Software Quality Planning is one of the primary processes in Project Quality Management among Quality Assurance and Quality Control. It is an essential practice to deliver a defect free or non-critical bug application that meets client’s expectation. The purpose of this research was to find out quality planning failure factors in IT projects. Another aim was to determine, a proper quality planning standard framework that should be implemented in Information Technology (IT) projects. This study examined the earlier researches in quality management and project management areas to identify the failure reasons and critical quality planning dimensions that should be followed in IT projects. Research discovered that there were total 21 vital dimensions plus an additional dimension was introduced in this study. As a conclusion, it is important to have all this elements as a standard in each IT projects to overcome or reduce the number of failures.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Overview of Project Management (PM)
3. IT Project Failure Factors
3.1 Poor planning
3.2 Unclear goals and objectives
3.3 Objectives changing during the project
3.4 Unrealistic time or resource estimates
3.5 Lack of executive support and user involvement in quality testing
3.6 Failure to communicate and act as a team
3.7 Inappropriate skills
4. Overview of QM
5. Traditional Against Modern QM
6. Project QM Process
7. Dimensions in QM Planning
8. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Focus
This research aims to identify the factors contributing to quality planning failures in IT projects and to establish a robust quality planning framework that can be implemented to mitigate these risks and enhance project success rates.
- Analysis of failure factors in IT project quality management.
- Evaluation of existing project management standards and methodologies.
- Exploration of modern quality management processes and their application in IT environments.
- Development of a conceptual framework for effective quality planning.
Excerpt from the Book
IT Project Failure Factors
The project team or management will always provide reasons for project failures but the most common causes for project failure are rooted in the project QM process itself and the aligning of IT with organizational cultures (Tilmann and Weinberger, 2004).
Coverdale Organization conducted out a research where the respondents identified estimation mistakes, uncertain project goals and project objectives changing in the middle of the project are key factors in project failures (Neimat, 2005). The subsequent list the main causes for the failure of complex IT projects;
i. Poor planning
Many of IT projects are planned earlier but that is not enough because it has major milestones and the work prolong throughout each milestone (Humphrey, 2005). Moreover, poor quality planning also leads to late delivery or deadline overdue.
ii. Unclear goals and objectives
Sometimes poor requirement gathering in the initiation stage of the project will lead to unclear or partially clear goals and objectives (Glaser, 2004; Lagerström et al., 2012). This becomes an issue in quality phase as system or application might not tally with client’s aspiration (Baggen et al., 2012).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Defines the nature of IT projects and introduces the importance of quality management in distinguishing between operations and temporary project ventures.
2. Overview of Project Management (PM): Outlines the core processes of project management and the nine knowledge areas defined by the Project Management Institute.
3. IT Project Failure Factors: Details seven primary reasons for IT project failure, ranging from poor planning and unclear goals to communication issues and inappropriate skill sets.
4. Overview of QM: Traces the historical development of Quality Management and the contributions of quality "gurus" like Deming, Juran, and Shewhart.
5. Traditional Against Modern QM: Contrasts the rigid, departmentalized traditional approach to quality with modern, cross-functional methods focused on continuous improvement.
6. Project QM Process: Explains the interaction between quality planning, quality assurance, and quality control within the software development life cycle.
7. Dimensions in QM Planning: Discusses the necessity of defining quality standards and highlights the role of inputs, tools, and outputs in planning.
8. Conclusion: Summarizes the key findings, emphasizing that quality planning is the critical component for preventing project failures.
Keywords
Project Quality Management, IT Projects, Quality Planning, Software Development Life Cycle, Failure Factors, Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Project Management Institute, Process Improvement, Training Schedule, Stakeholder Management, Risk Mitigation, Standards, Conceptual Framework, Organizational Culture.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
This research primarily focuses on identifying the root causes of quality planning failures in IT projects and proposing a standardized framework for improved project outcomes.
What are the main thematic areas discussed?
The work covers Project Management processes, common failure factors in IT, the historical evolution of Quality Management, and the transition from traditional to modern QM practices.
What is the primary objective of the study?
The main objective is to determine a proper quality planning standard that should be implemented in IT projects to reduce failure rates and meet client expectations.
Which scientific methodologies are employed?
The study utilizes a comprehensive literature review of previous research in quality management and project management, supplemented by a conceptual framework analysis based on PMI and PMBOK standards.
What does the main body of the text address?
The main body examines IT failure factors (such as poor planning and unclear objectives), provides an overview of QM history, compares traditional versus modern QM, and outlines the QM process elements.
How would you characterize this paper with keywords?
The paper is characterized by terms such as Project Quality Management, IT Projects, Quality Planning, Failure Factors, and Process Improvement.
Why is "Quality Planning" considered a critical stage in the software development life cycle?
It is considered critical because deficiencies in the planning phase can severely hinder the success of subsequent quality assurance and control efforts, leading to defects.
What is the "Training Schedule" innovation introduced in this study?
It is a new activity introduced in the input field of the QM framework, reflecting the modern need for upgrading employee skill sets to prevent defects caused by lack of technical knowledge.
- Quote paper
- Kanchanah Monoharan (Author), Dr. Zulkefli Bin Mansor (Author), 2012, Review on Project Quality Management Planning, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/201170
