A framework for managing quality on system development projects

Abstract

While project performance is generally evaluated in terms of the "iron triangle" of schedule, cost and quality performance, guidelines for project quality management are lacking. Practitioners developing complex engineering systems employ several techniques to manage quality but project management literature merely emphasizes quality management processes and provides few guidelines regarding appropriate techniques. Where these techniques are addressed, they tend to be borrowed from high-volume production and statistical quality control, while providing few guidelines for the management of quality on non-repetitive project endeavors such as system development. In this paper a framework for managing quality on system development projects is proposed. The strong link between techniques for Project Quality Management and Project Risk Management is also highlighted.