Chapter 8: Quality

Question 1

What is quality in PRINCE2

Answer 1

Quality is concerned with ensuring the project product meets business expectations and enables the desired benefits to be realised

Question 2

See examples of what PRINCE2 requires systematic activities to do

Answer 2

• Explicitly agree the customers quality expectations and acceptance criteria for the product
• Identify the products of the project
• define the project product and it’s components in product descriptions
• implement and track quality methods employed throughout project

Question 3

What is quality planning

Answer 3

Quality planning is about defining the product and its components, with respective quality criteria, quality methods and responsibilities

Purpose of quality planning:
- obtain agreement by project board on overall quality expectations
- Communicate agreements unambiguously so there’s a common understanding between stakeholders

Question 4

What can happen if quality planning aspects are neglected

Answer 4

People involved in project may have conflicting views on:
- the scope of the solution
- what their role is
- who should be involved
- the approach of work required
- the approach to be adopted

Question 5

What does quality control focus on

Answer 5

Focuses on the operational techniques & activities used by those involved in the project to:
- check the project meets their quality criteria
- identify ways of eliminating causes of unsatisfactory performance

Question 6

What is quality assurance and project assurance

Answer 6

Quality assurance = planned and systematic process ensuring output meets defined quality criteria

Project assurance = project boards responsibility to assure itself that the project is conducted correctly

Question 7

To follow PRINCE2, a project must define its quality management approach.
State what this approach must minimally cover

Answer 7

• the projects approach to quality control
• the projects approach to project assurance
• how the management of quality is communicated through project lifecycle
• roles and responsibilities for quality management
• specify explicit quality criteria for products in their product descriptions

Question 8

Which 2 products must be produced and maintained in PRINCE2

Answer 8

Quality management method
- a quality management approach describes how quality will be managed on the project

Quality register
- A quality register is used to summarise all the quality management activities that are planned or have taken place

Question 9

Info regarding quality management approach & quality register

Answer 9

Quality management approach should be created during the initiating a project process and reviewed and possibly updated at end of each management stage

Quality register is effectively a diary of the quality events planned and undertaken. It’s created during the initiating a project process as products and quality control measures are being defined

Question 10

More info regarding quality register

Answer 10

Quality register provides key audit and assurance information relating what was planned and agreed to the quality activities actually performed

Question 11

What is corporate, programme management/ the customers responsibilities in the theme of quality

Answer 11

• provide details of quality management system
• provide quality assurance

Question 12

What is the executives responsibilities in the theme of quality

Answer 12

• approve project product description
• approve quality management approach

Question 13

What is the responsibilities of the senior user in the theme of quality

Answer 13

• provide customers quality expectations and acceptance criteria

Question 14

What is the senior suppliers responsibilities in the theme of quality

Answer 14

• Approve project product description
• Approve quality management approach

Question 15

What is the project managers responsibilities in the theme of quality

Answer 15

• Document customers quality expectations & acceptance criteria

Question 16

What is the team managers responsibilities in the theme of quality

Answer 16

• Assist the PM with preparing and maintaining product descriptions

Question 17

What is project assurances responsibilities in the theme of quality

Answer 17

• Advise the project manager on the quality management approach

Question 18

What is the responsibilities of project support in the theme of quality

Answer 18

• Provide administrative support for quality controls

Question 19

Info regarding aligning with corporate and external standards

Answer 19

At the start of any project, an organisation must identify whether the organisation has a mandated quality management system
- if more than one organisation is involved in a project, each may have its own quality management system
- if the project has a key commission organisation, a single established quality management system is likely to apply
- project may also be subject to external quality standards

Question 20

Info regarding independent Quality assurance

Answer 20

Quality assurance is about independently checking that the organisation & processes are in place for quality planning and control. It provides the projects stakeholders with confidence that the quality requirements can be fulfilled

Question 21

Info regarding quality and DELIVERY APPROACHES

Answer 21

Important that the approach to managing quality works with, and supports the chosen delivery approach rather than working against it
- e.g. when using an agile approach the high frequency of quality checking may have significant impact on how a project is planned
- this will affect the increments, delivery if the project product and how the increments are released

Question 22

When should a customers quality expectations be discussed

Answer 22

Customers quality expectations should be agreed in the starting up a project process.

The expectations are captured in discussion with the customer & refined for inclusion in the project product description

Question 23

What should customers quality expectations cover

Answer 23

• Key quality requirements for project product
• Any standards and processes that will need to be applied to achieve specified quality
• Any measurements that may be useful to asses whether the product meets quality (e.g. existing customer satisfaction measures)

Question 24

Info regarding acceptance criteria

Answer 24

Customers quality expectations are often expressed in broad terms (for common ground). These are then used to identify more detailed acceptance criteria (which should be specific and precise)

Question 25

Why is identifying the acceptance criteria crucial ?

