Inputs to quality planning process
For creating an appropriate quality plan, it is very important to provide proper inputs to the quality planning process. The various inputs for quality planning are:
- Scope baseline:
- Scope statements: This describes the project deliverables and describes the major objectives. It should give a broader perspective of the project outcome; it also includes the list of users using the project or service and the features of the project outcome.
- Work breakdown structure (WBS): The Work Breakdown Structure as defined by the PMBOK is a deliverable-oriented break down of the work that is executed by the project team. It acts like an engine that drives the whole project. It identifies the deliverables, the work packages and the control accounts used to measure project performance.
- WBS dictionary: WBS dictionary is a part of WBS which is a document that describes each component in the WBS. It helps to clarify the different specification of the WBS. This document can be referred by team members to complete their work or by stakeholders. Each component of the WBS has an overall functional description, a description of the ideal situation post implementation, general requirements or tasks and relationships or dependencies with other WBS elements from other streams (those not in a direct line). The WBS dictionary defines technical information for WBS elements.
- Stakeholder register: Project quality management has to identify both management of project and the product of the project. If the quality requirements are not met with, it can cause negative results to stake holders. For project success, it is hence critical to note stakeholders expectations. A stakeholder register helps to maintain stakeholder information. Depending on each stakeholder's influence and impact rating, the project manager can develop a strategy to assess each stakeholder's level and timing of involvement. The aim of this document is to list the stakeholders, identify what role they play in the organisation and assess how they are involved in the project.
- Cost performance baseline: Cost Performance baseline is helpful to calculate the cost/benefit analysis. It is helpful to measure, monitor and control overall cost performance, especially while estimating tangible and intangible costs (outlays) and benefits (returns) of the project. It is hence a vital input element of quality planning. The overall Cost Performance Baseline is created by adding together all the minor budgets. It is displayed as a graph of cumulative funds to be spent over time.
- Schedule baseline: This is a fixed project schedule used to measure project progress and contract performance. It provides a comparison or contrast with the actual progress of work against the schedule and to determine if performance to date is within acceptable parameters..
- Risk register: All projects have associated Risks which includes both threats and the opportunities. Risks have to be identified for mitigating the threats and increasing the positive events. A risk register is a tool used to track all risks within the project. It helps to identify, track and stop risks from occurring. It holds all of the information relating to risk, and also gives the current status of each risk at any point in time.
- Enterprise environmental factors: These are internal or external factors that influence the quality planning process. This includes:
- Government agency regulations.
- Standards rules and guideline specific to the application area
- Working/operating conditions of the project/product which may affect project quality.
- Organisational process assets: This is a repository of information from already executed projects. The organisational process assets includes the following:
- Organisational quality policies, procedures and guidelines.
- Historic databases.
- Lessons learned from previous projects.
Quality policy is the overall quality intentions and directions of an organisation which is expressed by the top management. A new quality policy is developed if there is no exiting policy or if it is a joint venture involving many organisations. It is the responsibility of the project management team that the quality policy is properly communicated to all project stakeholders.