How do you identify and manage quality factors?

1 Define quality requirements

The first step is to define the quality requirements for your product or service. You need to understand what the customers and stakeholders want, need, and expect from your deliverables. You can use various methods to collect and analyze their requirements, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, benchmarking, or quality function deployment (QFD). You should also consider the standards, regulations, and best practices that apply to your industry and domain. You should document the quality requirements clearly and communicate them to the project team and other relevant parties.

2 Plan quality activities

The next step is to plan how you will ensure that the quality requirements are met throughout the project lifecycle. You need to define the quality criteria, metrics, and targets that will measure the performance and quality of your deliverables. You also need to identify the quality activities, methods, and resources that will verify and validate the quality of your work. You can use various tools and techniques to plan quality activities, such as quality management plan, quality checklists, quality audits, quality control charts, or statistical process control (SPC).

3 Perform quality assurance

The third step is to perform quality assurance, which is the process of monitoring and improving the quality of the processes that produce the deliverables. You need to ensure that the quality activities are executed according to the quality plan and that they are aligned with the quality standards and best practices. You also need to identify and implement quality improvements and preventive actions that will prevent or reduce defects, errors, and nonconformities. You can use various tools and techniques to perform quality assurance, such as process analysis, root cause analysis, Pareto analysis, or fishbone diagram.

4 Perform quality control

The fourth step is to perform quality control, which is the process of inspecting and testing the deliverables to ensure that they meet the quality requirements and criteria. You need to measure and compare the actual results with the expected results and identify any gaps or deviations. You also need to document and report the quality findings and issues and initiate corrective actions and rework if necessary. You can use various tools and techniques to perform quality control, such as inspection, sampling, testing, or cause and effect matrix.

5 Manage quality risks

The fifth step is to manage quality risks, which are the uncertainties that may affect the quality of the deliverables or the processes. You need to identify, analyze, prioritize, and respond to the potential threats and opportunities that may impact the quality of your work. You also need to monitor and review the quality risks and their impact and update the risk register and the risk response plan accordingly. You can use various tools and techniques to manage quality risks, such as risk identification, risk analysis, risk response planning, risk monitoring and control, or risk matrix.

6 Evaluate quality outcomes

The sixth step is to evaluate the quality outcomes, which are the results and benefits of the quality management process. You need to assess the level of customer satisfaction, the degree of compliance with the quality standards and regulations, the cost of quality, and the quality performance indicators. You also need to collect and analyze the quality feedback, lessons learned, and best practices and use them to improve your future quality management efforts. You can use various tools and techniques to evaluate quality outcomes, such as customer satisfaction surveys, quality reviews, quality reports, or quality improvement plan.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?