The Project Quality Management knowledge area accounts for 7 percent (21) of the questions on the CAPM exam. The PMBOK Guide, Sixth Edition, Sections 8.1 through 8.3, cover the three processes in the Project Quality Management knowledge area.

This chapter focuses on the topic of Project Quality Management. Project Quality Management, like the other knowledge areas, begins with a process of planning that produces a quality management plan. It then has an executing process, Manage Quality, which is focused on defining and checking the quality of the processes in the project. It also has a monitoring and controlling process, Control Quality, which is focused upon defining and inspecting the quality of the project deliverables.

You may need to pay attention in this chapter to those activities and the range of different quality tools that are described, because many of them may be new to you.

The 21 practice questions in this chapter are mapped to the style and frequency of question types you will see on the CAPM exam.

Q QUESTIONS

1.   What are the three processes in the Quality Management knowledge area?

A.   Control Quality, Manage Quality, Plan Quality Management

B.   Plan Quality Management, Control Assurance, Perform Quality Control

C.   Perform Quality Control, Determine Quality, Plan Quality Management

D.   Plan Quality Management, Assure Quality, Control Quality

2.   Which of the following is not one of the data representation techniques used in the Project Quality Management knowledge area?

A.   Checklists

B.   Scatter diagrams

C.   Control chart

D.   Affinity diagram

3.   What does it mean if a single data point appears above the upper specification limit on a control chart?

A.   The process is in control and the customer is happy.

B.   The process may be out of control, and consideration should be given to checking the process soon.

C.   A single data point outside the upper specification is okay. You only need to be concerned if there are seven consecutive data points outside either of the specification limits.

D.   The process is out of control and requires immediate action, because the customer will not accept any deliverables outside the specification limit.

4.   What is the best definition of quality?

A.   Quality is whatever the customer says is right.

B.   Quality is the degree to which a product can be used for its intended purpose.

C.   Quality is the degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfills requirements.

D.   Quality is the number of features that the product has.

5.   What is the best definition of the principle of Kaizen?

A.   Defining quality processes and checking that they are being used

B.   Continuously improving

C.   Checking the quality of the product

D.   Having a quality management plan

6.   If you are considering the impact of potential future warranty claims as part of your quality management plan, what are you considering?

A.   Cost of quality

B.   Quality assurance

C.   Benchmarking

D.   Prevention over inspection

7.   If you are using a diagram to determine the potential causes of quality issues, what would you be using?

A.   Control chart

B.   Histogram

C.   Checksheet

D.   Fishbone diagram

8.   If you are testing and measuring a small sample and extrapolating those results to be indicative of a total population, what tool or technique are you using?

A.   Benchmarking

B.   Statistical sampling

C.   Design of experiments

D.   Brainstorming

9.   If you are conducting an audit to check whether processes are being followed correctly, what process are you involved in?

A.   Plan Quality Management

B.   Control Quality

C.   Manage Quality

D.   Perform Quality Audit

10.   What are the variables and allowable variations called that should be measured as part of the Manage Quality and Control Quality processes?

A.   Quality control measurements

B.   Quality checklists

C.   Quality metrics

D.   Cost of quality

11.   Which quality process uses inspection as a tool or technique?

A.   Plan Quality Management

B.   Control Quality

C.   Manage Quality

D.   Perform Quality Inspection

12.   Translating the quality management plan into executable quality activities during the execution phase is:

A.   Execute Quality Management

B.   Manage Quality

C.   Control Quality

D.   Project Quality Management

13.   A structured, independent process to determine whether project activities comply with project policies, processes, and procedures is called a:

A.   Quality inspection

B.   Quality audit

C.   Retrospective

D.   Quality demo

14.   You are translating the quality management plan into executable quality activities. Which of the following inputs will be least helpful to you?

A.   Quality control measurements

B.   Process improvement plan

C.   Lessons learned register

D.   Risk report

15.   Two of the common quality improvement tools are:

A.   Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control (DMAIC) and three-point estimating

B.   Design of experiments (DOE) and mean time between failures (MTBF)

C.   Logical data models and suppliers, inputs, process, outputs, and customers (SIPOC)

D.   Plan–do–check–act (PDCA) and Six Sigma

16.   Which of the following is least useful as an input for managing quality?

A.   Quality control measurements

B.   Quality metrics

C.   Risk report

D.   Resource capabilities and availability

17.   Which of the following is least useful as an input for performing the Manage Quality process?

A.   Quality management plan

B.   Quality metrics

C.   Resource availability

D.   Lessons learned register

18.   Which project management processes in the Executing process group provide change requests as an input to the Perform Integrated Change Control process?

