Planning project quality What Is Quality?

The most used definition of quality is the fitness for use, conformance to requirements and design or Quality is what the buyer wants and needs to satisfy his or her requirements for use and embedded in ISO 9000s definition: Quality is meeting customer requirements. Demings continuous improvement goal also indicates clearly that efficiency or productivity is an assumed aim or part of quality.

Quality has been expressed in many ways by other authors: Fitness for purpose or use Juran, an early doyen of quality management. The totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs Quality Vocabulary Quality should be aimed at the needs of the consumer, present and future Deming, another early doyen of quality management. The total composite product and service characteristics of marketing, engineering, manufacture and maintenance through which the product and service in use will meet the expectation by the customer Feigenbaum, the first man to write a book with Total Quality in the title. Conformance to requirements Crosby, an American consultant famous in the 1980s. Degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfils requirements ISO (EN) 9000:2000 Quality Management Systems fundamentals and vocabulary.

Quality Management The PMBOK defines project quality management as: the process required to ensure that the project will satisfy the needs for which it was undertaken both the management of the project and the product of the project. The most influential people in the field of quality management are W. Edwards Deming, Phil Crosby, Armand V. Feigenbaum, and Joseph Juran. In addition, there are leaders whose influence and perspective gave form to the default global quality management standardISO 90002000.

W. Edwards Deming Quality is continuous improvement through reduced variation. Demings Five Principles 1. The central problem in lack of quality is the failure of management to understand variation. (Everything varies. Statistics help us to predict how much variation there will be.) 2. It is managements responsibility to know whether the problems are in the system or in the behavior of the people. 3. Teamwork should be based on knowledge, design, re-design. Constant improvement is managements responsibility. Most causes of low quality and productivity belong to the system. 4. Train people until they are achieving as much as they can (within the limits of the system you are using). 5. It is managements responsibility to give detailed specifications. Demings 14 Points 1. Create consistency of purpose with a plan The objective is constancy of purpose for continuous improvement. An unwavering commitment to quality must be maintained by management. Quality, not short-term profit, should be at the heart of organization purpose. Profit will follow when quality becomes the objective and purpose. 2. Adopt the new philosophy of quality The modern era demands ever-increasing quality as a means of survival and global competitiveness. Inferior material, poor workmanship, defective products, and poor service must be rejected. Reduction of defects is replaced by elimination of defects. The new culture of quality must reflect a commitment to quality and must be supported by all employees. 3. Cease dependence on mass inspection Quality cant be inspected in; it must be built-in from the start. Defects discovered during inspection cannot be avoided it is too late; efficiency and effectiveness have been lost, as has continuous process improvement. Continuous process improvement reduces costs incurred by correcting errors that should not have been made in the first place.

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End the practice of choosing suppliers based on price Least cost is not necessarily the best cost. Buying from a supplier based on low cost rather than a quality/cost basis defeats the need for a long-term relationship. Vendor quality can be evaluated with statistical tools.

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Identify problems and work continuously to improve the system Continuous improvement of the system requires seeking out methods for improvement. The search for quality improvement is never-ending and results from studying the process itself, not the defects detected during inspection.

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Adopt modern methods of training on the job Training involves teaching employees the best methods of achieving quality in their jobs and the use of tools such as statistical quality control.

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Change the focus from production numbers (quantity) to quality The focus on volume of production instead of quality leads to defects and rework that may result in inferior products at higher costs.

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Drive out fear Employees need to feel secure in order for quality to be achieved. Fear of asking questions, reporting problems, or making suggestions will prevent the desired climate of openness.

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Break down barriers between departments When employees perceive themselves as specialists in one function or department without too much regard for other areas, it tends to promote a climate of parochialism and sets up barriers between departments. Quality and productivity can be improved when departments have open communication and coordination based on the common organization goals.

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Stop requesting improved productivity without providing methods to achieve it Continuous improvement as a general goal should replace motivational or inspirational slogans, signs, exhortations, and workforce targets. The major causes of poor productivity and quality are the management systems, not the workforce. Employees are frustrated when exhorted to achieve results that management systems prevent them from achieving.

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Eliminate work standards that prescribe numerical quotas Focus on quotas, like a focus on production, may encourage and reward people for numerical targets, frequently at the expense of quality.

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Remove barriers to pride of workmanship A major barrier to pride of workmanship is a merit or appraisal system based on targets, quotas, or some list of personal traits that have little

to do with incentives related to quality. Appraisal systems that attempt to coerce performance should be replaced by systems that attempt to overcome obstacles imposed by inadequate material, equipment, or training. 13. Institute vigorous education and retraining Deming emphasizes training, not only in the methods of the specific job but in the tools and techniques of quality control, as well as instruction in teamwork and the philosophy of a quality culture. 14. Create a structure in top management that will emphasize the preceding 13 points every day: An organization that wants to establish a culture based on quality needs to emphasize the preceding 13 points on a daily basis. This usually requires a transformation in management style and structure. The entire organization must work together to enable a quality culture to succeed. Philip B. Crosby Quality is conformance to requirements. The Four Absolutes of Quality Management 1. The definition of quality is conformance to requirements. 2. The system of quality is prevention. 3. The performance standard is zero defects. 4. The measurement of quality is the price of non-conformance. 14-Step Quality Improvement Plan 1. Management commitment Top management must become convinced of the need for quality and must clearly communicate this to the entire company by written policy, stating that each person is expected to perform according to the requirement or cause the requirement to be officially changed to what the company and the customers really need. 2. Quality improvement team Form a team composed of department heads to oversee improvements in their departments and in the company as a whole. 3. Quality measurement Establish measurements appropriate to every activity in order to identify areas in need of improvement. 4. Cost of quality Estimate the costs of quality in order to identify areas where improvements would be profitable.

