Quality Assurance: Performed by Project Team or External Entity

PMBOK v8 Definition

Manage Quality Assurance is the process of ensuring project processes are performed in a manner consistent with stakeholder expectations. This process involves translating the project management plan into executable activities that incorporate the organization's standards, regulations, and policies. Quality assurance tasks may be performed by the project management team, an external entity, or both. This process belongs to the Executing Process Group and the Project Quality Management Knowledge Area.

Why It Matters for the Exam

The PMI exam frequently tests your understanding of who performs quality assurance and how it differs from quality control. Questions often present scenarios where you must identify whether an activity is quality assurance (process-focused) or quality control (product-focused). The fact that quality assurance can be performed by either internal or external entities is a specific test point that appears in situational questions.

Key Points to Remember (for the exam)

Primary Performers: Quality assurance tasks may be performed by the project management team, an external entity, or both – this is explicitly stated in PMBOK v8 and frequently tested.
Core Purpose: Quality assurance is about using project processes effectively – following and meeting standards to assure stakeholders that the project's final results will meet their needs, expectations, and requirements.
Key Benefit: The process increases the probability of meeting project objectives and identifies ineffective processes and causes of poor project performance.
Distinction from Quality Control: Quality assurance focuses on processes (are we doing things right?), while quality control focuses on deliverables (did we produce the right thing?).
Approach Variation: In predictive projects, quality assurance is usually performed in a formal capacity. In agile or adaptive projects, quality assurance can be performed formally or informally, based on context.
Input Dependency: The quality management plan describes the activities and resources necessary for the project management team to achieve quality objectives – this plan may be formal or informal, detailed or broadly framed.
Measurement Requirement: Measurements should be captured in the format specified in the quality management plan.

Typical PMI Exam Example

A project manager is implementing a software development project using a predictive approach. The organization has hired an external consulting firm to review the project's testing processes and verify that they comply with industry standards. The consulting firm recommends improvements to the testing procedures. What type of activity is the consulting firm performing?

Answer: Quality assurance – because an external entity is reviewing and improving project processes to ensure they meet standards, which aligns with the PMBOK v8 statement that quality assurance tasks may be performed by an external entity.

PMI Exam Traps

Trap: Confusing quality assurance with quality control
Reality: Quality assurance focuses on processes and their effectiveness; quality control focuses on deliverables and their conformance to requirements
Trap: Assuming only the project team can perform quality assurance
Reality: Quality assurance tasks may be performed by the project management team, an external entity, or both – this is explicitly stated in PMBOK v8
Trap: Thinking quality assurance is always formal
Reality: In agile/adaptive projects, quality assurance can be performed formally or informally, based on context
Trap: Confusing "quality management" (broader term) with "quality assurance"
Reality: In project management, quality assurance and quality control are two distinct efforts – quality assurance is about using project processes effectively

Important PMI Connections

Related Concept	Relationship Type	Exam Attention Point
Quality Management Plan	Input to Manage Quality Assurance	Describes how quality policies, procedures, and guidelines will be implemented
Quality Control	Complementary process	QA focuses on process effectiveness; QC focuses on deliverable conformance
Manage Project Knowledge	Related process	Both use existing knowledge and create new knowledge to achieve project objectives
Scope Baseline	Reference point	Quality should focus on ensuring deliverables meet agreed-upon requirements in scope baseline
Organizational Standards	Input	Quality assurance incorporates organization's standards, regulations, and policies

Quick Review Questions

A project is using an adaptive approach. The project manager wants to conduct quality assurance. Can this be done informally, or must it follow a formal process?
An external audit team reviews a project's procurement processes and recommends improvements. Is this quality assurance or quality control?
What is the key benefit of the Manage Quality Assurance process according to PMBOK v8?
In a predictive project, is quality assurance typically formal or informal?
What document describes the activities and resources necessary for achieving quality objectives?

PMBOK v8 Reference

Section 2.1.6.5 – Manage Quality Assurance

Note: This article is based exclusively on the PMBOK v8 content provided in the context above. All definitions, distinctions, and key points are drawn directly from the source material.