In accordance with the PMBOKGuide, the process of Plan Quality Management is defined as the process of identifying quality requirements and/or standards for the project and its deliverables, and documenting how the project will demonstrate compliance with quality requirements and/or standards.
The distinction between the quality processes is a core component of the PMI Quality Management framework:
* Plan Quality Management (Planning Phase): This is where you identify the standards. Key outputs include the Quality Management Plan and Quality Metrics. It sets the " rules " for what a quality deliverable looks like.
* Manage Quality (Executing Phase): Sometimes called " Quality Assurance, " this process is about the process itself. It translates the quality management plan into executable quality activities and ensures that the team is using the appropriate quality standards and proactive processes.
* Control Quality (Monitoring and Controlling Phase): This process focuses on the deliverables. It involves monitoring and recording results of executing the quality management activities to assess performance and ensure the project outputs are complete, correct, and meet customer expectations.
* Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis: This is part of the Project Risk Management knowledge area and involves prioritizing individual project risks by assessing their probability of occurrence and impact. It is unrelated to setting quality standards.
The Plan Quality Management process is critical because it provides guidance and direction on how quality will be managed and verified throughout the project. It uses tools such as Benchmarking, Cost-Benefit Analysis, and Cost of Quality (COQ) to determine the appropriate level of quality for the project ' s specific needs.