respond
joeph2
the_book101.docxThe Book101
In our book, it states that the purpose of project quality management is to ensure that the project will satisfy the needs for which it was undertaken. (Schwalbe, 2014). This means that at the bare minimum you need to at least meet the needs of the stakeholders. Especially the customer. To do that you must know exactly what the customer wants/expects. Project quality management can help with that and involves three main processes: planning, performing quality assurance, and controlling quality. One helpful technique that can be used for quality control is the cause and effect diagrams, which help you find the root cause of a problem.
I worked for a CMSgt once that was a very good leader. One thing he was very good at was keeping everybody involved and on point. I remember one project we were involved in where we were moving our entire squadron into a brand new building. He kept us all informed every step of the way and let us know exactly what was required/expected of us. He was very easy to work with and he had a great attitude.
One of the major constant ethical dilemmas that a project manager might have to deal with are instances where they might be tempted to cut corners. This might come up due to a tight deadline or they might be really close to going over budget.
The book 102
Cause and Effect diagrams are instrumental for ensuring a quality product. The discovery and isolation of a complaint is one thing, but the end goal of any group should be the eventual solving of said problem. Five “Whys” make up the core of this analysis method. By repeated questions, the technique hopes to lay out the possible causes for the original problem and then eventually cut through to the real reason. This technique is useful when there is a specific complaint about quality. By asking the right questions and by cutting deeply into the problem you can find an effective solution to the quality problem. The book makes the example that if people can’t log into the system, it could be that they can’t remember their password, or it could be that the system does not have enough memory. You will only find out if you ask enough questions, finding the right answer can mean a much cheaper solution sometimes.
I do not work in IT and I do not plan to, so I am drawn to examples from outside of IT. I however think that good leadership and quality control transcend what industry you are in. My team leader in the field was a much older man and had many more years of experience than I. If something was wrong, a valve wouldn't open or for instance or fluid was not flowing to a designated tank, then he would ask the “whys” until we arrived at the right answer together. He did this for my sake to train me and I think that is a good quality of a PM. It is sad that often we throw up our hands and claim ignorance before we even begin to get to the heart of the matter.
A simple example would be the dilemma of a product to be shipped with known defects, although not enough that profits would be compromised. It is a decision, in my mind, between the company's reputation and the bottom line. I think people would handle this issue differently. I am sure it is handled both ways in today's business.
The book 103
One of the quality management tools that a project manager has at their disposal is scatter diagram. A scatter diagram takes data points for two or more variables and plots them out to see if there is a pattern or a random scattering. Having a pattern will help project managers understand keys areas that need to improve, or that are working correctly. If the scattering is completely random they will not be able to isolate a specific thing that is causing the issue. (Schwalbe, 2014)
An example of an individual that is a great leader would be Kevin Plank, CEO of Under Armour. He has taken a company from an idea, and along with his excellent “company culture [that] enforces a team-focused mindset that breaks into huddles for meetings, instead of having the typical round table discussion”, and was able to mount a serious assault on the strangle hold that Nike held on the athletics sportswear market. (Unruh, 2015) “Plank protects the integrity of his company by showing inspirational leadership skills and a passion for his work” (Unruh, 2015).
