Controlling the quality of a project’s deliverables can be the silver bullet that makes everything else feel easy. Unfortunately it’s often easier said than done, but there are tried and true techniques that help you get there. On the flip side, a single poor quality deliverable can create a cycle of low performance, creating an... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Experience has taught me that the highest quality producer is quite often the lowest cost one. Say what? This is because of a factor called the Cost of Poor Quality, sometimes called Cost of Quality (COQ). Although production of high quality products and services usually requires an investment in equipment, people, or processes, the production of poor... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Your project team is the single biggest factor in the successful completion of your project. When everything is stripped away, a project is nothing more than teams of people doing some work, and the quality of the final products will only be as good as the people producing them. So how do determine who to... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Performing quality assurance ensures that the processes are in place to produce the project deliverables at the applicable level of quality. Normally called QA, it is the process of auditing and analyzing the systems which produce a product in order to improve their quality. It should not be confused with Quality Control, which is a... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Project quality is a unique aspect of project management. The stakeholders are disappointed if the project does not meet the minimum quality standards, but achieving more than the standard is a waste of project resources and money. On top of that, the minimum quality standards are often difficult to define and subject to stakeholder whims, such... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
I listened to a presentation recently where the speaker suggested that the highest quality producer is usually the lowest cost one. Can that be true? And if so, how do you become part of that club? The Cost of Quality (COQ), sometimes called Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ) is a measure of the cost of... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Quality assurance and quality control—two terms that often trip up even seasoned pros, with lines between them blurry enough to spark debate. But here’s the good news: there is a distinction, and once it clicks, you’ll wonder how you ever mixed them up. Let’s dive in and unravel the difference that can transform how you... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Everyone has stories of quality problems and the anxiety they cause: The assembly line is down, a customer complained about the product, or the report missed an important element. In that moment the only thing that matters is that someone didn't achieve the quality expectations. But the very presence of defective products is not inherently... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
For engineers like me, quality is a big deal. Industry standard quality control dictates that most documents and designs require a "second stamp" i.e. a reviewer who takes as much responsibility as the designer. If non-engineering professions followed this practice, many project quality issues would be solved. The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) values... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Controlling the quality of a project's deliverables can be the silver bullet that makes everything else feel easy. Unfortunately, it's often easier said than done but there are tried and true techniques that help you get there. On the flip side, a single poor quality deliverable can create a cycle of low performance, whereby an... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
A single poor quality deliverable can not only create an issue with the customer, but initiate an internal cycle of poor quality culture—rippling through teams, eroding trust, and setting a precedent that’s hard to shake. That’s why project quality control isn’t just a checkbox; it’s a safeguard for reputation and morale alike. Luckily, project management... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
In the world of project management, the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) highlights quality as a critical pillar of the Delivery Performance Domain. Most projects focus the lion's share of their efforts on time and cost. Project managers regularly land in the lion's den when they overlook the third vital component of the project triangle: ... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
There is no universal definition of project success. Since the very definition of a project is temporary (Project Management Body of Knowledge, 6th Edition), virtually all projects must meet a deadline and budget. But some projects must satisfy certain stakeholders. Others must meet regulatory criteria. Still others must achieve a certain return on investment. For these reasons,... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer