In the context of PRINCE2 7, the Quality Management Approach is a central management product established during the 'Initiating a Project' process. Its primary function is to define the strategies, standards, and processes effectively used to ensure the project’s products meet the customer's qualit…In the context of PRINCE2 7, the Quality Management Approach is a central management product established during the 'Initiating a Project' process. Its primary function is to define the strategies, standards, and processes effectively used to ensure the project’s products meet the customer's quality expectations and acceptance criteria.
This document forms a vital component of the Project Initiation Documentation (PID). It creates a shared understanding of how quality will be planned, controlled, and assured throughout the project lifecycle. Without this approach, the project risks failing to deliver products that are fit for purpose, thereby undermining the Business Case.
The content typically covers several specific areas:
1. **Quality Standards:** Identification of applicable standards (ISO, industry-specific, or local organizational standards).
2. **Tools and Techniques:** The specific methods used to assess quality, such as in-process reviews, testing, or formal inspections.
3. **Records:** Definition of what quality records will be kept, primarily the Quality Register.
4. **Roles and Responsibilities:** Clear distinction between those who specify quality requirements, those who create the products, and those who review and approve them.
5. **Timing:** When quality management activities will occur.
In PRINCE2 7, the Quality Management Approach focuses heavily on tailoring. It must be appropriate for the scale and complexity of the project and aligned with the organizational context. It acts as the 'rules of the game' for quality, ensuring that quality is integrated into the project plan from the outset rather than treated as an afterthought during the closing stages.
Quality Management Approach
What is the Quality Management Approach? In PRINCE2 v7, the Quality Management Approach is a management product used to define the quality techniques and standards to be applied, and the various responsibilities for achieving the required quality levels. It essentially sets the rules and procedures for how quality will be managed throughout the project lifecycle to ensure the project meets the user's expectations.
Why is it Important? This document is vital because it aligns the project's quality methods with corporate or programme management systems and ensures all stakeholders have a shared understanding of what constitutes 'quality'. Without it, there is a high risk of producing deliverables that are unfit for purpose, leading to rework, delays, and dissatisfied stakeholders.
How it Works The Quality Management Approach is derived from the Project Brief and corporate standards during the Initiating a Project process. It includes: 1. Quality Management Process: A description of the procedures for quality planning, quality control, and quality assurance. 2. Tools and Techniques: The specific methods to be used (e.g., workshops, inspections, pilots). 3. Records and Reporting: How quality activities will be documented (e.g., the Quality Register) and reported. 4. Roles and Responsibilities: Defining who is responsible for quality assurance (Project Board/Assurance) versus quality control (Team Manager/Members).
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Quality Management Approach For PRINCE2 Practitioner exams, keep these strategies in mind: 1. Strategy vs. Log: Do not confuse the Quality Management Approach with the Quality Register. The Approach defines the method (how we will do it); the Register records the events (what we actually did and the results). If a question asks where to record the result of a test, it is the Register, not the Approach. 2. Critiquing the Approach: You may be asked to critique a draft Approach. Look for alignment with the scenario. If the company has strict ISO standards, the Approach must reference them. If the project is Agile, the Approach should reference iterative testing and definitions of done. 3. Roles Check: Ensure the Approach does not assign Project Assurance duties to the Project Manager. Independence is key in PRINCE2 quality. 4. Tailoring: Questions often ask how to tailor this for a specific context. For a simple project, the Approach might be a brief statement within the Project Initiation Documentation (PID). For a complex project, it might be a standalone, detailed document referencing external industry standards.