Establish Quality Standards Training, Teaching and

Learning Materials Development Lo-2

JIGJIGA POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

WATER WORKS SITE CONSTRUCTION
MANAGEMENT LEVEL-IV Level IV

LEARNING GUIDE # 2
Unit of Competence: Establish Quality Standards

Module Title: Establish Quality Standards

LG Code: WRS SCM4 06 0413

TTLM Code: WRS SCM4 TTLM062 24

LO2: Assist in planning of quality assurance procedures and

Implement quality assurance procedures
INTRODUCTIO
Learning Guide # 2
N
This learning guide is developed to provide you the necessary information regarding the following
content coverage and topics –

 Assist in planning of quality assurance procedures and Implement quality assurance

procedures
 Quality Assurance, Quality planning and Quality of the Deliverables
 Quality of the Process and Creating a Strategy for Quality
 Implementing Quality Assurance, The Project Triangle and Quality Assurance Outputs

This guide will also assist you to attain the learning outcome stated in the cover page.
Specifically, upon completion of this Learning Guide, you will be able to –

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Establish Quality Standards Training, Teaching and
Learning Materials Development Lo-2
 Assist in planning of quality assurance procedures and Implement quality assurance
procedures
 Identify and confirm Quality Assurance, Quality planning and Quality of the Deliverables
 Identify and confirm Quality of the Process and Creating a Strategy for Quality
 Identify and confirm Implementing Quality Assurance, The Project Triangle and Quality
Assurance Outputs

Learning Activities

1. Read the specific objectives of this Learning Guide.

2. Read the information written in the “Information Sheets 1” in pages 3-8.

3. Accomplish the “Self-check” in page 9.

4. If you earned a satisfactory evaluation proceed to “formative exam”. However, if your rating is
unsatisfactory, see your teacher for further instructions or go back to Learning Activity # 1. But if
satisfactory you can proceed to Learning Guide 3.

 Your teacher will evaluate your output either satisfactory or unsatisfactory. If unsatisfactory, your
teacher shall advice you on additional work. But if satisfactory you can proceed to the next topic.

Assist in planning of quality assurance procedures and

Information Sheet 1 Implement quality assurance procedures

Quality Assurance

The specification of quality related features is an essential component of defining the end-
product of a project. If a project aims to deliver a complex end-product, the quality aspects of
that end-product will need to be planned and designed. QA requires agreement on the level of
quality controls to be adopted.

Quality Assurance (QA) is a global term covering the quality policy, quality management and
quality control functions, which together ensure that the product will be consistently
manufactured to the required standard. Its aim is to achieve and assure quality through the
adoption of a cost effective quality control system along with external inspections and audits.

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 Establish Quality Standards Training, Teaching and
Learning Materials Development Lo-2
Quality planning is an essential part of the planning activity and can be seen in the product
descriptions and in the scheduling of quality related activities. The results of the quality planning
activities are reflected in the resource and technical plans.

Quality control is concerned with ensuring that the required qualities are built into all of the
products throughout their development life cycles. It defines the methods of inspection used to
determine whether the product has met its quality specification. Quality control makes use of
measurable quality criteria and is implemented by means of change control, quality reviews,
project reviews and by the testing of products.

Assist in planning of quality assurance procedures and Implement

quality assurance procedures
 Quality of the Deliverables

The planning process must address the quality issues raised by a proposed project. Quality
planning should have a major impact on the overall size and scope of the project plans. It is an
essential component of general planning and can be seen in the product descriptions, particularly
in their quality criteria. Quality-related activities should be explicitly integrated into the resource
and technical plans.

Product descriptions should be created during the planning process, as the products that are
required by the project are identified. They should describe the purpose, form and components of
a product and list the quality criteria applicable to that product.

Quality criteria define the characteristics of a product in quantifiable terms to allow it to be

measured at various points in its development life cycle. The quality criteria are used as a

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 Establish Quality Standards Training, Teaching and
Learning Materials Development Lo-2
benchmark against which to measure the finished product and should be specified in the related
product description.

Quality criteria should be determined by considering important characteristics of a product in

ensuring that it is 'fit for purpose'. They should always be stated objectively. Terms such as
'quick response' or 'easily maintained' should be avoided as they do not permit meaningful
measurement.

 Quality of the Process

It is important to distinguish between the quality of the deliverables and the quality of the
project. The project manager must decide how much emphasis to on the quality of the project,
and how much on the quality of the deliverables. Checking project quality involves examining
completely different things than checking the quality of the deliverables.

 Deliverable quality refers to the 'fit for purpose' aspect. It covers things like how well
the deliverables meet the user's needs, and the total cost of ownership.

 Project quality covers things like applying proper project management practices to cost,
time, resources, communication etc. It also covers managing changes within the project.

In theory a high quality project could result in low quality deliverables and vice versa, but it is
much more likely however that a high quality project will produce high quality deliverables.

 Creating a Strategy for Quality

Every project plan should address quality management issues in order to provide the highest
quality products and services. Project quality applies to both deliverables and process quality.

A quality management strategy defines the required quality level for the project and the
approach to be used to ensure that this level is achieved. A more detailed quality management
plan is developed in the planning stage.

A Quality Management Strategy should include:

 Quality Objectives

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Establish Quality Standards Training, Teaching and
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 Deliverables subject to quality strategy

 Processes subject to the quality strategy

 Quality standards and methods to be applied

The Project Manager, project sponsors and project stakeholders should all be involved in the
creation of the strategy. The final outcome should be the Quality Management Strategy
component of the Project Plan.

