Writing a PRINCE2 Quality Management Strategy.
The quality management strategy document is contained within the project initiation
documentation, and it describes the level of quality that the project needs, what control
mechanisms you use, and who is responsible for making sure that you actually deliver the
correct level of quality.
The quality management strategy document is a ‘how to’ document and lays down the
correct approach and tailoring to be used on this particular project. It does not contain the
fine detail of exact quality checks to be used on each product.
The quality management strategy is created during the first stage of the project called the
initiation stage. Aspects covered here is just the tactical quality planning. The ‘what who
and when’ are covered in detail when you plan each stage.
Although the quality management strategy should be driven by the customer quality
expectations, it is likely to be modified and constrained by both the chosen project
approach and by your organisational quality standards.
The PRINCE2 Project Approach may lay down aspects such as standards to be followed and
safety measures as an example, and these of course must be complied with even if they run
counter to the customer’s quality expectations.
Depending on the nature of your organizations products and services including the nature of
the industry that you represent, there may be organizational quality standards which are
mandatory and again, must override your customer’s quality expectations.
Here then, is general guidance for completing the quality management strategy document
for a particular project:
Introduction.
This will cover the purpose and objectives, the scope, and who is responsible for carrying
out this strategy – normally the project manager.
Here you will set out how the quality management procedure is tailored to your
organisational or programme quality management standards. Do not waste time in
repeating them all here, but merely clarify any variations that are needed for this particular
project.
You may find for example that this particular project contains products whose quality
checking method or metrics demand a variation in the normal process of assessing that
product for quality.
It is helpful to specify when detailed quality planning for specific products will be carried
out. This is normally included within the stage plan and hence such quality planning for the
next stage is done at the end of the current stage when preparing for an end stage
assessment (or if requested, an Exception Assessment).
Be aware, that certain products and the quality criteria required for them will not be
specified until the relevant product description is created or completed, and is therefore
included within the relevant work package.
When it comes to quality control, this must lay down the approach you will use to testing
and may include industry standard tests. It should lay out how quality activities will be
recorded for example in the use of error sheets, and what data will be recorded so that a
check can be made across the whole project for how quality is being achieved.
The project board are responsible for project assurance, and this may include how quality
assurance is running within the project and will be checked from outside the project so that
it is independent. In some cases the individuals filling the roles within the project board
may carry out their own project and hence quality, assurance.
Tools and techniques.
This lays down how quality is to be achieved within the project and any particular interfaces
with the organisation or programme level procedures. This may include specialized
equipment as well as particular techniques that need to be employed.
Again, you may find that this particular project will follow specific industry standard
techniques. In which case, just point the reader to where those standard techniques are
documented. You will normally find that if this projects products vary from your usual
quality management standards, then you will also need to clarify differing tools and
techniques to those normally used.
Records.
This lays down what records will be used to implement overall quality management in
addition to those only needed for quality control which has already been mentioned above.
The information here should clarify exactly where of such records are to be stored, how all,
and by whom.
PRINCE2 suggests that you describe the composition and formats for the quality register,
although frankly, inspecting the register is all you really need to do!
Timing of quality management activities.
If there are specific methods, processes, or activities then you may need to state when such
quality audits will be carried out. However, most quality activities are event-driven, and
typically would need to occur once a product has been completed and is ready for its quality
check.
You may need to specify the minimum number of audits required, and when such audits
should occur. Alternatively you may wish to specify a maximum time period between each
audit.
The most obvious points where an audit would be useful is when preparing for an end stage
assessment or an exception assessment. As part of closing down the project then an audit
should be carried out to check for example that all of the products have the status of
‘approved’.
Roles and responsibilities.
This lays down who is responsible for quality management activities, and may include
people from within the project, outside of the project but within the organization, or even
individuals outside of the organization such as consultants or safety inspectors as an
example.
Be careful not to dive into too much detail here, as each individual product description will
lay down exactly who is responsible for the various quality activities in creating each
product. This section of the quality management strategy should focus at a high-level and
point out specific resource needs that might be helpful as part of project planning.
The naming of particular consultants or safety inspectors for example, is particular
important to be documented here since their cost and availability may need to be included
within the project plan (or if appropriate, the relevant stage or even team plan).
It is worth pointing out that when creating the next stage plan, you should include the
approach and details of how quality will be carried out during that particular stage. You
should include exactly what testing is being carried out, who does it, how all, and when.