Module 8 Questions Dr. Bill Dafnis

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Seminole State College of Florida *

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Management

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Feb 20, 2024

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Module 8 Questions 1. Discuss some examples of poor quality in IT projects presented in “What Went Wrong?” section. Could most of these problems have been avoided? Why do you think there are so many examples of poor quality in IT projects? Examples of poor quality in IT projects in what went wrong are: lacks fitness of use (inability of the IT devices to work as planned or advertised), unprecedented happenings (weather, loose wire, etc.) or bad management such as Wells Fargo. I don’t think most of these problems could have been avoided. I think there are so many poor-quality IT products because a lot of them are built with trial and error. Sometimes money is an issue, labor, sometimes material quality, every IT project is different. Personally, I think Wells Fargo stole the money, I doubt it was lost. Many technical projects fail because the project team focuses only on meeting the written requirements for the main products being created and ignores other stakeholder needs and expectations for a project. If a person makes something and it works so many times, produced results, why would they decide to go farther. Many people operate for funds, they want the money in their pocket whether the customer likes it. Especially when it’s a product no one else makes, where are you going to get a different one that does the same thing. We have been brought up to accept the failure of IT devices such as the computer. I used to hit my monitor to get it to light up when I was young, and it’s not like an everyday thing you can just go buy a new computer. Luckily you don’t have to abuse your computer anymore for it to work but maybe that’s a Bill Gates thing. 2. What are the main processes in project quality management? Figure 8-1 1. Planning Quality Management- includes identifying which quality requirements and standards are relevant to the project and how to satisfy them. Inputs to the quality planning process are organizational policies related to quality, the particular projects scope statement and product description. Outputs include quality management plan, quality metrics, project management plan updates, and project documents updates. 2. Managing Quality- involves translating the quality management plan into executable quality activities that must adhere to the organization’s quality policies. Main Inputs are quality management plan, project documents, and organizational process assets. Main outputs are quality reports, test and evaluation documents, change requests, project management plan updates, and project documents updates. It uses quality assurance which is often used to describe the activities related to satisfying the relevant quality standards for a project. Important tool for managers is a quality audit. 3. Controlling Quality- Monitoring specific projects results to ensure that they are complete, correct, and meet customer expectations. Pareto charts, quality control charts, and statistical sampling can help. Main Outputs are quality control measurements, verified deliverables, work performance information, change requests, project management plan updates, and project documents updates. 3. Why is quality management becoming more important? What does it mean to use lean in quality assurance? It ensures a product/service has quality and is responsible by the project manager. It keeps a business in business and improves performance by reducing costs on unnecessary costly actions. To use lean in

quality assurance means to apply a set of principles and practices that aim to eliminate waste, reduce variation, and improve customer satisfaction in the process of ensuring the quality of products or services. Lean quality assurance is based on the idea that quality is not only the result of inspection and testing, but also the outcome of building quality into every step of the value stream. Common methods and tools used in lean quality assurance are: Six Sigma, 5 Y, and Compliance. 4. How do functionality, system outputs, performance, reliability, and maintainability requirements affect quality planning? They are important scope aspects of IT Projects and must all be addressed when developing a product. Functionality- The degree to which a system performs its intended function. Quality planning should be based on the functionality of a product. It is important to clarify what functions and features the system must perform, and what functions and features are optional. System Outputs-the screens and reports the system generates. This affects quality planning in making reports/screens easily accessible, readable, and interpretable with suitable formats. Performance- addresses how well a product or service performs the customers’ intended use. Performance can help identify the quality standards and requirements that are relevant and achievable for the project or process. It can also help monitor and control the quality of the project or process throughout its life cycle. To design a system with high-quality performance, project stakeholders must address many issues. Reliability- The ability of a product or service to perform as expected under normal conditions. Reliability can be improved by reducing the probability of failure, increasing the mean time between failures, and enhancing the maintainability and availability of the product or service. Maintainability- Addresses the ease of performing maintenance on a product. Most IT products cannot reach 100 percent reliability, but stakeholders must define their expectations. Project Managers and their teams need to consider all of these project scope issues in determining quality goals for the project. 5. What are benchmarks, and how can they assist in performing quality assurance? Describe typical benchmarks associated with a college or university. Benchmarking- Generates ideas for quality improvements by comparing specific project practices or product characteristics to those of other projects or products within or outside the performing organization. A typical Benchmark could be the Business Accreditation received by Seminole State College. Another benchmark could be an online library, tutoring center, and could be anything from improving the quality of materials in labs. Improving online processes by developing a uniform platform. 6. What are the three main categories of outputs for quality control?