 Implementing Quality Assurance

The Quality Assurance Strategy defines the quality standards for the project and determines how
they are satisfied. Implementation involves carrying out systematic quality activities and uses
quality audits to determine which processes should be used to achieve the project requirements
and to assure they are performed efficiently and effectively.

Project team members, the project manager and the stakeholders are all responsible for the
quality assurance of the project, but the Project Manager will have the greatest impact on the
quality of the project.

The inputs to the quality assurance process are likely to include the following:

 Quality management plan

 Quality metrics

 Process improvement plan

 Work performance information

 Approved change requests

 Quality control measurements

Two of the main tools of quality assurance are quality audits and process analysis

 Quality Audits

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Establish Quality Standards Training, Teaching and
Learning Materials Development Lo-2
Quality audits are independent reviews carried out by trained auditors to identify ineffective or
inefficient processes and procedures used on the project. They may take place randomly or on a
regular schedule, depending on organizational policies.

Correctly performed quality audits will ensure that:

 The deliverables are fit for use and meet safety standards.

 Applicable laws and standards are adhered to.

 Corrective action is recommended and implemented where necessary.

 The quality plan is adhered to.

 Quality improvements are identified.

 The implementation of approved change requests is confirmed.

Quality improvements can come about as a result of the quality audits as auditors may discover
ways of improving the efficiency or effectiveness of the project. These are implemented by
submitting change requests or taking corrective action.

Quality audits are usually carried out by experienced specialists whose task is to produce an
independent evaluation of the quality process. Some organizations are large enough to have their
own quality assurance teams but smaller organizations may have to hire external quality
assurance teams.

 Process Analysis

Process analysis looks at process improvement from an organizational and technical perspective
by examining:

 Problems experienced while conducting the project

 Constraints of the project

 Inefficient and ineffective processes identified during process operation

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 Establish Quality Standards Training, Teaching and
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One of the techniques of process analysis includes performing root cause analysis. While
examining problems and constraints, for example, the Project Manager should look at what's
causing the problem. The result of this exercise will allow preventive actions to be developed for
similar problems or problems that have similar root causes.

 Quality Assurance Outputs

The outputs of the Quality Assurance process include:

 Requested changes

 Recommended corrective actions

 Project management plan updates

Any recommended corrective actions, whether they are a result of a quality audit or process
analysis, should be acted upon immediately. For example, if parts being manufactured for one of
the deliverables of a project are found to be defective then the process should be corrected,
perhaps by recalibrating equipment or changing raw materials.

 The Project Triangle

Projects need to be performed and delivered under certain constraints. These are normally listed
as time, cost and scope, where scope includes quality. This is often referred to as the Project
Management Triangle, where each side represents a constraint. One side of the triangle cannot
be changed without impacting the others.

 The time constraint refers to the amount of time available to complete a project.

 The cost constraint refers to the budgeted amount available for the project.

 The scope constraint refers to what must be done to produce the project's end result.

These three constraints are often competing constraints: increased scope typically means
increased time and increased cost, a tight time constraint could mean increased costs and reduced
scope, and a tight budget could mean increased time and reduced scope.

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The discipline of project management is about providing the tools and techniques that enable the
project team (not just the project manager) to organise their work to meet these constraints.

Another approach to project management is to consider the three constraints as finance, time and
human resources. If you need to finish a job in a shorter time, you can throw more people at the
problem, which in turn will raise the cost of the project, unless by doing this task quicker we will
reduce costs elsewhere in the project by an equal amount.

Self-Check 1 Written Test

Name: _________________________________ Date: _________________

Instruction: Answer all the questions listed below, if you have some difficulty doing this self-check, feels
free to ask your teacher for clarifications.

Part I Match from column ‘A’ to column ‘B’

‘A’
______1. Project quality
______ 2. Product descriptions
______ 3. Deliverable quality
______ 4. Quality criteria
______ 5. Quality of the Process
‘B’
A. The products that are required by the project are
identified
B. Is define the characteristics of a product in
quantifiable terms to allow it to be measured at
various points in its development life cycle
C. Is important to distinguish between the quality of the
deliverables and the quality of the project.
D. Refers to the 'fit for purpose' aspect. It covers things
like how well the deliverables meet the user's needs,
and the total cost of ownership.
E. Covers things like applying proper project
management practices to cost, time, resources,
communication etc. It also covers managing changes
within the project.
F. Defines the required quality level for the project and
the approach to be used to ensure that this level is
achieved
G. Are independent reviews carried out by trained

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auditors to identify ineffective or inefficient processes
and procedures used on the project

You must able to get 8points to be competent otherwise you’ll take another test

Formative exam lo2

Name_________________________________________ Id No.________ Date ____________

Part I match from column ‘A’ to column ‘B’

‘A’
______1. Project quality
______ 2. Product descriptions
______ 3. Deliverable quality
______ 4. Quality criteria
______ 5. Quality of the Process
______ 6. Quality management
strategy
______ 7. Quality audits
‘B’
A. The products that are required by the project are
identified
B. Is define the characteristics of a product in
quantifiable terms to allow it to be measured at
various points in its development life cycle
C. Is important to distinguish between the quality of the
deliverables and the quality of the project.
D. Refers to the 'fit for purpose' aspect. It covers things
like how well the deliverables meet the user's needs,
and the total cost of ownership.
E. Covers things like applying proper project
management practices to cost, time, resources,
communication etc. It also covers managing changes
within the project.
F. Defines the required quality level for the project and
the approach to be used to ensure that this level is
achieved
G. Are independent reviews carried out by trained
auditors to identify ineffective or inefficient processes
and procedures used on the project

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