D5 Quality Project

Introduction:
This module allows students to demonstrate their ability to integrate knowledge and skills, which have been acquired from modules incorporated in the diploma.

A pre-requisite for this module is achievement of at least two other modules from the IQA diploma.

To assist students to prepare for the project, all course modules contain assignment work, which requires independent study. They also provide for the development of communication, design and research skills, all of which are regarded as necessary attributes for this module.

Aims:

• To provide students with experience of independent work at a professional level
• To provide a context for the application and integration of knowledge and skills acquired during the course
• To further develop initiative, critical self-awareness and self-reliance
• To develop personal qualities and communication skills to a level essential for professional development
• To foster scholarly activity and to develop the necessary skills.

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

• Plan and instigate a quality related project from conception to realisation
• Report the outcomes of a quality related project in writing to a target audience of experts
• Specify technological, commercial and social objectives within technical and human constraints and statutory requirements
• Plan their own time and workload and co-ordinate their activities to meet specified objectives and guidelines
• Access and use relevant information sources and databases
• Analyse and critically evaluate relevant theory and literature.

Research Project:
The Project Proposal form provided in the package has to be submitted before a student commences the project. The form will help a student identify an area of research within an organisation and then logically think through the approach they wish to take. This will be submitted to IQA for approval and returned to the student with comments made by the examiner/moderator.

It is likely therefore that the research will be one of two broad types:

1. A critical review of how the organisation conducted a recent project, e.g. the changeover to ISO9000: 2000. This should not simply describe how the organisation did this. The literature review would reveal issues in, for example, implementing ISO9000. The fieldwork would collect data about how the organisation went about implementing ISO9000.
2. A critical evaluation of a technique/approach to quality management that the organisation is considering using. This should not simply describe the technique/approach, but should explore the issues that the organisation should be aware of that are already in the existing literature, e.g. benefits, difficulties to overcome. The fieldwork element would concentrate on exploring how these particular issues might impact on the candidate’s organisation.

What is an appropriate project?
It is likely that it will be based on a project that has already been carried out in the candidate’s organisation, e.g. the changeover to ISO 9000: 2000, or a topic that the organisation is interested in evaluating, e.g. whether the organisation should use six sigma methodologies.

Costs