Quality Management in Projects - Management Toolbox

Introduction

To make a project successful, various elements are important, but among them, 'quality management' is particularly crucial.

When people hear the word 'quality,' many might imagine the workmanship of a finished product or service. However, quality management in projects covers not only the quality of the final deliverables but also the quality of the process of carrying out the project itself.

In this article, I will explain 'quality management in projects' in a way that is easy to understand, even for those who are not familiar with IT or business.
We will look at why quality management is important, what specifically should be done, and what roles a project manager (PM) should play in each phase.

1. What is 'Quality Management in Projects'?

1.1 Definition in PMBOK

There is a body of knowledge widely used in the world of project management called 'PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge).' In PMBOK, quality management in projects is defined as 'the processes and activities that determine and implement quality policies, objectives, and responsibilities to satisfy project and product requirements.'

Simply put, it is easy to understand if you think of it as managing both of the following:

- Project Quality
Whether the project is proceeding efficiently and smoothly in accordance with established procedures and rules

- Product (Deliverable) Quality
Whether the developed system or created documents, etc., properly meet the customer's expectations and requirements

It is easy to understand if you think of it as properly managing both of these.

1.2 Scope and Examples of Quality Management in Projects

The scope of quality management can be broadly divided into the following two categories.

(1) Process Quality (Quality of how things are made or how the project proceeds)

- Quality of Planning
Whether the project plan is concrete and realistic. For example, is the system development period on an unreasonable schedule, or is the necessary personnel properly secured?

- Quality of Communication
Whether information sharing within the team and among stakeholders is being conducted smoothly. For example, are meeting minutes properly kept, or are there any omissions in reporting?

- Quality of Work Procedures
Whether each task is being carried out according to established procedures. For example, is the program code review (where others check the code) properly implemented, or are the test procedures clear?

- Quality of Documentation
Whether the created materials and design documents are accurate and easy to understand. For example, are there any typos or omissions in the system design documents, or is the content understandable to anyone who reads it?

(2) Deliverable Quality (Quality of the finished product)

- Functional Quality
Does the created system or product meet all required functions? For example, do the buttons on a website work correctly, and are the search results displayed as the user expects?

- Performance Quality
Does the system or product meet the established performance standards? For example, is the website loading speed fast, and does it work without issues even when many users access it simultaneously?

- Reliability Quality
Does the system or product operate stably and continuously? For example, does the system avoid frequent errors, and is there no risk of data loss?

- Maintainability Quality
Is the structure easy to handle when making future changes or modifications to the system or product? For example, is the program code written clearly, and is the design easy to modify?

- Usability Quality
Is the system or product easy for the user to use? For example, can a smartphone app be operated intuitively, and is the screen design easy to view?

2. Quality Control

To perform quality control effectively, it is necessary to take concrete measures while keeping the aforementioned categories in mind.

2.1 Process Quality Management

These are measures to improve the quality of how a project is conducted and how things are built.

(1) Concrete Measures

- Standardization and Thorough Enforcement of Rules
Document development processes and communication rules clearly, and share and adhere to them across the entire team. For example, establish rules such as "code must always be reviewed" and "meeting minutes must be created and shared after every meeting."

- Visualization of Progress
Regularly check the progress of the project to identify delays and issues early. Utilize tools such as Gantt charts or Kanban boards (a method for managing task progress on a board).

- Regular Reviews and Improvements
Conduct meetings (review sessions) during the project to check if things are proceeding according to plan and if there are any issues. Discuss any identified challenges as a team and implement improvement measures.

- Education and Training
Conduct necessary training and study sessions to improve the skills of team members.

(2) Points to Note

- Avoid Becoming Formalistic
Focusing too much on rules and processes can actually hinder work. It is important to operate flexibly according to the actual situation.

- Building Team Consensus
It is important to discuss rules and improvement measures thoroughly and reach a consensus so that team members are convinced and can implement them.

2.2 Management of Deliverable Quality

These are measures to improve the quality of the systems or products being created.

(1) Specific Measures

・Clarification of Requirements Definition
Clarify the requests of customers and users, such as "I want to do this," into a concrete and unambiguous form (such as a requirements definition document). If this is not solid, problems where things "did not turn out as expected" are likely to occur later.

・Execution of Testing
Test the created system or product from various angles to see if it operates according to the requirements. For example, whether functions work correctly, whether data is saved properly, and whether it breaks even when subjected to abnormal operations.

・Review and Evaluation
Incorporate opinions from experts and users to evaluate the quality of the deliverables. This includes design reviews and user testing.

・Formulation of Quality Standards
Pre-determine concrete standards for what constitutes "good quality." For example, "page load time within 3 seconds" or "zero typos or omissions."

(2) Points to Note

・Do Not Fear Rework
If a quality issue is found, it is important to correct and improve it early. If left for later, the cost of rework can increase.

・Do Not Fall into Excessive Quality
Trying to build in more than the required quality will result in extra time and cost. It is important to aim for an appropriate quality level that matches the customer's expectations and budget.

3. What a PM Should Do and What to Be Careful About

As the person responsible for the entire project, a Project Manager (PM) needs to be conscious of quality management in each phase and take appropriate actions.

3.1 Startup Phase

This is the preparatory stage for starting a project.

(1) What Should Be Done

・Clarification of Purpose and Goals
Clarify "why this project is being conducted" and "what kind of state is aimed for in the end," and share this with all stakeholders.

・Determination of Quality Policy
Decide on the basic approach (quality policy) of "what kind of quality is being aimed for." For example, "prioritize customer satisfaction above all else."

- Identifying and Involving Stakeholders
Clarify who is involved in the project and define their respective roles and responsibilities. It is especially important to involve those concerned with quality (such as the quality assurance department).

