Who determines quality?

Quality is something that we strive for in all of our projects.

But what is quality?

Is it something amorphous thing that cannot be defined? Does it depend on the tastes of the individual?

Well in general life, almost certainly. What can be seen as “possessing quality” for one, may not measure up for another.

In project management and in business, quality is something that is thankfully easier to measure.

• Quality of production.
• Quality of delivery.
• Quality of design.

Quality is something that is (or should be contained) within every element of our projects.

It is spoken about and discussed, but many businesses in my experience do not measure quality in any meaningful way. Perhaps this is especially true within a professional services business.

ITIL, ISO or PMP can be mentioned at the drop of a hat.

We are an “accredited house” rolls of the tongues of sales men, project managers and general managers alike.

And indeed to  mention something along these lines is based on the fact that accreditation was sought and strived for. Something that was granted to the business by a relevant authority who deemed the business as having measured up to the criterion against which the particular business was being measured.

But what does accreditation actually mean if a customer is dissatisified with the project being delivered to them?

This, to me, is a more important measure of quality. The measures against which our customers judge the relative success or otherwise of a project.

And because it is our customers who judge the quality of our project deliverables, measure should be obvious and agreed up front as to how quality will be judged to facilitate sign-off.

Doing a design? How will your customer measure the quality of what you are delivering. How are you helping them to judge your work? How will they understand the quality of what you are delivering.

I have heard it said often that the customer does not appreciate the effort involved in producing quality work. They want to reduce cost and by so doing threaten the quality of your delivery.

If this is the case, make them aware of this fact. But only after you’ve given them the benchmark against which they will measure the quality of what you are delivering.

By giving them a measure, you are demonstrating you ability to assess meaningfully the quality of your project.

It is also giving you a tool to demonstrate how reducing price will impact that quality deliverable. It helps the arguments that will ensue later if they choose this path!