Getting It Right Without Overcomplicating It.
When you hear the word “quality,” you probably tend to think of great, well-made and reliable products. Certainly, in my background of managing New Product Introduction projects in then engineering and manufacturing sector, there was a big focus on ensuring that we were building quality into the manufacturing processes to help ensure the finished product was right, but it got me thinking about how to ensure that the complete journey is a good experience not only for the customer but also for the business…
You can have a flawless final product, but if the project was chaotic, stressful, or poorly managed, people will remember the frustration long after the project has ended.
What Quality Means in Projects
At its core, quality is about fitness for purpose. Does the product or service meet customer requirements? But in projects, there are two sides to quality:
- The Product – what you deliver
- The Process – how you deliver it
Both matter equally. A “well-run project” inspires confidence and improves customer satisfaction. A messy process shows up as unclear ownership, late surprises, rushed approvals, and constant rework. Even if the end product is fine, confidence is lost.
Core Elements of Project Quality Management
Quality management can be broken down into:
- Quality Planning – Deciding upfront how quality will be achieved and measured.
- Quality Assurance – Checking along the way that things are being done right.
- Quality Control – Confirming the finished product meets the agreed standards.
- Continuous Improvement – Learning and refining processes for next time.
A quality management plan is a great tool which can be created at the start of your project to help lay this out. It should cover:
- What ‘good’ looks like
- How quality will be measured
- Who is responsible for checks and approvals
- Whether there will be formal sign-offs
- What to do if things go off track
The Three Steps in Action
In practice, these elements boil down to a simple three-step cycle during delivery:
- Plan Quality – Identify requirements and metrics, so you know what success looks like.
- Perform Quality Assurance – Use checklists, audits, and progress reviews to keep things on track. Are we aligned with the quality plan?
- Perform Quality Control – Test, inspect, and verify the final product before sign-off.
In short: plan it, check it, and then prove it.
Why “Right First Time” Matters
Doing things right the first time brings big wins for the project:
- Less waste – do the job once
- Lower costs – no paying twice for the same work
- Shorter timelines – no delays from rework
- Happier teams and customers – less frustration, more trust
But, as with most things, there’s a balance. Going beyond what’s needed (also known as “gold plating”) can be wasteful in terms of time and budget. Quality should match the project’s requirements, not personal perfectionism, and that’s why it’s important to get these requirements clearly defined at the outset and keep reviewing them regularly.
The Takeaway
Quality in project management isn’t just about a perfect product. It’s about making sure the product meets the right standards and that the journey there is smooth, consistent, and well-managed. Done right, it prevents problems instead of fixing them – and leaves your customer with a good experience from start to finish.
If your last project “met the brief” but felt painful to deliver, it’s worth asking: was quality ever defined beyond the final output?
