Quality Planning: Quality Planning

.6 Approved Change Requests Approved change requests Section 4.4.1.4 can include modifications such as revised work methods and revised schedule. The timely correct implementation of approved changes needs to be verified. .7 Deliverables Described in Section 4.4.3.1.

8.3.2 Perform Quality Control: Tools and Techniques

The first seven of these are known as the Seven Basic Tools of Quality. .1 Cause and Effect Diagram Cause and effect diagrams, also called Ishikawa diagrams or fishbone diagrams, illustrate how various factors might be linked to potential problems or effects. Figure 8-6 is an example of a cause and effect diagram. Figure 8-6. Cause and Effect Diagram .2 Control Charts A control charts purpose is to determine whether or not a process is stable or has predictable performance. Control charts may serve as a data gathering tool to show when a process is subject to special cause variation, which creates an out-of-control condition. Control charts also illustrate how a process behaves over time. They are a graphic display of the interaction of process variables on a process to answer the question: Are the process variables within acceptable limits? Examination of the non-random pattern of data points on a control chart may reveal wildly fluctuating values, sudden process jumps or shifts, or a gradual trend in increased variation. By monitoring the output of a process over time, a control chart can be employed to assess whether the application of process changes resulted in the desired improvements. When a process is within acceptable limits, the process need not be adjusted. When a process is outside acceptable limits, the process should be adjusted. The upper control limit and lower control limit are usually set at +- 3 sigma i.e., standard deviation. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge PMBOK ® Guide Third Edition 192 2004 Project Management Institute, Four Campus Boulevard, Newtown Square, PA 19073-3299 USA Control charts can be used for both project and product life cycle processes. An example of project use of control charts is determining whether cost variances or schedule variances are outside of acceptable limits for example, +- 10 percent. An example of product use of control charts is evaluating whether the number of defects found during testing are acceptable or unacceptable in relation to the organization’s standards for quality. Control charts can be used to monitor any type of output variable. Although used most frequently to track repetitive activities, such as manufactured lots, control charts also can be used to monitor cost and schedule variances, volume and frequency of scope changes, errors in project documents, or other management results to help determine if the project management process is in control. Figure 8-7 is an example of a control chart of project schedule performance. 8 Figure 8-7. Example of a Control Chart of Project Schedule Performance .3 Flowcharting Flowcharting helps to analyze how problems occur. A flowchart is a graphical representation of a process. There are many styles, but all process flowcharts show activities, decision points, and the order of processing. Flowcharts show how various elements of a system interrelate. Figure 8-8 is an example of a process flowchart for design reviews. Flowcharting can help the project team anticipate what and where quality problems might occur and, thus, can help develop approaches for dealing with them. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge PMBOK ® Guide Third Edition 2004 Project Management Institute, Four Campus Boulevard, Newtown Square, PA 19073-3299 USA 193