads to bigger problems down the road, while open discussion allows for proactive solutions.
6. QUALITY PROBLEMS SHOULD BE HIDDEN FROM CUSTOMERS AND POSSIBLY ALSO MANAGERS (I Strongly Disagree) – Concealing quality problems damages trust, leads to poor decision-making, and often makes issues worse. While there may be a strategic approach to communicating issues, outright hiding them is counterproductive.
7. PEOPLE ARE KEEN ON PRODUCING QUALITY OUTPUTS (I Agree) – Most professionals take pride in their work and want to produce quality results. However, workplace culture, resources, and leadership support play a significant role in enabling high-quality work.
8. TEAM MEMBERS DO NOT PRODUCE QUALITY OUTPUTS WITHOUT CLOSE SUPERVISION (I Disagree) – While some supervision is necessary, quality is best achieved through motivation, proper training, clear expectations, and a culture of accountability rather than micromanagement. Trust and empowerment often lead to better results than excessive oversight.
OGBEKHIULU, Cynthia Ikhiannosen Cohort 24, Group 7
After considering the statement, I agree with the following statements about quality:
1. should be focused on the customer’s needs. Quality is ultimately about meeting or exceeding customer expectations, so their needs should be the primary focus.
2.Quality should be considered from the beginning of the project. Incorporating quality from the start ensures efficiency, reduces risks, and prevents costly rework later.
3.The execution phase of a project is the most critical to achieve quality targets. While planning is essential, execution determines whether the quality standards are met in practice.
4.Quality issues should be discussed openly to find corrective actions. Transparency in addressing quality problems allows for timely improvements and fosters a culture of continuous learning.
5.People are keen on producing quality outputs. Most professionals take pride in their work and aim to deliver high-quality results, especially when they feel valued and supported.
Quality should be a shared responsibility and openly managed for the best outcomes. Therefore, I disagree with the below statements :
1. Quality is focused internally.
2. Quality problems should be hidden from customers and possibly also managers.
3. Team members do not produce quality outputs without close supervision.
SUNDAY AILEOHI OHIOMAH
TEAM10, CH24.
After considering the statements, I agree with the following:
1. Quality should prioritize the customer’s needs: Customer satisfaction is a key aspect of quality.
2. Quality should be considered from the project’s inception: Proactive planning and consideration of quality from the outset can help prevent issues later on.
3. The execution phase of a project is crucial for achieving quality goals: This phase is where plans are put into action, and quality is ultimately delivered.
4. Quality issues should be openly discussed to identify corrective actions: Transparency and open communication are essential for addressing quality issues and finding solutions.
5. Individuals are enthusiastic about producing high-quality outcomes: Many professionals take pride in their work and strive to deliver high-quality results.
I disagree with the following statements:
1. Quality is an internal focus: While internal processes are important, quality ultimately affects external customers and stakeholders.
2. Quality problems should be concealed from customers and possibly managers: Transparency and honesty are crucial in building trust and resolving quality issues.
3. Team members do not produce quality outputs without close supervision: While guidance and oversight can be helpful, many team members are capable of producing high-quality work with autonomy and trust.
Quality in a project means making sure that the final product or service meets customer expectations and serves its intended purpose. It’s not just about following internal rules but ensuring that the customer is satisfied with the result.
To achieve quality, it’s important to plan for it from the very start of a project, not just during the execution phase. If quality is considered too late, fixing mistakes can be costly and time-consuming. Open discussions about quality problems help find solutions early, while hiding issues can make things worse in the long run.
Most team members want to do good work when they have the right guidance and resources, and they don’t always need strict supervision. However, creating a culture where quality is a shared responsibility ensures that everyone is focused on delivering the best possible outcome.
I totally agree that quality should focus customers’ and clients’ need. Every organization goals is to make long term profit and these can be achieve by delivering a high quality to the consumer. organization should ensure clients get value for his money he is spending on the products.
I agree strongly to the opinion that quality should be geared towards the needs and satisfaction of costumers, as customers satisfaction is priority in every project.
Quality entails all the necessary prerequisite that fulfill the requirements of costumers.
Quality issues should be discussed openly, to foster foster cognitive reasoning and quality outputs
I totally agree that Quality should be focused on the customer’s needs. Quality is ultimately about meeting or exceeding customer expectations.
Quality should also be considered from the beginning of the project. Addressing quality early prevents costly fixes later.
Quality issues should be discussed openly to find corrective actions. Transparency helps solve problems effectively and people are keen on producing quality outputs. Most professionals take pride in their work when given the right support and resources.
I strongly agree that quality should focus on customers’ needs, because at the end of the day if they don’t like the quality of the good or service, they’ll be no next time.
Quality issues should be openly discussed to find corrective actions. What a PM or stakeholder considers to be quality might be different from what is generally acceptable. So discussing it as a team will be for the greater advantage. Afterall two heads are better than one they say.
Quality should be customer focused as it is the customer’s satisfaction that determine if an output can be classified as quality.
Quality is an internal focus – Here internal operations of a project should also have an ingredient of quality, as it what determines if the output will satisfy the customer’s need or not.
The end game is giving priority to customer quality cause this is what will determine the general performance of the project. Also, the project manager’s quality work should be well considered to create balance in efficiency leading to the best customer quality.