PMP Practice Questions #85
As the Project Manager for a high-end electronic gadgets production, you are engaged in a detailed discussion about the Cost of Quality (CoQ) during a project review meeting. The team is analyzing various expenses involved in ensuring quality in the manufacturing process, focusing on prevention costs, appraisal costs, internal failure costs, and external failure costs.
Given this context, which of the following options best represents a ‘prevention cost’ in maintaining the manufacturing process’s quality?
A) Allocating budget for repairs and rework of gadgets that failed quality tests during the final inspection stage.
B) Investing in better training for the quality assurance team to reduce the number of defects detected after product release.
C) Implementing a rigorous quality control inspection at various stages of the manufacturing process.
D) Enhancing the supplier vetting process to ensure higher quality raw materials are used, thereby reducing the likelihood of defects.
Analysis:
This question examines the understanding of the Cost of Quality (CoQ) in the context of a high-end electronic gadgets production project. It specifically focuses on identifying what constitutes a ‘prevention cost’ in maintaining quality in the manufacturing process. The Cost of Quality encompasses various expenses, including prevention costs, appraisal costs, internal failure costs, and external failure costs. The challenge here is to distinguish between these costs and identify which option aligns with prevention costs, which are incurred to prevent defects before they occur.
Analysis of Options:
Option A: Allocating budget for repairs and rework of gadgets that failed quality tests during the final inspection stage. Allocating a budget for repairs and rework of gadgets that failed quality tests during the final inspection stage is not a prevention cost. This is an internal failure cost, as it involves rectifying defects after they have occurred.
Option B: Investing in better training for the quality assurance team to reduce the number of defects detected after product release. Investing in better training for the quality assurance team to reduce defects detected after product release. While this seems like a preventive measure, it’s more aligned with appraisal costs, as it’s aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of quality testing, rather than preventing defects at the source.
Option C: Implementing a rigorous quality control inspection at various stages of the manufacturing process. Implementing rigorous quality control inspections at various stages of the manufacturing process is an appraisal cost. It’s about assessing the quality of products at different stages, not preventing defects from occurring.
Option D: Enhancing the supplier vetting process to ensure higher quality raw materials are used, thereby reducing the likelihood of defects. Enhancing the supplier vetting process to ensure higher quality raw materials are used is a classic example of a prevention cost. It targets the early stages of the manufacturing process, aiming to improve the quality of inputs, thereby reducing the likelihood of defects occurring later.
Conclusion: Option D is the most appropriate choice for representing a ‘prevention cost’ in maintaining the manufacturing process’s quality. By focusing on enhancing the supplier vetting process, it aims to ensure high-quality raw materials from the start, thereby reducing the chances of defects occurring later in the production process. This proactive approach aligns with the concept of prevention costs in the Cost of Quality framework, highlighting the importance of addressing potential quality issues at their source. In the broader context of project management, this understanding is crucial for making informed decisions about quality-related expenses and ensuring efficient and effective quality management in manufacturing processes.
PMP Exam Content Outline Mapping
| Domain | Task |
|---|---|
| Process | Task 7: Plan and manage quality of products/deliverables |
Topics Covered
- Cost of Quality