A.   Direct and Manage Project Execution, Schedule Control

B.   Manage Quality, Project Contract Administration

C.   Direct and Manage Project Work, Perform Quality Control

D.   Implement Risk Responses, Manage Quality, Direct and Manage Project Work

19.   Which of the following is an input to the Manage Quality process?

A.   Quality metrics

B.   Project requirements

C.   Change requests

D.   Validated deliverables

20.   A project manager is trying to identify the best project practices being used and gaps between best practices and current practices, as well as sharing the best practices introduced or implemented in similar projects in the organization. This is known as:

A.   Developing the quality metrics

B.   Performing a quality audit

C.   Setting the quality baseline

D.   Building quality checklists

21.   Recommending corrective actions to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the organization falls under the Manage Quality process ITTOs (inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs). This list of actions is documented as:

A.   Change requests

B.   Organizational process asset (OPA) updates

C.   Project management plan updates

D.   Recommended preventive actions

QUICK ANSWER KEY

1. A

2. A

3. D

4. C

5. B

6. A

7. D

8. B

9. C

10. C

11. B

12. B

13. B

14. B

15. D

16. D

17. C

18. D

19. A

20. B

21. C

ANSWERS A

1.   What are the three processes in the Quality Management knowledge area?

A.   Control Quality, Manage Quality, Plan Quality Management

B.   Plan Quality Management, Control Assurance, Perform Quality Control

C.   Perform Quality Control, Determine Quality, Plan Quality Management

D.   Plan Quality Management, Assure Quality, Control Quality

  A. The three processes in the Quality Management knowledge area are Plan Quality Management, Manage Quality, and Control Quality.

  B, C, and D are incorrect. B is incorrect because there is no process called Control Assurance. C is incorrect because there is no process called Perform Quality Control or Determine Quality. D is incorrect because there is no process called Assure Quality.

2.   Which of the following is not one of the data representation techniques used in the Project Quality Management knowledge area?

A.   Checklists

B.   Scatter diagrams

C.   Control chart

D.   Affinity diagram

  A. Checklists are a data-gathering technique not a data representation technique.

  B, C, and D are incorrect. B is incorrect because the scatter diagram is one of the data representation techniques used in the Control Quality process. C is incorrect because control charts are a data representation technique used in the Control Quality process. D is incorrect because affinity diagrams are a data representation technique used in the Manage Quality process.

3.   What does it mean if a single data point appears above the upper specification limit on a control chart?

A.   The process is in control and the customer is happy.

B.   The process may be out of control, and consideration should be given to checking the process soon.

C.   A single data point outside the upper specification is okay. You only need to be concerned if there are seven consecutive data points outside either of the specification limits.

D.   The process is out of control and requires immediate action, because the customer will not accept any deliverables outside the specification limit.

  D. Any data point outside the specification limits indicates that the process is out of control and should be investigated immediately.

  A, B, and C are incorrect. A is incorrect because a data point outside the specification limit does not mean that the process is in control; the customer will not pay for anything that is outside the specification limit. B is incorrect because a data point outside the specification limit indicates that the process is out of control and should be investigated immediately. C is incorrect because a single data point outside the specification limit indicates that something is wrong. The rule of seven applies to consecutive data points within the control limits.

4.   What is the best definition of quality?

A.   Quality is whatever the customer says is right.

B.   Quality is the degree to which a product can be used for its intended purpose.

C.   Quality is the degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfills requirements.

D.   Quality is the number of features that the product has.

  C. Quality is the degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfills requirements—remember this definition for the exam.

  A, B, and D are incorrect. A is incorrect because quality doesn’t necessarily relate to what the customer says is right, unless what the customer says is right is captured in the requirements. B is incorrect because quality is more than the degree to which a product can be used for its intended purpose. D is incorrect because the amount of features a product has, or does not have, refers to grade, not quality.

5.   What is the best definition of the principle of Kaizen?

A.   Defining quality processes and checking that they are being used

B.   Continuously improving

C.   Checking the quality of the product

D.   Having a quality management plan

  B. Kaizen is the loose Japanese translation of the term continuously improving.

  A, C, and D are incorrect. A is incorrect because defining quality processes and checking that they are being used is the process of Quality Assurance. C is incorrect because checking the quality of the product is the process of Quality Control. D is incorrect because having a quality management plan is the process of Planning Quality Management.

6.   If you are considering the impact of potential future warranty claims as part of your quality management plan, what are you considering?

A.   Cost of quality

B.   Quality assurance

C.   Benchmarking

D.   Prevention over inspection

  A. Cost of quality, mirrored by the cost of low quality, considers the impacts of quality decisions over the entire life of the product.

