This unit applies to an individual who is clearly and solely responsible for the management and leadership of a complex project, either as an employee of an organisation or an external consultant.

In the context of this unit a complex project is defined as a project which involves:

the need for a comprehensive and multi faceted project plan

the need for a formal internal or external communications strategy

a dedicated and diverse project budget

multiple administrative components

multiple operational components

a wide range of stakeholders

a project operations team.

The functions performed by a program manager to manage quality within multiple projects are addressed in BSBPMG605A Direct quality management of a project program.

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Determine quality requirements

1.1. Determine quality objectives, standards and levels, with input from stakeholders and guidance of a higher project authority, to establish the basis for quality outcomes and a quality management plan

1.2. Select and use established quality management methods, techniques and tools to determine preferred mix of quality, capability, cost and time

1.3. Identify quality criteria, obtain agreement from a higher project authority and communicate to stakeholders, to ensure clarity of understanding and achievement of quality and overall project objectives

1.4. Include agreed quality requirements in the project plan and implement as basis for performance measurement

2. Implement quality assurance processes

2.1. Measure and document results of project activities and product performance throughout the project life cycle to determine compliance with agreed quality standards

2.2. Identify causes of unsatisfactory results, in consultation with client, and recommend appropriate actions to a higher project authority to enable continuous improvement in quality outcomes

2.3. Conduct inspections of quality processes and quality control results to determine compliance of quality standards to overall quality objectives

2.4. Maintain a quality management system to enable effective recording and communication of quality issues and outcomes to a higher project authority and stakeholders

3. Implement project quality improvements

3.1. Review processes and implement agreed changes continually throughout the project life cycle to ensure continuous quality improvement

3.2. Review project outcomes against performance criteria to determine the effectiveness of quality management processes and procedures

3.3. Identify and document lessons learned and recommended improvements, and pass on to higher project authority for application in future projects

Required skills

literacy skills to develop quality objectives and criteria

communication and leadership skills to motivate staff, convey expectations and ensure outcomes are met

analytical skills to monitor achievement of project outcomes against quality criteria

coaching and mentoring skills to boost performance.

Required knowledge

quality management theory, techniques, tools and methodologies

roles and responsibilities in project management

methods for managing and improving performance

relevant legislation codes and national standards:

award and enterprise agreements and industrial instruments

industry codes of practice

legislation from all levels of government that affects business operation, especially in regard to occupational health and safety and environmental issues, equal opportunity, industrial relations and anti-discrimination.

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Evidence of the following is essential:

demonstrated evidence of successfully managing project staff so that quality outcomes were achieved on multiple complex projects

knowledge of a range of quality management tools, techniques and methodologies.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure:

access to project documentation which includes quality criteria and evidence of quality monitoring and improvement practices

consideration of feedback from project stakeholders regarding project quality management.

Method of assessment

This unit applies to an individual who is clearly and solely responsible for the management and leadership of a complex project, either as an employee of an organisation or an external consultant.

direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate

oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of strategies for managing project quality and their application to different situations

analysis of candidate responses in addressing case studies and scenarios which present project quality management issues and problems

review of project plan quality requirements

review of implementation of agreed changes

evaluation of review of project outcomes against performance criteria.

Guidance information for assessment

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

other units from the Diploma of Project Management.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Quality objectives may include:

negotiated trade-offs between cost, schedule and performance

requirements from a higher project authority

requirements from the client and other stakeholders

those quality aspects which may impact on customer satisfaction

Quality management plan may include:

authorisations and responsibilities for quality control

continuous improvement

established processes

quality assurance

Quality management methods, techniques and tools may include:

benchmarking

brainstorming

charting processes

control charts

defining control

flowcharts

group work activities

histograms

pareto charts

processes that limit and/or indicate variation

ranking candidates

run charts

scattergrams

undertaking benefit/cost analysis

Quality control may include:

monitoring conformance with specifications

monitoring of regular inspections by internal or external agents

recommending ways to eliminate causes of unsatisfactory performance of products or processes

Improvements may include:

formal practices, such as total quality management or continuous improvement

improvement by less formal processes that enhance both the product quality and processes of the project, for example client surveys to determine client satisfaction with project team performance

Unit sector

Management and Leadership - Project Management

This unit contains employability skills.