As a PM, quality assurance is a huge responsibility. What are some tasks that you would need to perform to obtain accurate assessment of quality assurance of your project? Once you have the results, how would you proceed from there?
Talk about the inputs and outputs of the quality assurance process.
Some tasks that I would need to perform to obtain an accurate assessment of quality assurance of my project is to make sure thorough research has been done on the project. I would also have to make sure that work performance of the team is going well and productivity levels of the employee are high. Moreover, I would need to make sure different departments that are involved with the project are communicating with each other. For instance, when the business management creates a timeline, I would have to ensure that the business manager communicated with the researcher on how long specific experiments will take. Making sure people are communicating is vital for the project success.The results of this inputs can lead to possible changes in the timeline or the design specification document.
The process to perform quality assurance includes both inputs and outputs. A couple of examples of quality assurance responsibilities in terms of inputs are process improvement plan, work performance and quality management plan. Quality management plan is within the DDP, while process improvement plan is based on the companies approach on work such as following the six sigma or stage gate strategies. Work performance is instilled to determine who is late on their work which can affect the Gantt chart and critical path. Outputs of Quality Assurance refer to request changes and recommended corrective actions. Request changes can result in the project to be pushed back to planning stages in some cases. Recommended corrective actions can lead to changes to SOP which also cause changes in the DDP. After quality assurance is complete then the next phase is the executing process, design verification and design validation.
As Betty explained the tasks needed to be performed by the PM to obtain accurate assessment of quality assurance of the project. To add to the next step, I would say that executing process, design verification and validation are where time management really kicks in. Everything is planned prior to that but this is where the PM actually needs to stick to the timeline for the project and make sure everything required is provided to the team members. This will avoid any delays or missing of milestones. Another important aspect is to make sure everything is on point so that no changes would be needed after design verification and validation. This also causes a delay in the project.
I would like to add to the above discussion that in any quality assurance, the corrective plan is vital to address any type of gaps in the quality controls or procedures. And in order to do that, the person responsible for the quality assurance must verify the source of the non- compliance as he is one who species the group with the responsibility for all tasks and actions, and it is possible for him to identify the persons responsible for the non-compliance without much difficulty. Another way is to have one person do the work and the other person can check it and find a solution to it, thus preventing the non-compliance from recurring.The person responsible for the quality assurance reports to the upper management must ensure that the group has access to all the required resources. Sometimes the solution is just making continuous improvements to the quality assurance plan. When the continuous feedback is applied in a consistent manner, the company's performance improves to a great extent.
From my experience the quality assurance team performs tests on everything that comes in for product to ensure that the material meets it's specifications. They also test materials from vendors, and ensure that the vendor material meet our specifications. From my experience the Quality assurance team's approval on the DHR is needed before releasing the material into production. In addition, they address concerns to the quality team if the material is not compliant with our standards. In a project aspect, once the material is passed in QA it can proceed to execution and analyze the inputs/outputs.
Chris
I agree with all the participants in the posts above regarding the role of PM and his or her duties of Quality Assurance. Quality Assurance responsibility is a huge task within Quality in a medical device industry. Few tasks that I will be responsible in terms of input are to make sure to obtain complete details of the manufacturing process before finalizing the deadline. Furthermore, I would have to meet with the subject matter expert (SME) to make sure research has been done completely on the project. Moreover, in terms of output, I would need to make sure all the correct documentation has been done and signed off by the appropriate manager. In the medical industry, documentation is more important and is required by the FDA to maintain record of production.
Some tools/techniques that can be used to assess quality assurance include:
Fishbone Diagram. In this cause-and-effect type diagram factors causing a defect are listed as inputs and their combined efforts may output the possible defect. For example, inputs such as suspicious, unchecked glue suppliers, high humidity in the factory, and an untrained workforce may output poorly sticking labels. This output would require a change request in the supplier and/or better air quality and/or a training program to improve the quality of the product's label adhesion.
Cost of Quality (COQ). In this hierarchical chart outputs are quantified and assessed on the basis of the quality of their inputs; meaning, how to best utilize our resources to prevent poor product quality while keeping costs as low as possible? Would hiring a large workforce possible prevent defects (and associated costs) from arising? Would running an audit on your supplier result in a better inspection check? Are these improvements worth paying for?
The results of these quality assurance processes help ensure that the final product is at optimum quality level.
Adding on to this, here are some more quality assurance tools and techniques:
Pareto chart: This is a bar graph where length represents frequency (e.g. of complaints) or cost, and where the bars are arranged left to right in order of longest bar to shortest bar. Here the most significant matters to address are located on the left. These help when there are a multitude of problems to address and you only have the resources to focus on the most significant ones.
Control chart: Basically a standard line chart where data is plotted over time and compared to an average. This can be handy in observing an outcome as a project progresses, seeing if a process is stable, and projecting outcomes in the future. The average may be previously acquired historical data or it could be a minimum goal to be met.
