CHAPTER 6: Quality, Resources & Communication Planning

quality metrics

Measurements used to assess the quality of a project.

team charter

A document that outlines the team's purpose, objectives, and roles.

resource requirements

The necessary resources needed to complete project activities.

basis of estimates

The rationale and assumptions used to develop project estimates.

resource breakdown structure

A hierarchical decomposition of resources needed for a project.

project website

An online platform for sharing project information and updates.

quality management plan

A document that describes how quality will be managed throughout the project.

quality management

The process of ensuring that a project meets the stated or implied needs.

project communications management plan

A plan that outlines how project communications will be managed.

estimate activity resources

The process of determining the resources needed to complete project activities.

project management plan updates

Revisions made to the project management plan as the project progresses.

project documents updates

Changes made to project documents to reflect the current status of the project.

project schedule management planning processes

Processes involved in planning the project schedule.

critical path

The sequence of stages determining the minimum time needed for an operation.

cost management plan

A document that outlines how project costs will be managed and controlled.

cost estimate

An approximation of the costs required to complete project activities.

cost baseline

The approved version of the project budget, used as a basis for comparison.

project funding requirements

The amount of money required to complete the project.

milestones

Significant points or events in the project timeline.

network diagrams

Visual representations of project activities and their dependencies.

Gantt charts

Bar charts that illustrate a project schedule.

Conformance to requirements

Means that the project's processes and products meet written specifications.

Fitness for use

Means that a product can be used as it was intended.

Quality planning

Includes identifying which quality standards are relevant to the project and how best to satisfy those standards.

Common metrics

Include failure rates of products produced, availability of goods and services, and customer satisfaction ratings.

Project resource management

Concerned with making effective use of the people involved with a project as well as physical resources (materials, facilities, equipment, and infrastructure).

Project resource management plan

Can be separated into a team management plan and a physical resource management plan.

Team Management Plan

Key components include project organizational chart, responsibility assignment matrix, resource histogram, and staffing management plan.

Project organizational chart

A graphical representation of how authority and responsibility is distributed within the project.

Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM)

A matrix that maps the work of the project as described in the work breakdown structure (WBS) to the people responsible for performing the work.

WBS activities assignment

For smaller projects, it is best to assign WBS activities to individuals; for larger projects, it is more effective to assign the work to organizational units or teams.

RACI chart

A type of RAM that shows Responsibility (who does the task), Accountability (who signs off on the task), Consultation (who has information necessary to complete the task), and Informed (who needs to be notified of task status/results) roles for project stakeholders.

Resource histogram

A column chart that shows the number of resources required for or assigned to a project over time.

Project staffing needs planning

Senior managers often create a resource histogram in which columns represent the number of people needed in each skill category.

Customer quality level acceptance

The customer ultimately decides that the quality level is acceptable.

Size and complexity of quality management plans

Varies to meet project needs.

Graphical representation of authority

The size and complexity of the project determines how simple or complex the organizational chart is.

Key components of Team Management Plan

Include project organizational chart, responsibility assignment matrix, resource histogram, staffing management plan.

Stakeholder communications

Involves notifying stakeholders of task status/results.

Resource requirements over time

Resource histograms show the number of resources required for or assigned to a project over time.

Consultation role in RACI

Who has information necessary to complete the task.

Informed role in RACI

Who needs to be notified of task status/results.

Staffing Management Plan

A document that describes when and how people will be added to and removed from a project, including the types of people needed and how they will be acquired, trained, rewarded, and reassigned.

Estimating Activity Resources

The process of estimating the type, quantity, and characteristics of team and physical resources required to complete a project.

Resource Estimates

Quantitative assessments of the necessary resources that should be updated as needed during the project.

Important Questions in Activity Resource Estimating

Key considerations that include the difficulty of activities, unique project scope elements, suitability of specific resources, organizational history with similar activities, availability of people and materials, and assumptions made.

Just-In-Time Training Project

A training approach that delivers training content as it is needed, rather than in advance.

Project Communications Management

The process of generating, collecting, disseminating, and storing project information.

Communications Management Plan

A document that guides project communications, detailing stakeholder requirements, information formats, and communication methods.

Stakeholder Communications Requirements

The specific needs of stakeholders regarding the information they require from the project.

Quality

The degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfills requirements.

Project Resource Planning

The process of determining what resources are needed for the project and how they will be acquired.

Organization Chart

A visual representation of the project's organizational structure, showing roles and responsibilities.

Histogram Charts

Graphical representations of data distribution, often used in project management to visualize resource allocation.

Communication Management Plan Uses

To ensure effective communication among stakeholders, detailing what information will be shared and how.

Frequency of Communication

The regularity with which project information is communicated to stakeholders.

Escalation Procedures

Defined steps for addressing and resolving issues that arise during the project.

Revision Procedures

Guidelines for updating the communications management plan as project needs change.

Glossary of Common Terminology

A section in the communications management plan that defines key terms used throughout the project.