Total Quality Management for Project Management

Finding ways to improve margins can be the difference between organizations that thrive and those that simply survive during times of economic uncertainty. Describing why cost reductions can be just as powerful as increases in revenue, Total Quality Management for Project Management explains how to integrate time-tested project management tools with the power of Total Quality Management (TQM) to achieve significant cost reductions.

Detailing the ins and outs of applying project management methods to TQM activities, the book provides the understanding you’ll need to enhance the effectiveness of your TQM work. To clear up any confusion about what a true quality improvement is, it includes sections that cover the fundamentals of total quality management and defines the terms used throughout the text.

The book examines profitability as it relates to product cost—including the initial work determining investment paybacks. It compares TQM/PM versus Six Sigma and illustrates the use of scrum in the context of TQM for improving quality initiatives. Complete with real-world success stories that facilitate comprehension, it illustrates methods that can help to minimize distractions and keep your team focused.

The authors consider the full range of quality improvement tools as applied within the framework of project management. For the section of the book on the application of TQM to scrum, they demonstrate how these analytical methods can be used on the data produced within a scrum project and made into actionable information. Filled with innovative methods for improving costs, the text arms you with the tools to determine the approaches best suited to your corporate culture and capabilities.

About the Authors

Kim H. Pries has four college degrees: B.A. in History from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), B.S. in Metallurgical Engineering from UTEP, M.S. in Metallurgical Engineering from UTEP, and M.S. in Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science from Carnegie-Mellon University, and several other certifications.

Mr. Pries worked as a computer systems manager (IT), a software engineer for an electrical utility, a scientific programmer on defense contracts and for Stoneridge, Incorporated (SRI).

In addition to his other responsibilities, Mr. Pries has provided Six Sigma training for both UTEP and SRI, and cost reduction initiatives for SRI. Mr. Pries is also a founding faculty member of Practical Project Management. Additionally, in concert with Mr. Quigley, Mr. Pries is the cofounder and principal with Value Transformation, LLC, a training, testing, cost improvement, and product development consultancy. He is also a cofounder of Counselor Connection LLC, a consultancy providing training and educational services to the regional educational service centers of Texas. Mr. Pries's first book was Six Sigma for the Next Millennium: A CSSBB Guidebook, now in a second edition as Six Sigma for the New Millennium: A CSSBB Guidebook, Second Edition.

Jon M. Quigley has three college degrees: B.S. in Electronic Engineering Technology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, MBA in Marketing, and M.S. in Project Management from City University of Seattle. In addition to the degrees, he has several certifications, as well as many patents and awards.

Mr. Quigley teaches project management classes at Forsyth Technical Community College as well as being on their project management advisory board. He is also on Western Carolina University's Masters of Project Management advisory board.

Collectively, Mr. Pries and Mr. Quigley are the authors of the books Project Management of Complex and Embedded Systems: Ensuring Product Integrity and Program Quality, and Testing of Complex and Embedded Systems. Additionally, they have authored numerous magazine articles and presentations at product development conferences about various aspects of product development and project management.

Additional information about Mr. Pries, Mr. Quigley, and Value Transformation, LLC can be found at valuetransform.com