Quality Management Approach

Purpose
A quality management approach describes how quality will be managed on the project. This includes the specific processes, procedures, techniques, standards and responsibilities to be applied.

Composition
A quality management approach includes the following:

• Introduction - States the purpose, objectives and scope, and identifies who is responsible for the approach
• Quality management process or procedure - A description of (or reference to) the quality management procedure to be used. Any variance from corporate, programme management or customer quality standards should be highlighted, together with a justification for the variance. The process or procedure should cover:
  • quality planning
  • quality control: the project’s approach to quality control activities. This may include:
    • quality standards
    • templates and forms to be employed (e.g. product description(s), quality register)
    • definitions of types of quality methods (e.g. inspection, pilot)
    • metrics to be employed in support of quality control
  • project assurance: the project’s approach to project assurance activities. This may include:
    • responsibilities of the project board
    • compliance audits
    • corporate, programme management or customer reviews
• Tools and techniques - Refers to any quality management systems or tools to be used, and any preference for techniques which may be used for each step in the quality management procedure
• Records - Definition of what quality records will be required and where they will be stored, including the composition and format of the quality register
• Reporting - Describes any quality management reports, including their purpose, timing and recipients
• Timing of quality management activities - States when formal quality management activities are to be undertaken (e.g. during audits, when this may involve reference to the quality register)
• Roles and responsibilities - Defines the roles and responsibilities for quality management activities, including those with quality responsibilities from corporate, programme management or the customer.

Derivation
A quality management approach is derived from the following:

• Project Board
• Project Brief, including:
  • the project management team structure (for roles and responsibilities)
  • the project product description (for the customer’s quality expectations and acceptance criteria)
• organizational standards
• supplier and customer quality management systems
• change control requirements
• corporate, programme management or customer strategies
• facilitated workshops and informal discussions.

Format & Presentation
A Quality Management Approach can take a number of formats, including:

• a stand-alone document or a section of the PID
• an entry in a project management tool

Quality Criteria
The following quality criteria apply to a quality management approach:

• The approach clearly defines ways in which the customer’s quality expectations will be met.
• The defined ways are sufficient to achieve the required quality.
• Responsibilities for quality are defined up to a level that is independent of the project and Project Manager.
• The approach conforms to the supplier’s and customer’s quality management systems.
• The approach conforms to the corporate, programme management or customer quality policy. 
• The approaches to assuring quality for the project are appropriate in the light of the standards selected.

Extract PRINCE2 6th Edition. Copyright© AXELOS Limited 2017. Used under permission of AXELOS Limited. All rights reserved.  You can purchase your own full copy here