**2.5 Projects industry: quality planning assurance and control**

Projects, by their very nature, are temporary operational structures which produce a unique product and are subjected to a liability of newness or upgrade and, as a result, have a propensity of failure [24, 25]. Moreover, [26] further argues that projects are temporary operational structures with a defined purpose and timeline. These temporary structures refer to the project organization in terms of how the project is structured or organized to build the project during the build phase. It does not refer to the end product that is being delivered, that is, the residential building,


**Table 3.** *Ingredients for CPI.*

#### *Quality Planning, Assurance and Control in Manufacturing, Industrial Projects and Services… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.113995*

bridge or dam. As already pointed out by [6], project success is related to achieving the project's overall goals, whereas project management success is related to the dimensions of time, cost and quality. Some authors, like [11, 26], have argued that project delivery quality affects project outcomes and the ability of the project to meet its success criteria. Therefore, projects must have quality incorporated from the outset when the project organization and structure are initially created [27]. Indicated that when setting up a project organization (structure), careful thought needs to be put in place on how the structure will facilitate coordination, communication and control [27]. Further articulates this is because the organizational structures create physical and operational boundaries for decision-making. These boundaries also reduce and increase complexity through choices made in terms of defining relationships and allocating resources, authority and tasks [27]. This is also especially important from a quality planning perspective, as there needs to be a clear demarcation of responsibilities and accountability. By incorporating quality planning in the project organization phase, we will ensure quality is inherent from the outset. The biggest project failures result from verticalizing the project's component parts. Then, not having an integral quality system to manage the risks on the interfaces between the component parts.

Moreover, [11] describes a project structure as "consisting of at least the following: a proper project plan (e.g. bar chart, network diagram, critical path analysis) and that is a realistic representation of the project; clear separated work packages with clear handover points; clear timelines of communication; an accurate representation of the stakeholders" [28]. Highlighted the importance of project structure, arguing that for a large project to be properly planned and executed, it must be decomposed into smaller segments, such as a work breakdown structure. In this way, it leads to smaller parts which are easier to manage. However, work breakdown structures bring a different level of complexity and risk: managing the interfaces between the different work breakdowns. It is essential to have a quality system incorporating a proper quality plan and a quality assurance and control system to efficiently and effectively manage these interfaces. Inspection and test plans (ITPs) are widely used and accepted in the project industry. ITPs may be viewed as follows: the creation of the ITP is part of the quality planning process, while ensuring that ITPs conform to certain standards and guidelines is the quality assurance component, and monitoring and control is part of the quality control component. These ITPs could, however, further be complemented by integrating them with some of the SPC techniques adopted in the manufacturing industry, as such risks can be better managed and mitigated. In this way, quality planning, assurance and control are built into every section or part of the project.

Projects being temporary organizations are subjected to high levels of uncertainty [29], and this, by its very nature, makes projects difficult to manage and, as such, requires careful organization, structuring, monitoring and control. The project, being a temporary structure by nature, is not static and evolves over the life of the project; therefore, projects must be subjected to proper organization, structuring, planning, monitoring and control. These aspects must be subjected to some kind of quality management. In the construction industry, most firms abide by PMBOK as a basis to guide project planning and execution. While PMBOK reflects and incorporates quality as a dimension, it does not sufficiently give attention to the philosophies of TQM. Projects are subject to risk, and as such, quality should be treated with a higher level of priority. Often, in projects, time and schedule take priority over quality. It would be beneficial to make quality a higher priority so as to reduce the risks associated with poor quality. Risk analysis must likewise be of paramount importance. It must also

be emphasized that in a project environment, quality is a requirement in terms of the following:


Therefore, quality is an essential issue. In a competitive world, the firm has to drive higher quality just to remain competitive in the market. So, to be better than your competitors, quality can be differentiated, and once this is recognized, it becomes non-negotiable.

Quality must be embedded in the project from the outset, which is at the project organization stage, which will then follow into the project structure. Quality will then cascade into the smaller sub-structures of the project. In this way, quality planning will be integral to the project organization and structure. Once quality planning is in place, quality assurance can follow, and thereafter, quality monitoring and control can be implemented. However, quality planning does not automatically ensure quality assurance, monitoring, and control. A concerted effort is required to ensure quality assurance is embedded; TQM philosophies can greatly assist in quality assurance as well as in creating a culture of quality. TQM will also help with quality monitoring and control.

#### **2.6 Services industry: quality planning assurance and control**

In the services industry, it is about the business experience that is the value derived from the collaborative co-creation in the production of services between the service provider and the customer. This business experience is dependent on value cocreation, relationships and service capability [30] as well as the perception of the customer. The quality dimension is catered for under service capability, where the quality of service is primarily seen from the perspective of the customer [30]. In services, it is about services-dominant logic, which is built on 10 fundamental premises. The 10 premises adapted for a services-dominant logic are quite well published, and the interested reader can refer to [30]. What is important is to understand the nuisances in services which are adapted from [30]; these are as follows:


*Quality Planning, Assurance and Control in Manufacturing, Industrial Projects and Services… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.113995*


These nuisances make it difficult to deliver a good quality service; however, customers do not really appreciate these variabilities. Customers demand good service, or they have the option to switch to other service providers, especially in commoditized services, where there are not many barriers to switching from one service provider to the other, and there are low barriers to entry. Therefore, it is extremely difficult for service providers are able to provide good services to their customers. In ensuring that good services are provided, it is important that service providers measure the quality of service both from a quantitative manner and as well qualitative manner, including both lead and lag indicator levels. Each of these measures is next discussed:


In order to ensure that the service provider delivers a good service, it is essential that service quality is inherent in the service systems. This requires planning for

quality, assurance that the quality systems are in place and are sufficiently governed and ensuring that quality is controlled. There are tools such as the SERVQUAL instrument for measuring quality [8]. It is important that quality is built into the service processes. Just as is in the case of manufacturing, there are processes, systems, technology and people that also occur in services. While the services industry is different to the manufacturing industry, many of the TQM philosophies apply equally well in this industry. The TQM philosophies apply equally well here; the same can be said about the ingredients for CPI. These are all philosophies, techniques and tools that can be used to improve quality within the service industry.

In the service industry, it is about value co-creation where both the firm (service provider) and the recipient (customer) are involved in a mutual exchange to ensure that the desired service is delivered. The service exchange is about a win-win or benefit-benefit for both the service provider and the customer. This brings about variabilities and different types of measures that have to be considered, which, together with careful planning of quality, can be built and embedded through the entire service system, which, if correctly implemented, will benefit the service provider and the customer.
