Quality of the technical work

Managing the quality of the technical aspects depends on the type of product, as shown in these examples:

• In an IT development project, you can have automated and manual tests to make sure your output works fine, and also use practices such as pair programming to be proactive and increase the likelihood of the output passing the tests. Pair programming is when two programmers pair up and work together for a day, during which time one programmer writes code while the other observes and comments, and every half an hour or so, they switch places. It helps with quality, and it also helps people learn from each other.
• In a construction project with a concrete structure, you would have different quality methods. There are various types of non-destructive and destructive tests for concrete, but on top of that, there are guidelines about the type of cement, sand, and water you may use, and the way you should mix and cure the concrete to make sure it will have the expected properties.

So, as a project manager, how would you know about all these technical aspects?

As usual, you don’t have to know about them all yourself, and that’s not a problem because you have a team of experts who should know it. What you have to do is to make sure the quality methods are identified, documented, and executed. Does your customer want to approve the quality method? Does your own organization have extra quality expectations for all projects? Are there national codes you must follow in the project? You should find answers to all these and other questions and make sure they are answered satisfactorily.