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.
Quality should be an internal focus and needs to be considered from the project’s inception.
Quality control should also be put in place and openly discussion should be done to correct any identified corrective action.
I agreed that
1. Quality is an internal focus.
2. Quality should be considered from the project’s inception.
3. Quality issues should be openly discussed to identify corrective actions.
The need for Quality cannot be over emphasized. In as much as ensuring quality project delivery is one the duties of the project manager, Clients or Project sponsors should also play a huge role in planning for quality during the initiation and planning phase of project by allocating huge sums for cost overruns. Changes in prices of materials due to market forces can affect project quality if adequate funds are not marked out to cater for thse overruns.
What is the need of producing a product which will eventually not satisfy the need of the end user? Quality should be based on what exactly will satisfy customers.
Quality should prioritize the customer’s needs: I think this to be true since quality is all about how well a product is able to be used for the purpose it was designed for.
Quality is an internal focus: It is both internal and external.
Quality should be considered from the project’s inception: 100%. To me project management is simply about producing an end product with the best quality possible using allocated funds within an allocated time frame.
The execution phase of a project is crucial for achieving quality goals: Yes it is, but quality check and controll plans should be carried out alongside the project throughout its lifecycle.
Quality issues should be openly discussed to identify corrective actions: 100%
Quality problems should be concealed from customers and possibly managers: I strongly disagree with this, especially with hiding quality problems from the managers. These problems can be hidden from the clients until solutions are put in place, but the manager has the right to know about everything that goes on within a project including quality problems. Ways of solving the problems would be proffered faster when the PM know about them.
Individuals are enthusiastic about producing high-quality outcomes: Not all individuals are keen on producing high quality outcomes, some would look for the fastest or cheapest way possible to complete a task without giving second thoughts to the quality of the work.
Team members do not produce quality outputs without close supervision: This is true to the best of my knowledge. Supervision is absolutely necessary, but it should be periodic. From my experience, people tend to bring out their best when you give them space to perform their responsibility without constantly breathing down on their necks.
1. Quality should be focused on customers’ need: Every project is designed to meet a particular goal, and this goals should be tailored to the needs of those benefiting from the project, thus it is apt to ensure that the quality of project outputs meets customers’ need.
2. Quality is focused internally: I do agree that quality should meet internal standards and requirements of an organization, but not at expense of consumers’ needs.
3. Quality should be considered from the beginning of the project: This I strongly agree. Quality plan and target should be created from the discovery phase of projects and appropriate measures should be taken into considerations in order to correct any defect in project quality
4. The execution phase of the project is the most critical to achieve quality targets: I agree that the execution phase of a project plays a significant role in determining project quality, however, I think that quality targets should taken into consideration throughout the project lifecycle, and appropriate attention be given to each phase of the project to ensure that this is compliant to quality plans and targets.
5. Quality issues should be discussed openly to find corrective actions: A collective examination of quality issues helps to provide a wide range of possible solutions, thus effective communication among team members and project stakeholders brings a lot into perspective that otherwise wouldn’t have been taken into account.
6. Quality problems should be hidden from customers and possibly also managers: The virtue of honesty and transparency must be imbibed in ensuring project goals are achieved, and consumers’ needs are met. However, when consumers and other stakeholders lose trust in the credibility of a project, project aim becomes defeated.
7. People are keen on producing quality output: When quality plans are made and an enabling environment with the required resources, motivation and skillful are put in place, people are keen towards committing to a quality output.
8. Team members do not produce quality outputs without close supervision: Some amount of supervision is required to ensure that team members comply with quality requirements, however when member members of a team are properly motivated, and given an enabling environment which allows them to be autonomous in carrying out their tasks to the best of their abilities, they tend to personalized the project at hand and ensure their best performances for quality outputs.
I strongly agree that quality should be the watch word for every company looking for growth and development. As a PM quality should be considered from the project inception because for a successful project completion the project should be of standard quality.
for a company that deals on goods and services quality should be prioritize the customer’s needs. When this is put into consideration customers will be happy to patronize the company. I strongly agree also with the following statements that quality issues should be openly discussed in other to identify correction actions and its should be treated as an internal focus.
I agree with the following statement;
1. Quality should be considered from the project’s inception.
2. The execution phase of a project is crucial for achieving quality goals.
3. Quality issues should be openly discussed to identify corrective actions.
4. Team members do not produce quality
outputs without close supervision.
I agree with the following statements:
1.Quality should prioritize the customer’s needs: As put forward by Joseph Juran and the APM’s definition; quality is simply fit for purpose. Whatever the goods, service, or business improvement initiative; if it does not satisfy the customer’s need/intended purpose, it has failed.
2.Quality is an internal focus: I agree with this statement, because you can’t give out what you lack. This is exemplified by Toyota’s TQM initiative, and the Kaizen principle.
3.Quality should be considered from the project’s inception : Every project has a scope and a defined output, and you can’t separate quality from these.
4.The execution phase of a project is crucial for achieving quality goals: Yes, because after all the planning and scope definition, its the execution phase that would ultimately produce the output, and by implication the desired quality.
5.Quality issues should be openly discussed to identify corrective actions: Yes it should, as it provide ample perspectives to view the issues, creativity in solving them, and ultimately a learning experience.
Okwulu Paul.
Cohort 8, Team 3
The statement I agree with is Quality should be considered from the beginning of the project.