The Quality Management Strategy is a fundamental document within the PRINCE2 framework that defines the quality approach for a project. It outlines how quality planning, control, and assurance will be implemented throughout the project lifecycle. The strategy establishes the quality standards, proc…The Quality Management Strategy is a fundamental document within the PRINCE2 framework that defines the quality approach for a project. It outlines how quality planning, control, and assurance will be implemented throughout the project lifecycle. The strategy establishes the quality standards, procedures, and responsibilities that the project will adhere to, ensuring that the final product meets the expectations of stakeholders. The Quality Management Strategy is created during the Initiating a Project process and is approved by the Project Board, setting the benchmark for quality throughout the project's duration. It includes important elements such as quality objectives, roles and responsibilities for quality management, quality control procedures, quality review techniques, and quality records to be maintained. This document helps to establish a consistent approach to quality across all aspects of the project, providing clarity on how quality will be measured and achieved. It also defines the tools and techniques that will be used to verify that products meet their quality criteria. The Quality Management Strategy helps the project team to focus on quality from the outset, rather than treating it as an afterthought, thereby reducing the risk of delivering products that do not meet stakeholder expectations. It forms part of the overall Project Initiation Documentation (PID) and provides a reference point for quality decisions throughout the project's life. By clearly articulating quality expectations at the beginning, the strategy helps to avoid misunderstandings and disputes later in the project about what constitutes acceptable quality.
Quality Management Strategy: PRINCE2 Foundation Guide
The Quality Management Strategy is a crucial element of the Quality Theme in PRINCE2, serving as a comprehensive framework for ensuring project deliverables meet the required standards.
Why Quality Management Strategy is Important
The Quality Management Strategy provides several key benefits:
• It establishes a unified approach to quality management across the project • It clarifies quality expectations for all stakeholders • It defines how quality will be planned, controlled, and assured • It helps prevent costly rework by identifying quality issues early • It ensures alignment between customer expectations and project delivery • It supports informed decision-making regarding quality trade-offs
What is the Quality Management Strategy?
The Quality Management Strategy is a baseline document that describes how quality will be managed throughout the project. It is created during the Initiating a Project process and approved by the Project Board.
Key components include:
• Quality management procedures to be used • Quality responsibilities and their allocation • Quality control techniques and tools • Quality records to be maintained • Timing of quality activities • Standards to be applied • Quality review approach
How the Quality Management Strategy Works
The Quality Management Strategy operates as follows:
1. Development: Project Manager creates it during initiation, drawing from the corporate or programme quality standards
2. Approval: Project Board reviews and approves it as part of the Project Initiation Documentation (PID)
3. Implementation: Team members follow the procedures and standards outlined in the strategy
4. Quality Assurance: Used to verify that project management processes are being applied correctly
5. Quality Control: Guides how deliverables will be verified against requirements
6. Updates: May be revised if quality requirements change or issues are identified
Key Relationships with Other Elements
• Quality Register: Records the planned and completed quality activities defined in the strategy
• Product Descriptions: Contain quality criteria derived from the strategy
• Configuration Management Strategy: Works alongside to control product versions
• Project Plan: Incorporates quality review points and activities
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Quality Management Strategy
• Remember that the Project Manager creates the Quality Management Strategy, but the Project Board approves it
• Understand it forms part of the Project Initiation Documentation (PID)
• Be clear about its purpose: to define the approach to quality management, not just to list quality criteria
• Know that it must align with any corporate or programme quality management approaches
• Identify that the Quality Management Strategy guides both quality control (product focused) and quality assurance (process focused) activities
• Recall that it should be tailored to the specific needs of the project
• Recognize that it focuses on how quality will be managed rather than what quality criteria apply to specific products
• Pay attention to the timing of its creation (during initiation) and its approval (by the Project Board)
• Study the components of the strategy as listed in the PRINCE2 manual
• Practice identifying which aspects of quality management belong in the Quality Management Strategy versus other quality-related documents
When faced with a scenario question, look for clues about quality roles, responsibilities, standards, or procedures to identify when the question is addressing the Quality Management Strategy.