Problem:
Reply to this student discussion in 150 words: From my own work experience, I have seen two very different approaches to integrating quality within project planning. In my previous life I worked at Macy's and serving in the Navy as an aircraft structural mechanic. Each environment treated quality very differently according to the principles discussed in quality management literature.
At Macy's, I did not see quality formally integrated into project planning. When we planned seasonal merchandise resets or promotional floor changes, the main focus was on speed and keeping labor costs low. Quality checks such as correct pricing, accurate signage, and proper visual merchandising were handled as an afterthought. A manager would typically inspect everything at the very end of the project. This approach reflects what quality experts call inspection oriented quality, which is less effective than prevention based quality (Juran, 1988). No proactive quality planning took place during the project. If problems were found late, rework was rushed and often incomplete or was corrected on the spot.
Looking back, I believe Macy's would have benefited greatly from addressing quality throughout the project plan rather than only at the end. Deming (1986) emphasized that quality should be built into processes from the start rather than inspected in at the end. If the company had embedded simple quality checks into each phase, using a checklist during the reset, or training team leads on quality standards, they could have reduced costly rework and improved the customer experience. The inspect at the end approach regularly led to errors that affected sales.
The Navy was completely different. Quality was not just integrated into project planning; it was the foundation of every project/phase/special/daily inspections. As an aircraft mechanic, I worked on repair and maintenance projects where a single quality failure could result in loss of life or loss of an aircraft. Quality was addressed before, during, and after every project. During the planning phase, every repair project began with a detailed technical directive that included quality standards written into the plan before any work started. This aligns with the project management principle of planning quality management upfront (Project Management Institute, 2021). During execution, we used continuous quality checks including a two person rule where each step required a second mechanic to verify. At project milestones, Quality Assurance inspectors performed formal checks at predetermined points, not just at the end. After the project, any rework was tracked and root causes were analyzed to improve future plans, reflecting the continuous improvement philosophy advocated by Deming (1986).
In my experience, the Navy approach of embedding quality continuously throughout the project plan was far more effective than the Macy's approach of inspecting only at the end. Larson and Gray (2021) note that modern project quality management requires integration across all phases rather than a single final inspection. I believe most organizations cannot isolate quality to just one area of the project plan. Continuous integration reduces rework, improves safety, and builds accountability. If I were to recommend a method, I would encourage any company to follow the military model. Define quality standards upfront, design checkpoints into the schedule, and treat quality as every team members responsibility at every phase of the project. Need Assignment Help?