Online’s Quality Management Methodology defines the activities to be performed when providing independent visibility into the quality of the processes being used for projects and engagements. The primary goals of the Quality Management Methodology are to:

• Ensure that projects meet or exceed the needs and requirements for which they are undertaken so that satisfaction is achieved.
• Provide objective evaluation of processes and products against applicable standards, requirements, and the Project Quality Plan produced.
• Identify non-conformances in standard project delivery practices and address them as appropriate.
• Provide timely quality status feedback to management, project consultants, and clients.
• Promote prevention over inspection by proactively ensuring that a high-quality process is being used.

The Quality Management Methodology is a process quality methodology as opposed to a product quality methodology. It ensures that every project employs an approach and process that will deliver a quality product. This method does not perform Quality Assurance on the product itself, other than for conformance to process standards. (Refer to our companion Testing Methodology that addresses product quality.) This means that it ensures the proper setup of each project and regular monitoring and status reporting to management. It also ensures that corrective action is taken as required and that each deliverable is completed in the appropriate manner with respect to content and style.
 
There are three major phases or processes defined within the Quality Management Methodology. These include:

• Quality Planning
• Quality Control
• Quality Measurement and Review

The underlying principle in the Quality Management Methodology is the clear identification of what constitutes quality in a specific engagement. This definition of quality is clearly articulated and documented so that quality can be appropriately assessed.