Quality Planning is a fundamental component of the PRINCE2 7 Quality Practice that establishes the foundation for delivering products that meet stakeholder expectations and requirements. It involves defining and documenting the quality standards, methods, and responsibilities that will govern the p…Quality Planning is a fundamental component of the PRINCE2 7 Quality Practice that establishes the foundation for delivering products that meet stakeholder expectations and requirements. It involves defining and documenting the quality standards, methods, and responsibilities that will govern the project throughout its lifecycle.
The primary purpose of Quality Planning is to ensure that all project participants understand what quality means for the specific project and how it will be achieved. This planning activity occurs during the Initiating a Project process and is refined as the project progresses through subsequent stages.
Key elements of Quality Planning include identifying the customer's quality expectations, which capture what the customer anticipates from the final products. These expectations are then translated into measurable acceptance criteria that define the specific conditions products must satisfy to be accepted by stakeholders.
The Quality Management Strategy is a central document created during Quality Planning. This strategy describes how quality will be managed throughout the project, including the quality standards to be applied, quality responsibilities, tools and techniques for quality control, and timing of quality activities.
Product descriptions form another essential aspect of Quality Planning. Each product description includes quality criteria that specify the measurable characteristics the product must possess, along with quality tolerances that define acceptable ranges for these characteristics.
Quality Planning also addresses quality methods, determining whether products will undergo quality inspection, testing, or other verification approaches. The planning process assigns clear responsibilities, ensuring team members understand their roles in maintaining quality standards.
Effective Quality Planning requires input from relevant stakeholders and consideration of corporate or programme quality management systems. By establishing robust quality foundations early in the project, Quality Planning helps prevent costly rework, ensures stakeholder satisfaction, and contributes to successful project delivery within agreed parameters.
Quality Planning in PRINCE2 Foundation v7
Why is Quality Planning Important?
Quality Planning is essential because it establishes the foundation for delivering products that meet stakeholder expectations. It ensures that everyone involved in the project understands what quality means for each product and how it will be verified. Projects that fail to plan for quality often deliver outputs that are rejected, require rework, or fail to satisfy the business needs.
What is Quality Planning?
Quality Planning is a component of the Quality practice in PRINCE2 that focuses on defining and documenting the quality expectations, acceptance criteria, and quality methods before work begins. It answers the fundamental question: How will we ensure our products are fit for purpose?
Key elements of Quality Planning include:
• Quality Management Strategy - Defines how quality will be managed throughout the project • Product Descriptions - Specify the quality criteria for each product • Quality Register - Records all planned and completed quality activities • Acceptance Criteria - Measurable definitions of what the customer will accept
How Does Quality Planning Work?
Quality Planning operates across multiple stages of the project:
1. During Initiation: The Project Manager creates the Quality Management Strategy, defining quality standards, responsibilities, and procedures.
2. During Planning: Product Descriptions are created for each product, specifying quality criteria, quality tolerances, and quality methods to be used.
3. During Delivery: Quality activities are scheduled and recorded in the Quality Register.
The Customer is responsible for specifying quality expectations, while the Supplier proposes methods to achieve them. The Project Manager documents these in the appropriate management products.
Key Relationships: • Quality expectations flow from the Project Product Description • Acceptance criteria must be measurable and agreed upon • Quality tolerances define acceptable variation
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Quality Planning
Tip 1: Remember that quality planning happens before quality control activities. Planning defines what quality means; control verifies it has been achieved.
Tip 2: Know the difference between quality expectations (high-level customer statements) and acceptance criteria (specific, measurable conditions).
Tip 3: The Quality Management Strategy is created during the Initiation stage, not earlier. Questions may try to confuse you about timing.
Tip 4: Product Descriptions are the primary tool for documenting quality criteria at the product level. If a question asks about defining quality for a specific product, Product Description is likely the answer.
Tip 5: The Customer defines what quality is needed; the Supplier defines how to achieve and verify it.
Tip 6: When questions mention the Quality Register, remember it is used to record planned quality activities and their results - it supports both planning and control.
Tip 7: Look for keywords in questions: 'define', 'document', 'specify', and 'establish' typically point to planning activities, while 'verify', 'check', and 'test' point to control activities.
Tip 8: Acceptance criteria must be measurable. If an exam question presents vague or subjective criteria, this is usually the incorrect option.