PROJECT

MANAGENENT
INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT II

KUSOM

Quality Control in
Projects

Submitted by: GAURAV POTE
Roll No.: 11726
Room: 301

D A T E : J U L Y 3 0 , 2 0 1 5

Q: Why quality control is important in projects? How quality control in revenue

projects is different from that in change projects?
When we discuss quality control (QC) in conjunction to project management, we
need to understand that there are two distinct dimensions of QC in a project the
Conformance of the product or the project outcome to the agreements and predefined
standards, and the Performance of the delivered product or outcome that relates to the
management of stakeholders or customers expectations and perceptions of the project
process and outcomes.
In other words, QC in project management refers to meeting and often exceeding
the needs of the customers and stakeholders of a project, and also ensuring the same
about the processes and project activities through which the outcomes are achieved. QC
is concerned with both the product of the project and the management of the project.
That being said, the importance of QC in projects has been discussed below:
Along the Conformance dimension of QC, it stands significant, particularly for the
revenue projects that deal with quantifiable products, outcomes and processes, for the
following reasons:

To stipulate a formalised structure within the project that ensures the fulfilment of
the needs of the customer and/or the stated objectives of the project, as long as the
project continues to run.

To establish a management and production system that adheres to the product or

service standard, benchmarks and other management and operational constrains as
required by the policies set forth by the clients, organisation itself or the industry
regulators.

To shield the team or the organisation from the unnecessary legal obligations, like
professional negligence and product liability claims, while guaranteeing that there
is such a system that ensures that the predefined objectives and standards were

met during and after the production, and in the management and production
processes involved therein. This is of much relevance because most of the
industries are increasingly being regulated.

To acquire the legitimacy of projects as, in many industries, formal QC systems

are mandated by the state laws and regulatory rules, and thus QC also serves as
the precondition for running a project.

And, along the Performance dimension of QC, it is significant for the following
reasons, particularly for the change that aim at managing organisational changes,
stakeholders expectations and perceptions in an on-going basis:

To eliminate the ambiguity about project objectives and outcomes so as to create

valid and achievable project goals.

To manage and measure expectations and perception of the customers or

stakeholders continuously during and after the project. Although these are
nontechnical specifications, they can be anticipated or perceived by the
organisation, and acted upon immediately to ratify any deviations.

While projects may be undertaken either to generate revenue, like introducing

mechanisms to improve cash flow or operations, increase market share and sales
revenue projects, or to facilitate organisational change, manage stakeholders
expectations and perceptions change projects, the QC for both is quite significant.
However, QC in revenue projects is different from that in change projects. The reason
lies in the fact that the nature of revenue projects differs largely from the change projects.
Some of the ways in which QC differs in these two projects are:

In revenue projects the quality control mechanism is largely quantitative and

objective but in change projects it is qualitative and subjective. Hence, the level of
ambiguity if higher for quality control system in change projects, since their
outcomes are perceived and judges, but not calculated or derived. Also, quality

control is relatively easier in revenue projects (because they are quantitative) as

compared to that in change projects (since they are qualitative).

The final judgement of quality in revenue projects is almost immediate and for a
short-term. The quality control can be implemented during the processes within
revenue projects and instantly on the final output against some predefined
standards. But in change projects, the final judgement of quality is usually made
in medium or long-term after the implementation of the project outcome or result.
Hence, the assessment of quality control is also influenced by the time frame
shorter for revenue projects, and longer for change projects.