pmStudent

Matt sent a particular system engineering document out for peer review. 

The quality assurance analyst on the project sent an email out asking the SE lead which version of the document template should be used to judge Matt's with.

Email chains later, it turns out Matt and the other engineers didn't know about any universal template that was to be used...they started with examples from previous projects that looked applicable.  There was an unofficial "official" version that someone cooked up floating around.

Now Matt is looking forward to reformatting his document into whatever the "official" format finally ends up as.

What is Project Quality Management?

You can find definitions all over the map, but to me it's really about 3 things.

1) Continuous Improvement

This is not a one-time, check the box event.  This is a continuous process throughout the entire project.  You can check a box when you do scope verification, but in the meantime QM is about making sure the activities throughout a project's life span are efficient and effective towards the end goals.

2) Consistency

In the anecdote about Matt, the project had at least one dedicated person who was solely focused on QM.  Or at least they think they are.  QM is more about prevention by optimizing the process than that.  The audit of output should be focused as feedback to optimize the process, not as the only way of managing quality.

The quality role should have ensured the engineers had a consistent template that made sense, had their input and that of the relevant stakeholders, and clearly noted which parts could be customized and which parts are critical to the consistency of the process.

3) Ensure the Project Meets or Exceeds Stakeholder Needs and Expectations

If having a consistent template doesn't add any value by ensuring requirements are met or by optimizing the activities, what good is it?  Are you pigeon-holing everyone into a common template just for the sake of it?  Does it take them twice as long to use your template because they are contorting their content to fit?

That said, I do see great value in having well-defined templates for many project activities that can be used from project to project and different areas within the same project.

I am sure that some of you reading this right now will disagree with my definition of quality.  Perhaps I have left something critical out.  Don't worry, I'm used to people disagreeing with me.  Just leave a comment and let's talk about your views!