Who is primarily responsible for managing project quality?

The project manager is primarily responsible for managing project quality because this role encompasses overall project oversight, including ensuring that the project meets quality standards and stakeholder expectations. The project manager establishes quality management policies, procedures, and metrics that define the quality expectations for the project deliverables. Additionally, the project manager coordinates the efforts of the project team and oversees the quality assurance and quality control processes.

In this context, while the project team contributes to maintaining quality through their work, it is the project manager who defines the quality objectives and ensures that appropriate quality management practices are followed. The project sponsor, while influential in guiding the project’s direction and providing resources, does not manage the day-to-day quality activities. Similarly, the quality assurance team may play a supporting role in evaluating and monitoring quality processes, but their activities are usually executed under the guidance of the project manager. Hence, the central figure responsible for quality management lies with the project manager, who integrates quality into the overall project management process.