I concur with every one of the members in the posts above in regards to the part of PM and his or her obligations of Quality Assurance. Quality Assurance duty is a gigantic undertaking inside Quality in a medicinal gadget industry. Few errands that I will be dependable as far as info are to make a point to get finish subtle elements of the assembling procedure before settling the due date. Moreover, I would need to meet with the topic master (SME) to ensure investigate has been done totally on the venture. Also, as far as yield, I would need to ensure all the right documentation has been done and closed down by the fitting supervisor. In the therapeutic business, documentation is more essential and is required by the FDA to keep up record of generation.
I go with most of the members int the above post. Quality Assurance is really a beg deal for any project. Whatever the project may be the quality must be assessed so that the value of any project would be raised with that. Even being one of the biggest project without a better quality then there would be a great downfall of it in the market. Fish bone diagram, Control Chart are really most worth ones. They shows us the real value in the quality of a project or a product. Quality also important in the project progression. So on the whole the quality assurance is really a huge task for a Project Manager.
As a project manager, ensuring quality assurance is a crucial responsibility. To obtain an accurate assessment of quality assurance for a project, the following tasks may need to be performed:
-
Define quality criteria: The project manager must define the quality criteria for the project in collaboration with stakeholders. This may involve identifying quality standards, defining acceptance criteria, and specifying quality control measures.
-
Develop a quality assurance plan: Based on the quality criteria, the project manager must develop a quality assurance plan that outlines the activities, procedures, and resources required to meet the quality goals.
-
Conduct quality audits: The project manager must conduct regular quality audits to evaluate compliance with quality standards and procedures. This may involve reviewing project documentation, observing project activities, and conducting interviews with project team members.
-
Identify and document defects: During the quality audit, the project manager must identify and document any defects or non-conformances. This may involve analyzing data, conducting root cause analysis, and determining corrective and preventive actions.
-
Implement corrective and preventive actions: The project manager must implement corrective and preventive actions to address any defects or non-conformances identified during the quality audit. This may involve updating project plans, revising procedures, and providing additional training or resources to project team members.
Once the results of the quality assurance process have been obtained, the project manager must evaluate the findings and determine whether any corrective or preventive actions are required. If corrective or preventive actions are necessary, the project manager should develop and implement a plan to address the issues identified.
The inputs and outputs of the quality assurance process may include:
Inputs:
- Quality criteria and standards
- Quality assurance plan
- Project plans and documentation
- Data from project activities
- Feedback from stakeholders
Outputs:
- Quality audit reports
- Non-conformance reports
- Corrective and preventive action plans
- Updated project plans and documentation
- Training and resource plans
Overall, the quality assurance process is critical for ensuring that project deliverables meet the required quality standards and satisfy stakeholder expectations. By performing regular quality audits, identifying defects, and implementing corrective and preventive actions, the project manager can help ensure the success of the project.
As a PM, quality assurance is a huge responsibility. What are some tasks that you would need to perform to obtain accurate assessment of quality assurance of your project? Once you have the results, how would you proceed from there?
As some have already expressed, there are multiple ways to ensure consistent quality within a project. A few such methods I would employ would be to perform tasks such as establishing a quality management plan and conducting regular quality audits. Once the results are obtained, I will analyze them to identify any areas that need improvement and develop a plan of action to address those issues. Additionally, I characterized the metrics for what is considered "quality' along with ensuring that all team members are aware of these standards. Once you have the results, you can use them to identify areas for improvement, implement corrective actions, and continuously monitor and improve the quality of your project.
Quality assurance refers to a process that helps in ensuring or improving the quality of products or in meeting the quality standards set by the organization. Usually, most organizations or industries consider their quality assurance program as a promise to internal shareholders and customers that the organization would bring high-quality goods or products that provide a constructive user experience. QA is a wide procedure for inhibiting quality failures. In general, the QA department is engaged in every step of product development such as production, packaging, testing, and delivery. Here, the roles of quality assurance engineers will differ from organization to organization. Some responsibilities are feature testing, integration testing, usability testing, system testing, developing test plans built on programmed scripts to verify the product, and creating standards to ensure quality software code. While the process improvement plan depends on how the company approaches work, such as using the six sigma or stage gate methodologies, the quality management plan is part of the DDP. Who is late with their task is identified based on work performance, which might have an impact on the critical path and Gantt chart. Requests for adjustments and suggested corrective actions are examples of quality assurance outputs. In rare circumstances, requests for adjustments may cause the project to be pushed back to the planning phases
First, all the documentation needs to be in order. Risk assessment, verification protocols, verification reports, and so on. All the tests, failures, and changes need to be recorded. From there, we can do a study of how the product is being developed. We can analyze the data on the quality of the product, what makes it stable, and what does not. Quality control is very involved in the validation of the product to be released in the market, QA validates the information handed by QC.