Answer 25

Identifying the acceptance criteria addresses the question - how do we prove the product has been completed and is acceptable to the customer

Question 26

When should customer quality expectations be reviewed and why

Answer 26

Customer quality expectations should be reviewed at the end of each management stage This should be done just in case any external factors have changed them

Question 27

Why may the acceptance criteria be refined as the project goes on

Answer 27

Little may be known about the projects products during starting up a project process - so the acceptance criteria will be refined, with each management stage providing further info which is incorporated through change control - when finalised, acceptance criteria are subject to change control & can only be changed with approved of project board

Question 28

How should quality specified in product descriptions need to be written

Answer 28

Quality criteria specified in product descriptions need to be both specific and measurable - e.g. 70% of users agree that the user interface is “easy to use” or better

Question 29

Why should product descriptions not contain too much detail

Answer 29

Too much detail in product descriptions can lead to an unnecessary increase in cost of quality for the project, whereas incomplete/ inaccurate product descriptions can lead to acceptance disputes if delivered results don’t match customers expectations

Question 30

How should quality tolerances for a product be specified in quality criteria

Answer 30

Quality tolerances for a product can be specified in quality criteria by defining an acceptable range of values - e.g. temperature maintained in range of 1-5 °C

Question 31

What are in process quality methods

Answer 31

In-process methods are means by which quality can be built into the products as they’re developed - these might involve the use of specialist methods/ techniques

Question 32

What are appraisal quality methods

Answer 32

Appraisal methods are used to assess the finished products for completeness and fitness for purpose. There’s 2 types of appraisal methods - testing: if quality criteria are truly objective and quantifiable - quality inspection: if some professional judgement is required

Question 33

What are quality inspections

Answer 33

Quality inspections are systemic, structured assessment of a product conducted in planned, documented and organised fashion

Question 34

When are quality inspection techniques particularly applicable

Answer 34

Quality inspection techniques are particularly applicable when professional judgment is required to assess the products fitness for purpose. The techniques can be used within the project as quality controls and by independent experts as part of quality assurance

Question 35

What is an example of quality assurance reviews

Answer 35

Peer and gateway reviews are quality assurance activities that can be implemented by using or adapting a generic inspection technique

Question 36

What are quality records

Answer 36

The quality records support entries in the quality register by providing the project manager & project board with assurance that: - products really are complete - products have met their associated quality criteria & are fit for their intended purposes - the agreed processes have been observed - approval authorities & key product stakeholders are satisfied

Question 37

What should quality records include references to

Answer 37

Quality records should include references to the quality inspection documentation, such as a test plan, details of any ‘defect’ statistics and actions required to correct errors and omissions of products inspected When these records are received by project support, the quality register entries for the relevant products can be completed

Question 38

TECHNIQUE In the absence of any other approach, PRINCE2 recommends which quality review techniques?

Answer 38

- objectives - benefits - review team roles - preparing for the review - suggested review meeting agenda - review follow up

Question 39

What are the objectives of the PRINCE2 quality review

Answer 39

Objectives of PRINCE2 quality review are to: - Assess the conformity of a product against the quality criteria documented in the product description - Involve Meg interested parties in checking the products quality - Confirm the product is complete and ready for approval - Baseline the product from future change control

Question 40

What are benefits of PRINCE2 quality review technique

Answer 40

Stakeholder management: quality inspections are opportunities for effective cross functional communication Team building: opportunity to focus on building an effective project team, where members understand each other’s contributors, needs and priorities Developing individuals: New starters learn from more experienced people and spot omissions that others take for granted

Question 41

What are the 4 review team roles and their responsibilities

Answer 41

Chair: responsible for overall conduct of the review and ensure the review is undertaken properly Presenter: introduces the product for review and represents the producers of the product. The presenter also coordinates and tracks the work after the review Reviewer: reviews the product, submits questions and confirms corrections and/ or improvements Administrator: Provides administrative support for the chair and records the results & actions

Question 42

Who and What does the minimum form of review involve

Answer 42

Involves 2 people: - one taking the chair and reviewer roles - one taking the presenter and administrator roles

Question 43

What should be considered when preparing for the review - who’s job is it to do each

Answer 43

- make the administrative arrangements for the review - check product is ready for review ( chair) - submit a question list to the chair and presenter ahead of the review (reviewer) - provide a consolidated question list and send it to the present in advance (chair) - identify minor errors that don’t require review and advise the presenter (reviewer)

Question 44

See on other side - suggested review meeting agenda

Answer 44

- personal introduction (chair) - product introduction (presenter) - major/global questions (chair) - product ‘talk through’ (presenter) - read back actions (confirm actions and responsibilities) - determine the review result (chair) - complete, conditionally complete, incomplete - close the review (chair) - inform interested parties of result (chair)

Question 45

How do u know when a review result is complete, Incomplete or conditionally complete

Answer 45

Complete - product fit for purpose Conditionally complete - product is fit, subject to agreed actions Incomplete - another quality review cycle needed

Question 46

Which actions should be taken to follow up the review meeting

Answer 46

- coordinate the actions (presenter) - sign off individual actions (reviewers) - when all actions are complete, sign off that the product is now complete (chair) - communicate the quality review outcome to appropriate managers/ support teams (administrator) - store the quality records (administrator) - request approval for the product (presenter)