  B, C, and D are incorrect. B is incorrect because quality assurance is the process of defining processes and checking that you are using them as planned. C is incorrect because benchmarking is the process of comparing your efforts against other projects or organizations. D is incorrect because prevention over inspection is a key concept of the overall approach to Project Quality Management.

7.   If you are using a diagram to determine the potential causes of quality issues, what would you be using?

A.   Control chart

B.   Histogram

C.   Checksheet

D.   Fishbone diagram

  D. A fishbone diagram, also called an Ishikawa diagram or cause-and-effect diagram, shows a graphical representation of potential causes of an event.

  A, B, and C are incorrect. A is incorrect because a control chart maps data points against an expected mean; upper and lower control limits set three standard deviations either side of the mean. B is incorrect because a histogram, or bar chart, is a graphical way of representing frequency or total occurrences of data. C is incorrect because a checksheet is a standardized description of processes, steps, and information to be completed or gathered.

8.   If you are testing and measuring a small sample and extrapolating those results to be indicative of a total population, what tool or technique are you using?

A.   Benchmarking

B.   Statistical sampling

C.   Design of experiments

D.   Brainstorming

  B. Statistical sampling means taking a small sample of a total population for testing and then assuming those results apply to the entire population. It is used when there are simply too many tests to be done or when the testing involves destructive actions.

  A, C, and D are incorrect. A is incorrect because benchmarking is the process of comparing your efforts against other projects or organizations. C is incorrect because design of experiments (DOE) is the process of designing experiments to determine quality and considering the implications and effects upon the results. D is incorrect because brainstorming is a technique that gathers a group of people together and encourages them to think laterally about an issue.

9.   If you are conducting an audit to check whether processes are being followed correctly, what process are you involved in?

A.   Plan Quality Management

B.   Control Quality

C.   Manage Quality

D.   Perform Quality Audit

  C. Manage Quality is the process of establishing processes and checking that you are following them by conducting audits.

  A, B, and D are incorrect. A is incorrect because Plan Quality Management is the initial planning process and delivers the quality management plan. B is incorrect because Control Quality uses inspection to determine the quality of the product. D is incorrect because Perform Quality Audit is a made-up process name.

10.   What are the variables and allowable variations called that should be measured as part of the Manage Quality and Control Quality processes?

A.   Quality control measurements

B.   Quality checklists

C.   Quality metrics

D.   Cost of quality

  C. Quality metrics are defined during the Plan Quality Management process and set out the variables and allowable variations that should be measured as part of the Manage Quality and Control Quality processes.

  A, B, and D are incorrect. A is incorrect because quality control measurements are the measurements taken that allow you to assess whether quality metrics are being achieved. B is incorrect because a quality checklist is a standardized description of processes, steps, and information to be completed or gathered. D is incorrect because cost of quality considers the impact of quality decisions over the entire life of the product.

11.   Which quality process uses inspection as a tool or technique?

A.   Plan Quality Management

B.   Control Quality

C.   Manage Quality

D.   Perform Quality Inspection

  B. The Control Quality process is focused on checking the quality of the product or deliverable and uses inspection as a tool.

  A, C, and D are incorrect. A is incorrect because Plan Quality Management is the initial planning process and delivers the quality management plan. It does not use inspection as a tool or technique. C is incorrect because Manage Quality is the process of establishing processes and checking that you are following them by conducting audits. It does not use inspection as a tool or technique. D is incorrect because Quality Inspection is a made-up process name.

12.   Translating the quality management plan into executable quality activities during the execution phase is:

A.   Execute Quality Management

B.   Manage Quality

C.   Control Quality

D.   Project Quality Management

  B. This is the definition of the Manage Quality process.

  A, C, and D are incorrect. A is incorrect because Execute Quality Management is a made-up term. C is incorrect because Control Quality is a Monitoring and Controlling process group. D is incorrect because Project Quality Management is the name of a knowledge area.

13.   A structured, independent process to determine whether project activities comply with project policies, processes, and procedures is called a:

A.   Quality inspection

B.   Quality audit

C.   Retrospective

D.   Quality demo

  B. This is the definition of a quality audit.

  A, C, and D are incorrect. A is incorrect because a quality inspection involves reviewing the product to see if it meets the defined quality norms. Conducting reviews is an example of inspection. C is incorrect because at the end of each sprint, a sprint review meeting is held. During this meeting, the Scrum team shows what they accomplished during the sprint. Typically, this takes the form of a demo of the new features. A retrospective is the team’s opportunity to examine their performance and capabilities to plan improvements for the next sprint. D is incorrect because at the end of each sprint, the team holds a sprint review meeting, where the team must demonstrate the user stories completed during the sprint to the product owner and other interested stakeholders.

14.   You are translating the quality management plan into executable quality activities. Which of the following inputs will be least helpful to you?