5. Quality awareness Raise quality awareness among employees. They must understand the importance of product conformance and the costs of non-conformance. 6. Corrective action Take corrective action as a result of steps 3 and 4. 7. Zero defects planning Form a committee to plan a program appropriate to the company and its culture. 8. Supervisor training All levels of management must be trained in how to implement their part of the quality improvement program. 9. Zero defects day Schedule a day to signal to employees that the company has a new standard. 10. Goal setting Individuals must establish improvement goals for themselves and their groups. 11. Error cause removal Employees should be encouraged to inform management of any problems that prevent them from performing error-free work. 12. Recognition Give public, non-financial appreciation to those who meet their quality goals or perform outstandingly. 13. Quality councils Composed of quality professionals and team chairpersons, quality councils should meet regularly to share experiences, problems, and ideas. 14. Do it all over again Repeat steps 1 to 13 in order to emphasize the never-ending process of quality improvement. Armand V. Feigenbaum Quality is what the buyer wants and needs to satisfy his or her requirements for use, not what the manufacturer wants (to accommodate some internal operating purpose or need). Five Steps to Excellence in Product Development 1. Make quality a full and equal partner with innovation from the beginning of product development. 2. Focus on customer inputs as the fundamental basis for specifications. 3. Emphasize getting high-quality product design and process matches upstream. 4. Make full-service component suppliers a quality partner at the beginning of design rather than a quality surveillance problem later.

5. Make the acceleration of new product introduction a primary measure of the effectiveness of a quality program. Joseph M. Juran Quality is fitness for use. The Quality Trilogy 1. Quality improvement. 2. Quality planning. 3. Quality control. Ten Steps in the Quality Improvement Process 1. Build awareness of the need and opportunity for improvement. 2. Set goals for improvement. 3. Organize to reach the goals. 4. Provide training throughout the organization. 5. Carry out projects to solve problems. 6. Report progress. 7. Give recognition. 8. Communicate results. 9. Keep score. 10. Maintain momentum by making annual improvement part of the regular systems and processes of the company. Despite the differences among these experts, a number of common themes arise, as follows: 1. Inspection is never the answer to quality improvement, nor is policing. 2. Involvement of and leadership by top management are essential to the necessary culture of commitment to quality. 3. A program for quality requires organization-wide efforts and long term commitment, accompanied by the necessary investment in training. 4. Quality is first and schedules are secondary.

What Is ISO 9000 20001? The ISO 90002000 standard is the current international standard for quality management. The standard was developed and is maintained by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), which is a worldwide federation of more than 140 national standards bodies. Its work results in international agreements, which are published as International Standards. Variants of ISO 90002000 (TL 9000, AS 9000, and FS9000) were developed to meet industryspecific needs of the telecommunications, aerospace, and financial services industries. Additional standards related to the ISO 9000 family that may apply to your firms business activities or processes are the ISO 10006 for project management, ISO 10007 for configuration management, ISO 10012 for measurement systems, ISO 10013 for quality documentation, ISO/TR 10014 for managing the economics of quality, ISO 10015 for training, ISO/TS 16949 for automotive suppliers, and ISO 19011 for auditing. ISO 90002000 principles form what is now the default expectation of what is involved in managing quality in any type of endeavor. These principles are derived from the practice of the leaders or giants of quality. ISO 90002000 Quality Management System Principle 1 Customer Focus Organizations must determine, understand, and meet the current (and future) customer requirements. Typical action steps are: Researching and understanding customer needs and expectations. Linking organization objectives to customer needs and expectations. Communicating agreed-on customer needs/expectations throughout your organization. Measuring customer satisfaction and acting on the results. Systematically managing customer relationships.

Principle 2 Leadership

Source: Adapted from World Quality Management Principles According to the International Standards

Organization (ISO) (www.iso.ch), Geneva, Switzerland.

Leaders establish unity of purpose and direction of the organization. They should also create and maintain an organizational environment that enables people to be fully involved in achieving the organizations objectives. Typical action steps are: Ascertaining and balancing the needs of customers, owners, employees, suppliers, financiers, local communities, and society as a whole. Establishing a clear vision of the organizations future. Setting challenging goals and targets. Creating and sustaining shared values at all levels of the organization. Establishing trust and eliminating fear. Providing people with the required resources, training, and freedom to act with responsibility and accountability. Principle 3 Involvement and Support of People Full involvement and support of employees enable them to fully contribute to their continuous improvement and success as well as that of their work groups and organization. Typical action steps are: People understanding the importance of their contribution to the organization. People evaluating performance, their own and others, against their individual, team, group, and organization wide goals and objectives. People sharing knowledge, experience, and openly discussing problems and issues.

