Preface

Where quality standards are well known and accepted, this can be noted and the relevant standards can be referenced in the project plan without the need for a supplementary Quality Management Plan.  PMI`s Project Management Body of Knowledge standard applies to the management of Justice Institute projects.  The Project Quality Management Plan is designed to address the project management needs of complex projects where quality standards are vague or not well developed or where competing standards exist that need to be rationalized.

 

Inputs

Work Breakdown Structure

Function and Feature Specifications, if any

Communication Plans, especially stakeholder analyses

Relevant quality standards

 

Outputs

A Project Quality Management Plan

 

Rationale

The Quality Management Plan is intended to provide a framework within which quality standards can be clarified and quality assurance and control activities can be defined and managed.  Where the standards to which deliverables or sub-deliverables are vague, poorly defined, or conflicting the likelihood of achieving a project result that satisfies stakeholder expectations is slim.  Clarification and agreement on the relevant standards is, thus, essential to achieving project results that will be acceptable to project stakeholders.

 

Procedures

1.    Analyze project deliverables' and sub-deliverables' functions and features and consult with the project sponsor, project team members, stakeholders, and subject matter experts to identify quality standards which do, or which arguably could, apply to project results.

2.    Catelogue competing or vague standards.

3.    Rationalize (through consultation, negotiation, and other decision making processes) the standards with which project results will comply and note these agreed standards in Section 2.0, Quality Objectives and, as appropriate, in Section 3.4, Quality Metrics.  Where different, non-competing standards apply to different deliverables or sub-deliverables this should be noted as well in Section 2.0.

4.    Identify the standards definition, quality assurance, and quality control responsibilities of each team member at each stage of the project.  This information should also address the mix of quality assurance and quality control activities that the project will employ, when in the course of executing, monitoring, and controlling the project they will occur, and the roles and responsibilities of team members in this work.  For particularly long or complex projects, quality audits may be appropriate.  If so, identify the point in the project lifecycle where these are planned as well as the procedures that will be followed, who will conduct the audit, and how its findings will be reflected in later project work.  Enter the relevant information in Sections 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3.  Team member responsibilities for developing and monitoring and assessing variances from quantitative standards should be addressed in Section 3.4, Quality Metrics.

Purpose of the Project Quality Management Plan

The Quality Management Plan outlines the principles, approaches, and processes that will be used to establish project quality objectives, identify, interpret, and apply relevant feature, function, and performance standards and policies, and measure compliance with those standards and policies.  As such it is a key element in building understanding among all project stakeholders as to what deliverables are intended to accomplish and whether they do, in fact, fulfill their intended function.

 

Table of Contents

Purpose

Table of Contents

   1.0  Rationale and Benefits

   2.0  Quality Objectives

   3.0  Quality Management Strategy

          3.1     Processes, Roles, and Responsibilities

          3.2     Quality Control

          3.3     Quality Assurance

          3.4     Quality Metrics

Appendices

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1.0    Rationale and Benefits       

(Outline the problem or opportunity the project is intended to address.Explain how the problem or opportunity came to be recognized, what its key dimensions are, and how the project bears on those key dimensions.Indicate the benefits JI will capture or realize on successful completion of this project.Explain how the new product, service, or result developed through this project will allow the JI to better fulfill its mandate or better serve its clients and other stakeholders.Append a copy of the relevant decision document, if appropriate.)

2.0  Quality Objectives

(This section describes the processes that will be used to identify the functions required of each deliverable and their key features.  It also sets out approval and deliverable acceptance processes and procedures.  Where international, national, provincial, local, organizational or professional quality policies or standards apply to either the project deliverables or the management activities associated with the project, those policies or standards should be identified in this section.  Where appropriate, a short description of such policies or standards may be included in this section.  Where variance or tolerance limits are associated with such standards or policies, they may also be summarized in this section.)

3.0  Quality Management Strategy

3.1    Processes, Roles, and Responsibilities

(This section explains the overall approach to quality management that will be taken by the project team.  This includes the mix of quality control and quality assurance activities and the roles and responsibilities of team members in such matters as identifying relevant quality policies and standards, determining compliance, resolving differences regarding quality, and ensuring that standards are not exceeded (gold plating) without authority.  This section may also address quality audits and the processes for capturing and communicating lessons learned.)

3.2    Quality Control

(This section identifies the specific quality control activities that will be applied to each deliverable, its functions and its features.  Questions of which quality control techniques, such as histograms and pareto charts, flow charting, statistical sampling, or benchmarking, will be used and when in the process of creating deliverables such activities as testing, inspection, and verification are to take place should be addressed in this section.  This section also addresses team member roles and responsibilities for quality control and the processes and procedures for detecting and reporting failures and quality issues.)

3.3    Quality Assurance

(This section identifies the specific quality assurance approach that will be taken to the project.  For example, such questions as will quality audits take place and, if so, when and who will perform the audit, or what place does this project occupy in the performing organization’s continuous improvement efforts, or how will lessons learned regarding quality will be captured and disseminated such be explored.  This section also addresses team member roles and responsibilities regarding quality assurance activities and the role, if any, of organizational quality assurance experts.)

3.4    Quality Metrics

(This section of the plan should identify the quality metrics and permitted variance or performance limits for each deliverable and sub-deliverable for which applicable standards have been established under Section 2.0, above.Where such standards have not yet been set or do not apply to a deliverable or sub-deliverable, this section should outline the processes that will be followed to establish the relevant performance and acceptance metrics.This section should also identify the roles and responsibilities of key project stakeholders such as the customer, sponsor, project manager, and project team member in the establishment of quality metrics.)

 

Copies of applicable or potentially applicable standards may be appended.