Quality management involves the processes and activities necessary to ensure that a project meets the requirements and expectations of all stakeholders with respect to quality. I personally think that it is one of the most important knowledge areas in project management. Because, quality is always something that we care about.
In general, quality related issues are considered part of the delivery performance domain. Project managers need to focus on building quality into their processes and deliveries. Quality is more detailed than project specifications. Project specifications focuses on what you're going to deliver and how you will do it. Quality focuses on how well the thing you're delivering performs.
Quality requirements have different levels, These levels are used as criteria for assessing a project is complete or not. One of the top priorities for any project is achieving the desired quality level at the end. Poor quality in the early stages of a project have potential to lead to failures. For this reason quality goals should be created according to the requirements of all stakeholders.
It is the responsibility of project managers to establish realistic quality goals and be consistent in their measurements. Quality perception differs a little from what people imagine when they first hear the term. However, understanding this difference can help project managers better define what quality management is. It's crucial not to confuse the quality of an item with its grade.
There are three key processes in the Quality Management Knowledge Area: Plan Quality, Control Quality, and Manage Quality. The Plan Quality process involves identifying quality requirements and setting quality goals. The Control Quality process is all about monitoring the project's outputs and verifying that they meet the required quality levels. Finally, the Manage Quality process aims to ensure that quality requirements are met throughout the project's life cycle.
Quality management is closely related to other knowledge areas, including Risk Management, Schedule Management, Scope Management, and Resource Management. All of these areas have a direct impact on the quality of a project's outcomes.