Principle 4 Process Approach A desired result is achieved more efficiently when activities and related resources are managed as a process. Typical action steps are: Analyzing and measuring of the capability of key activities. Identifying the interfaces of key activities within and across functions of the organization. Focusing on factors such as resources, methods, and materials to improve key activities of the organization. Evaluating risks and intended and unintended consequences of decisions and activities on customers, suppliers, and other interested parties. Principle 5 Systems-Oriented Management

Identifying, understanding, and managing inter-related processes as a system enhances the organizations ability to its objectives. Typical action steps are: Structuring a system to achieve the organizations objectives in the most effective and efficient way. Understanding the interdependencies between the processes of the organizational system. Continuously improving the system through measurement and evaluation.

Principle 6 Continuous Improvement Continuous improvement of the organizations overall performance is not just an ongoing objective; it is a requisite for survival and meeting customer requirements in the future not yet expressed. Typical action steps are: Employing a consistent organization wide approach to continuous improvement of the organizations performance. Providing people with training in the methods and tools of continuous improvement. Making continuous improvement of products, processes, and systems an objective for every individual in the organization. Principle 7 Factual Approach to Decision Making Effective decisions are based on the analysis of data and information. Typical action steps are: Ensuring that data and information are sufficiently accurate and reliable. Making data accessible to those who need it. Making decisions and taking action based on factual analysis, balanced with experience and intuition. Principle 8 Mutually Beneficial Supplier Relationships An organization and its suppliers are interdependent, and a mutually beneficial relationship enhances the ability of both to create value. Typical action steps are: Pooling of expertise and resources with partners. Identifying and selecting key suppliers. Sharing information and future plans. Establishing joint development and improvement activities.

Quality costs

Crosby argues that quality is free! I t costs less toget the job right the firs time. However some managers never seem to have the time to get it right the first time, yet seem to have the time to rework the job. The cost of this re-work may be two or three times the original cost in terms of manhours and materials. Quality costs are a combination of management costs, including: Prevention costs Appraisal costs Failure costs / Internal Failure costs / External

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Prevention costs: prevention costs are those expenses associated with steps taken to make sure that the product will be made to the required condition Appraisal costs: appraisal costs relate to expenses incurred while checking and inspecting the work to confirm that it has achieved the required condition. Internal failure costs; these costs relate to expenses incurred within the company due to product failure and inefficiencies. Replacement, rework or repair Scrap and waste material Re-inspection and retesting Down-grading

External failure cost: these costs relate to expenses incurred outside the company, usually motivated by the client. Quality Planning The body of knowledge defines quality planning as: identifying which quality standards are relevant to the project and determining how to satisfy them . We need to distinguish between a companys quality policy and the project quality plan. The companys quality policy applies to the whole company and may be formalized through accreditation to ISO 9000 quality management standard, or the national equivalent. For the project however, it may be necessary to tailor your companys quality management system to meet the needs of the client and the product-this is achieved through the project quality plan. Quality circles Quality circles are a management concept the Americans up for Toyota cars in Japan after the Second World War to continuously improve their manufacturing process, by bringing all the people in the production line together to identify and solve problems. Warranty claims Products rejected and return Loss of future sales Product liability

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Objectives: to improve communication between all parties in the same product line, particularly between planning and production. Also to: To identify and solve problems. To enhance the production design and manufacturing process, leading to increased productivity To improve working conditions and job satisfaction. To empower workers to apply their own creative and innovative skills, leading to peer recognition which will ultimately improve team morale and commitment.

ESTABLISHING CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS Project managers and quality managers know that their starting point to success is establishing all of their customers requirements for the products/services that they and their organizations have agreed to deliver. This is an extension of Principle 1 of ISO 90002000. Getting customer requirements correct and complete is critical to the success of any project or project manager. Two points essential to getting the customers requirement right the first time are: 1. 2. The distinction between customer (or business) requirements and technical (product /service) requirements. A technique for structuring the conversation with the customer toward specifying and prioritizing his or her requirements to be sure we give customers the best deal they can get. CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT The weak link in your organization was small, in comparison to the whole project. However, that small, weak link brought a huge project to a dead stop. Despite our best efforts to get the requirements correct and to design processes and systems that reduce variation (errors) and optimize productivity, the opportunity to improve never ends. SIX SIGMA Six Sigma is a term used to describe an expert-driven approach to process improvement. It uses a variety of process analysis tools and methods as means to significantly improve an organizations

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quality performanceto a level at which errors occur at a rate of 3.4 errors per million parts (Six Sigma) or less. Six Sigma is often used to focus on systems or processes that f low across a number of organizational boundaries. Generally, a small number of managers (Six Sigma Black Belts) are given training in the common problem-solving tools and a variety of statistical analysis methods as their tool kit. The Six Sigma performance improvement model is known as Define-MeasureAnalyze-Improve-Control (DMAIC).

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