A.   Quality control measurements

B.   Process improvement plan

C.   Lessons learned register

D.   Risk report

  B. The process improvement plan details the steps for analyzing project management and product development processes to identify activities that enhance their value.

  A, C, and D are incorrect. They are all inputs to the Manage Quality process.

15.   Two of the common quality improvement tools are:

A.   Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control (DMAIC) and three-point estimating

B.   Design of experiments (DOE) and mean time between failures (MTBF)

C.   Logical data models and suppliers, inputs, process, outputs, and customers (SIPOC)

D.   Plan–do–check–act (PDCA) and Six Sigma

  D. Trends and emerging practices in Project Quality Management include PDCA, as defined by Shewhart and implemented by Deming. Six Sigma may improve project management processes and products.

  A, B, and C are incorrect. A is incorrect because DMAIC is an acronym for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control and refers to a data-driven improvement cycle used for improving, optimizing, and stabilizing business processes and designs. The DMAIC improvement cycle is the core tool used to drive Six Sigma projects. The three-point estimating technique is used in estimating time and costs. B is incorrect because design of experiments (DOE) is a statistical method used in the Plan Quality process, and mean time between failures (MTBF) is a key performance indicator. C is incorrect because logical data models are used in data architecture to show a detailed representation of an organization’s data, independent of any technology, and is described in business language; the SIPOC (supplier, input, process, output, customer) model is a type of flowchart used to map procedures.

16.   Which of the following is least useful as an input for managing quality?

A.   Quality control measurements

B.   Quality metrics

C.   Risk report

D.   Resource capabilities and availability

  D. Resource capabilities and availability are not part of the input to managing quality.

  A, B, and C are incorrect. Each is part of the process of evaluating overall project performance on a regular basis to provide confidence that the project will comply with the relevant quality policies and standards. This is the Manage Quality process. Key inputs for this process include the quality management plan, quality control measurements, quality metrics, and the risk report.

17.   Which of the following is least useful as an input for performing the Manage Quality process?

A.   Quality management plan

B.   Quality metrics

C.   Resource availability

D.   Lessons learned register

  C. Resource availability is not an input into the Manage Quality process.

  A, B, and D are incorrect. Each is part of the process of evaluating overall project performance on a regular basis to provide confidence that the project will comply with the relevant quality policies and standards, which are part of the Manage Quality process. Key inputs for this process include the quality management plan, quality metrics, and lessons learned register.

18.   Which project management processes in the Executing process group provide change requests as an input to the Perform Integrated Change Control process?

A.   Direct and Manage Project Execution, Schedule Control

B.   Manage Quality, Project Contract Administration

C.   Direct and Manage Project Work, Perform Quality Control

D.   Implement Risk Responses, Manage Quality, Direct and Manage Project Work

  D. The Executing processes provide change requests as an input to the Perform Integrated Change Control processes of Implement Risk Responses, Manage Quality, and Direct and Manage Project Work.

  A, B, and C are incorrect. Each contains a variation of processes but not the exact inputs to the Perform Integrated Change Control process.

19.   Which of the following is an input to the Manage Quality process?

A.   Quality metrics

B.   Project requirements

C.   Change requests

D.   Validated deliverables

  A. Quality metrics are an input to the Manage Quality process.

  B, C, and D are incorrect. B is incorrect because project requirements are not usually quality inputs. C is incorrect because change requests are an output of Manage Quality. D is incorrect because validated deliverables are an output of Control Quality.

20.   A project manager is trying to identify the best project practices being used and gaps between best practices and current practices, as well as sharing the best practices introduced or implemented in similar projects in the organization. This is known as:

A.   Developing the quality metrics

B.   Performing a quality audit

C.   Setting the quality baseline

D.   Building quality checklists

  B. Identifying the good/best practices being implemented, identifying gaps/shortcomings, sharing the good practices introduced or implemented in similar projects in the organization and/or industry, proactively improving process implementation, and highlighting the results in the lessons learned repository is known as performing a quality audit.

  A, C, and D are incorrect. A is incorrect because quality metrics are an input to quality assurance and define the quality control measurements. C is incorrect because the quality baseline records the quality objectives for the project. D is incorrect because quality checklists are component specific.

21.   Recommending corrective actions to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the organization falls under the Manage Quality process ITTOs (inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs). This list of actions is documented as:

A.   Change requests

B.   Organizational process asset (OPA) updates

C.   Project management plan updates

D.   Recommended preventive actions

  C. Project management plan updates are related to changes to the quality management plan.

  A, B, and D are incorrect. A is incorrect because actions that have been recommended to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the organization are documented as change requests. B is incorrect because process asset updates are changes to the processes. D is incorrect because change requests can be used to take corrective or preventive action, or to perform defect repair.