Acceptance Decisions, Rework, and Process Adjustments are the 3 main categories of outputs for quality control. Acceptance Decisions- Decisions that determine if the products or services produced as part of the project will be accepted (validated deliverables) or rejected(rework). Rework- Action taken to bring rejected items into compliance with product requirements, specifications, or other stakeholder expectations. Rework often results in requested changes and validated defect repair, and it results from recommended defect repair or corrective or preventative actions. Process Adjustments- Adjustments made to correct or prevent further quality problems based on quality control measurements. Process adjustments often result in updated to organization process assets and the project management plan. 7. Provide examples of when you would use at least three of the Seven Basic Tools of Quality on an IT project. 8-6 Checklist- I would use a checklist for employee tasks of employees. They would be able to check off who did the task by signature and know what tasks need to be completed. I would use that checklist to go over the work, make sure it was done, take note of quality of work, and either make suggestions for better performance or congratulate an employee. Flowchart- I would use a flowchart to help stakeholders visualize processes that happen at a workplace, or to make a product. Sample Scatter Diagram- I would use a sample scatter diagram to evaluate the age of a customer, and the satisfaction rating of my business. This would let me know what age range is most unhappy with my product. 8. Discuss the history of modern quality management. How have experts such as Deming, Juran, Crosby, and Taguchi affected the quality movement and today’s use of lean and Six Sigma? Deming- Higher quality meant greater productivity and lower cost. Most Six Sigma principles are based on the plan-do-check-act-model created by Deming. He also made the 14 points for management which include: 1. Create constancy of purpose for improvement of product and service 2. Adopt the new philosophy. 3. Cease dependence on inspection to achieve quality. 4. End the practice of awarding business based on price tag alone. Instead, minimize total cost by working with a single supplier. 5. Improve constantly and forever every process for planning, production, and service. 6. Institute training on the job. 7. Adopt and institute leadership. 8. Drive out fear. 9. Break down barriers between staff areas.

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10. Eliminate Slogans, exhortations, and targets for the workforce. 11. Eliminate numerical quotas for the workforce. 12. Remove barriers that rob people of workmanship. Eliminate the annual rating or merit system. 13. Institute a vigorous program of education and self-improvement for everyone 14. Put everyone in the company to work to accomplish the transformation. Juran- developed the Juran Trilogy: Quality improvement, quality planning and quality control. Made the book out of the crisis. He also stresses the difference between the manufacturers view of quality and the customers view. Juran developed 10 steps to quality improvements: 1. Build awareness of the need and opportunity for improvement 2. Set goals for improvement. 3. Organize to reach the goals (establish quality council, identify problems, select projects, appoint teams, designate facilitators) 4. Provide training. 5. Carry out projects to solve problems. 6. Report Progress 7. Give Recognition 8. Communicate Results 9. Keep Score. 10. Maintain momentum by making annual improvement part of the regular systems and processes of the company. Crosby- He strives for zero defects. Crosby developed the Quality Management Process Maturity Grid in 1978. This grid can be applied to an organization’s attitude toward product usability. Crosby developed the following 14 steps for quality improvements: 1. Make it clear that management is committed to quality 2. Form quality improvement teams with representatives from each department 3. Determine where current and potential quality problems lie 4. Evaluate the cost of quality and explain its use as a management tool 5. Raise the quality awareness and personal concern of all employees. 6. Take actions to correct problems identified through previous steps. 7. Establish a committee for the zero-defects program. 8. Train supervisors to actively carry out their part of the quality improvement program. 9. Hold a “zero-defects day” to let all employees realize that there has been a change. 10. Encourage individuals to establish improvement goals for themselves and their groups. 11. Encourage employees to communicate to management the obstacles they face in attaining their improvement goals. 12. Recognize and appreciate those who participate. 13. Establish quality councils to communicate on a regular basis. 14. Do it all over again to emphasize that the quality improvement program never ends. Taguchi- best known for developing the Taguchi methods for optimizing the process of engineering experimentation. Key concepts in the Taguchi methods are that quality should be designed into the product and not inspected into it, and that quality is best achieved by

