Seminar on Project Quality Management

Ramani Kangaraarachchi

Constant improvement of quality is vital for organisations to retain existing customers and create new customers as customer needs and expectations are constantly changing. Deputy Vice Chancellor University of Moratuwa, Prof. N. Gunawardena said at a seminar on Project Quality Management organised by the Chamber of Construction Industry held in Galadari Hotel Colombo recently.

He said awareness of new technology ,legislation, problems, competitor products or services create new wants for customers and then wants turn in to demands when these customers begin their next purchase.

He pointed out value is not a price tag but a measure of the benefits derived from a product or service for what is given in return. A product may well meet physical and functional requirements but be overpriced when compared to others of the same class and grade. Alternatively, the same product may be on offer at another store for 50 cents less indicating exceedingly good value for money.

He said it should be noted whether it is a product or a service, the quality of the complete transaction counts. For example, getting product quality right while ignoring the human relationship between customer and supplier , will not lead to satisfied customers. This is very important as every product has some service element attached to it and every service, a product element, he said.

According to Prof. Gunawardena the main purpose of Project quality Management is to ensure that the project will meet or exceed stakeholder needs and expectations. And it involves three main processes quality planning, quality assurance and quality control.