Quality is one of the most important aspects of project management. The intended quality, as decided at the beginning of the project, is desirable by all the project stakeholders. Delivering the right quality is not only the responsibility of project manager but everybody involved in the project. The intended quality can be delivered by performing quality management under the project, which is also a knowledge area as defined in PMBOK. In this article, we will learn more about the project quality management and its processes, as defined in the ‘Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Guide’.

What is the Project Quality Management?

Project Quality Management is the process of ensuring that a project is completed successfully, with all the necessary requirements and within the specified time frame. The quality of a project is essential for its success, and a lack of quality can lead to project failures, missed deadlines, and increased costs. Project Quality Management is a critical aspect of project management, and it is essential to understand the different processes involved in this area.

Project Management Processes as Defined in PMBOK

The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) is a guide to project management, which defines and organizes the knowledge necessary to manage projects successfully. The PMBOK includes three processes that are part of Project Quality Management, i.e. (1) Plan Quality Management, (2) Perform Quality Assurance and (3) Control Quality.

Out of these three processes, plan quality management belongs to the planning process group, perform quality assurance belongs to executing process group while the control quality belongs to monitoring & control process group.

Process Mapping of Project Cost Management Knowledge Area

The process included in project quality management are defined in detail below:

Plan Quality Management

This process belongs to the Planning process group and involves developing a quality management plan that defines the project’s quality objectives, standards, and processes. The quality management plan includes a description of the quality assurance and quality control activities that will be performed throughout the project.

Perform Quality Assurance

This process belongs to the Executing process group and involves implementing the quality management plan and performing ongoing activities to ensure that the project is meeting its quality objectives. Quality assurance activities include audits, reviews, and other activities designed to identify and address quality issues as they arise.

Control Quality

This process belongs to the Monitoring and Controlling process group and involves monitoring project results to determine whether they meet the defined quality standards. Control quality activities include inspections, testing, and other activities designed to identify defects and ensure that project deliverables meet the required quality standards. Any necessary corrective actions are taken to address quality issues identified through this process.

The above PMBOK processes are interdependent and should be executed in a coordinated manner. Each process should provide input to the subsequent processes, and the outputs should be reviewed to ensure that the quality requirements are met. The processes are iterative, and changes to the project may require revisiting previous processes to ensure that the quality requirements are still being met.

The success of a project depends on its quality, and Project Quality Management is an essential aspect of project management. The PMBOK processes for Project Quality Management are essential for ensuring that the quality requirements are met throughout the project’s life cycle. By following these processes, project managers can ensure that their projects are successful and meet the quality requirements of the stakeholders.

In addition to the PMBOK processes, there are several tools and techniques used in Project Quality Management. These include benchmarking, quality audits, statistical process control, and Six Sigma. These tools and techniques are used to measure and improve the quality of the project, as well as to identify areas for improvement.

Read more: Seven Basic Quality Tools for Quality Management

Effective Project Quality Management requires a commitment to quality from all stakeholders, including the project team, the project manager, and the project sponsor. It is important to communicate the importance of quality throughout the project, and to ensure that all stakeholders understand the quality requirements and are committed to meeting them.

Conclusion

Project Quality Management is a critical aspect of project management, and it is essential to understand the PMBOK processes involved in this area. By following these processes, project managers can ensure that their projects meet the quality requirements of the stakeholders, and are completed successfully within the specified time frame. A commitment to quality from all stakeholders is essential for the success of the project, and the use of tools and techniques can help to measure and improve the quality of the project.

Also read: Project Cost Management Processes Defined in PMBOK and its Benefits