(2) Points to Note

- Leave No Ambiguity
If there are ambiguous parts at this stage, they will become the cause of future trouble. Discuss until you are satisfied and clarify them.

- Do Not Raise Excessive Expectations
Be careful not to set excessive quality goals from the beginning, such as "making everything perfect." Set realistic goals.

3.2 Planning Phase

This is the stage where the specific way to proceed with the project is decided.

(1) Things to Do

- Formulation of Quality Plan
Create a concrete quality management plan, such as what quality standards to use, when, who, and what to check, and what kind of tests to perform.

- Risk Identification and Countermeasures
Identify potential problems (risks) related to quality and plan how to avoid or mitigate them.

- Securing Appropriate Resources (Personnel, Budget, etc.)
Secure the personnel and budget necessary to maintain quality. Situations such as insufficient test periods or lack of personnel lead directly to a decline in quality.

- Formulation of Communication Plan
Decide how to share information and report progress within the team and with the customer.

(2) Points to Note

- Do Not Let It Become Mere Theory
To avoid unrealistic plans, refer to the experience of similar past projects and the opinions of team members.

- Flexibility of the Plan
It is difficult to plan everything perfectly. Create a plan with flexibility so that you can respond to a certain degree of change.

3.3 Implementation Phase

This is the stage where work is actually carried out based on the plan.

(1) Things to do

- Implementation of quality assurance activities
Confirm that planned quality management activities (reviews, tests, etc.) are being properly executed and take corrective actions as necessary.

- Early detection and resolution of problems and issues
Constantly grasp the progress status and respond quickly if quality-related problems or issues arise.

- Management of change requests
Evaluate how change requests that occur during the project (such as additional requests from customers) affect quality and manage them appropriately.

- Engagement with the team
Provide regular encouragement and feedback so that members can work with quality in mind.

(2) Things to be careful about

- Avoid "just moving forward"
If you prioritize deadlines and proceed despite concerns about quality, it may lead to significant rework later.

- Lack of communication
Communication tends to be insufficient due to busyness. Make sure not to neglect regular information sharing.

- Do not fall into micromanagement
Giving too many detailed instructions can deprive members of their autonomy and actually reduce productivity. Maintain an appropriate sense of distance.

3.4 Closing Phase

This is the stage where the project is completed and the final deliverables are handed over.

(1) Things to do

- Final quality confirmation and approval
Confirm that the final deliverables meet all initial requirements and quality standards, and obtain formal approval from the customer.

- Project evaluation and extraction of lessons learned
Reflect on what went well and what the challenges were from the perspective of quality management throughout the project.

- Organization and handover of quality-related documents
Organize various quality-related materials (test results, review records, etc.) and hand them over to stakeholders or future operational personnel.

(2) Things to be careful about

- Do not leave things unfinished
Even if the project is completed, it is meaningless if that experience is not applied to the next one. Conduct a thorough review and find areas for improvement.

- Careful handover to the customer
Strive to ensure that not only the deliverables but also information regarding quality management is properly handed over so that the customer can use them with peace of mind.

4. Book Recommendations

・A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) 7th Edition Kindle Edition
+ The Standard for Project Management: Supervised translation by PMI Japan Chapter
Project Management Institute (PMI) (Author)
PMI Japan Chapter (2023/1/6)
(* As a general rule, book descriptions are based on the information provided at the link (Amazon). Please refer to the link for detailed content.)

・Illustrated Practical Guide: A Textbook to Thoroughly Understand PMBOK 7th Edition Knowledge and Techniques in One Book Kindle Edition
Kazuya Maeda (Author)
Gijutsu-Hyohron Co., Ltd. (2024/9/20)
This is a commentary on the PMBOK Guide 7th Edition, known as the global standard for project management. In addition to the fundamental knowledge of project management such as "Project Basics," "Value Delivery System," and "12 Principles," it explains in detail the key points of the "8 Performance Domains," which can be called the main theme of the PMBOK 7th Edition. This book is recommended not only for studying project management but also as a first step in preparing for the PMP exam.
(* As a general rule, book descriptions are based on the information provided at the link (Amazon). Please refer to the link for detailed content.)

・Illustrated Introduction: Easy-to-Understand Basics of the Latest PMBOK 6th Edition Kindle Edition
Yasuji Suzuki (Author)
Shuwa System (2018/3/23)
The PMBOK Guide is translated and published in 11 languages worldwide, including Japanese, by the Project Management Institute in the United States. Even when translated, it is often difficult to understand due to the large number of technical terms and katakana terminology. The author, who is also the leader of the translation and supervision team for the "PMBOK Guide 6th Edition," explains the original meanings in as simple terms as possible. Using plenty of illustrations to make it easy to visualize, it is accessible to everyone from beginners to veterans.
(* As a general rule, book descriptions are based on the information provided at the link (Amazon). Please refer to the link for detailed content.)

・A Book to Thoroughly Master the Basics of Project Management in One Volume Kindle Edition
Kazuya Maeda (Author)
Gijutsu-Hyohron Co., Ltd. (2022/06)
This book is an introductory guide that allows you to learn project management from the basics. After explaining the fundamental knowledge of project management, it divides the project into five stages: "Initiating," "Planning," "Executing," "Monitoring and Controlling," and "Closing," and carefully explains what should be done and the points to be aware of at each stage.
(* As a general rule, book descriptions are based on the information provided at the link (Amazon). Please refer to the link for detailed content.)

Conclusion

Quality management in projects is an essential activity not only for creating good products but also for moving the project forward smoothly and ultimately leading it to success.

By managing quality from both the process and deliverable perspectives, and by the PM playing an appropriate role in each phase, the probability of project success increases significantly.
Quality management is not something that can be mastered overnight, but by being conscious of it in daily project activities and continuing to make improvements, you can produce higher-quality projects and deliverables.