The cost of quality refers to the total cost of all the processes that are involved in producing a quality product or service. This includes costs that ensure all specified requirements are met, as well as the costs of nonconformance to those requirements. There are three types of costs associated with quality.
1. Prevention
Prevention costs are those costs associated with planning and implementing the project so that it is error-free. Prevention costs are an investment in quality, as they help the project manager ensure that the project is done right the first time. This helps reduce project rework or revisions.
It is cost-effective to find and fix product defects before they reach the customer. When planning, 70 percent of the total cost of quality should be focused on prevention. For example, you can include the costs of staff training, process studies, and vendor surveys in your prevention costs, since all of these can help you ensure project quality.
2. Appraisal
Appraisal costs are the second type of quality cost. These costs are associated with evaluating the working processes and the product to determine how well they will meet customer needs. Ideally, appraisal costs should make up approximately 15 percent of the total cost of quality.
There are many types of appraisal costs, including inspection and testing, maintenance of test equipment, and various types of design reviews, which are described below.
- Internal design reviews. These reviews are carried out within the company by its own employees. They check to make sure that processes and products meet the specified quality requirements.
- External design reviews. These reviews are performed by people outside the company. The findings are reported to company officials.
- Walk-through design reviews. These design reviews check the quality of the products coming off the line. The findings of these spot checks are used to correct quality problems.
- Expense design reviews. These reviews compare the project budget with the actual costs and are important for future project budgeting.
The last type of cost associated with quality assurance is failure costs. These are incurred when a product does not meet customer requirements. Failure costs can be internal or external.
- Internal failure costs are the costs incurred to correct product defects before they reach the customer.
- External failure costs are the costs incurred to correct product defects that were not detected before reaching the customer.
There are many factors that contribute to the preparation and delivery of a quality product. When planning for the cost of quality, remember to include all the types of quality costs—prevention, appraisal, internal failure, and external failure. Keep in mind that it is cost-effective to find and fix any defects in a product before it reaches the hands of the consumer.
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Tag: PM206A56. Let me share all of you about #5 Tips for Project Management Success,, I hope you enjoy it
1. Plan your day using time management techniques
As a project manager, time management skills are essential because you are dealing with a wide range of tasks that demand a quick turnaround time. Planning your day will go a long way in keeping you organized and increasing your productivity. Assist your task planning by using project management software which helps you track the work of you and your team.
If you are not very tech savvy, a simple to-do list can also be a great organizational tool. Prioritize your most important tasks by putting them at the top of the list and less important ones at the bottom. Having a visual plan of your daily tasks helps to keep you on track and aware of time.
Related post: Free ebook 104 secrets to become a great project manager
2. Include stakeholders in important project conversations
While you will have plenty of responsibilities regarding the project, don’t neglect your clients.
Good communication is essential is keeping both parties informed of project progression, curtailing scope creep, and apprised of changing requirements. Some clients may have different expectations when it comes to communication, so make sure to establish the frequency and type of communication (like emails, phone calls, and face-to-face conversations) at the beginning of your project.
Establishing communication expectations early helps alleviate stakeholder uncertainty about communication frequency and delivery.
3. Regularly communicate with your team
Daily team communication helps keep misunderstandings and unclear requirements under control. Keeping your team informed in every step of the project is essential to project management success.
For example, a study published by Procedia Technology found that good communication skills were the cornerstone of project management. The study examined over 300 “construction project managers, architects, construction managers, engineers and quantity surveyors” and their successes and failures on various construction projects.
4. Anticipate project setbacks
Even the best-laid plans often go awry.
Remember that even with a high amount of planning and attention to detail, your project may still encounter some challenges. Pay attention to complaints from stakeholders or colleagues, and other warning signs, like a missed deadline or cost overrun, that there may be a problem.
Preventing a crisis will keep your project running smoothly, save you a lot of time, and keep you, your team, and your stakeholders confident in progressing with the project.
Unfortunately not every complication can be avoided. Crisis management skills are essential for dealing with the unexpected. Project managers need to be flexible and pragmatic. Improvise and make sharp decisions when needed.
Related post: 92 free project management templates
5. Stay focused on the details
A common problem project managers encounter is having the project aims not aligned with the organization’s objectives. A great project manager will strategize a plan for the project to lead back to the overall success of the business.
Know your project’s scope by heart and avoid wandering outside of the project’s requirements. It’s too easy to get lost in minor details and forget what your focus is, so a well-planned project scope is essential for success.
And final, you should use KPI to measure effectiveness of the project, here are full list: 76 project management KPIs
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