minimizing deviation from the target value. He made robust Design methods that focus on eliminating defects by substituting scientific inquiry for trial-and-error methods and is used by Xerox, Ford, Hewlett-Packard, Goodyear, and more. 9. Discuss three suggestions for improving IT project quality that were not made in this chapter. 1. Take time to review the status of a project at each phase, present information to all stakeholders and parts of the organization to receive validation, and test products thoroughly. 2. Develop prototypes, conduct performance reviews. 3. Make realistic schedule expectations, conduct reality checks, verify schedule progress, and report to stakeholders. 10. Describe three types of software that can assist in project quality management. 1. IOS network or ISO 9000- a quality system standard developed by the ISO, is a three-part, continuous cycle of planning, controlling, and documenting quality in an organization. The standards provide guidance and tools for companies and organizations who want to ensure that their products and services consistently meet customer’s requirements, and that quality is consistently improved. 2. Microsoft Project with Gnatt Charts-help you plan and track work related to project quality management 3. spreadsheet and charting software to create charts and diagrams from many of the Seven Basic Tools of Quality. 11. What are some of the considerations for project quality management in agile/adaptive environments? Agile methods call for frequent quality and review steps built in throughout the project rather than toward the end of the project. Agile methods focus on small batches of work, incorporating as many elements of project deliverables as possible. Small batch systems aim to uncover inconsistencies and quality issues earlier in the project life cycle when the overall costs of change are lower. It is good to uncover quality issues in small batches, but sometimes there are much bigger issues that must be addressed on an organizational level. The same can be said for quality improvement. If one small team discovers a way to improve quality, it is important to share that information throughout the organization. Chapter Quiz 1. Blank is the degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfills requirements. Answer a.Quality b. Conformance to requirements c. Fitness for use d. Reliability

2. What is the purpose of project quality management? Answer a. To produce the highest-quality products and services possible b. To ensure that appropriate quality standards are met c. To ensure that the project will satisfy the needs for which it was undertaken d. All of the above 3. Blank generates ideas for quality improvements by comparing specific project practices or product characteristics to those of other projects or products within or outside the performing organization. Answer A. Quality audits B. Design of experiments C. Six Sigma D. Benchmarking 4. What does the term kaizen mean? Answer A. Minimize waste B. value C. Do it right the first time D. Improvement 5. What tool can you use to determine whether a process is in control or out of control? Answer A. A cause-and-effect diagram B. A control chart C. A run chart D. A control panel diagram 6. Six Sigma’s target for perfection is the achievement of no more than defects, errors, or mistakes per million opportunities. Answer A. 6 B. 9 C. 3.4 7. The seven run rule states that if seven data points in a row on a control chart are all below the mean, above the mean, or all increasing or decreasing, then the process needs to be examined for problems. Answer a. random

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b. nonrandom c. Six Sigma d. quality 8. What is the preferred order for performing testing on IT projects? Answer a. Unit testing, integration testing, system testing, user acceptance testing b. Unit testing, system testing, integration testing, user acceptance testing c. Unit testing, system testing, user acceptance testing, integration testing d. Unit testing, integration testing, user acceptance testing, system testing 9. Blank is known for his work on quality control in Japan, and he developed the 14 Points for Management in his text Out of the Crisis. Answer A. Juran B. Deming C. Crosby D. Ishikawa 10. PMI’s OPM3® is an example of a model or framework for helping organizations improve their processes and systems. Answer A. benchmarking B. Six Sigma C. maturity D. quality Notes: Ishikawa’s Guide to Quality Control made book Guide to Quality Control in 1972. He developed the concept of quality circles and pioneered the use of cause-and-effect diagrams, as described earlier in this chapter. Quality circles are groups of nonsupervisors and work leaders in a single company department who volunteer to conduct group studies on how to improve the effectiveness of work in their department. Feigenbaum and Workers’ Responsibility for Quality- Armand V. Feigenbaum developed the concept of total quality control (TQC) in his 1983 book Total Quality Control: Engineering and Management. He proposed that the responsibility for quality should rest with the people who do the work. In TQC, product quality is more important than production rates, and workers are allowed to stop production whenever a quality problem occurs.

Module 8 Questions Dr. Bill Dafnis

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