During quality management, a quality audit may be performed on a project. What is a quality audit in the context of project quality management?

Introduction / Context:
Quality management in projects includes planning, assurance, and control. A quality audit is one of the tools used in quality assurance to ensure that the project is following agreed processes and standards. Understanding what a quality audit is and how it differs from other quality activities is important for both exam questions and real quality management.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The term being defined is quality audit. - The context is project quality management. - The question asks for the best description of a quality audit. - Standard PMI definitions of quality activities are assumed.

Concept / Approach:
A quality audit is a structured, independent review that examines whether project activities comply with organizational and project policies, processes, and procedures. Audits can be performed by internal audit teams or external parties. They may identify good practices and improvement opportunities. This is different from general performance evaluation, quality control activities that inspect deliverables, or broader process improvement efforts.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that a quality audit is part of quality assurance and focuses on process compliance. Step 2: Note that the review should be structured and independent to provide objective findings. Step 3: Compare the options and identify the one that explicitly mentions structured, independent review and compliance with policies and procedures. Step 4: Select that option as the correct definition.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, think about what auditors do in organizations. They compare actual practices against documented policies and procedures, identify nonconformities, and suggest improvements. This matches the description of a structured, independent review. Other quality activities, such as control or performance evaluation, have different focuses and are not necessarily audits.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B is wrong because it describes quality assurance more broadly, evaluating overall performance rather than specifically defining an audit. Option C is wrong because team meetings to improve quality control processes may be valuable but are not necessarily structured, independent audits. Option D is wrong because determining actions to increase effectiveness and efficiency refers more to process improvement and overall project performance, not specifically to audits. Option E is wrong because a simple checklist completed by the project manager does not meet the standard of a structured, independent review.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners may confuse quality audits with inspections of deliverables or with general quality assurance activities. Another common mistake is to assume that any checklist or informal review qualifies as an audit. For exam purposes, it is important to recognize independence, structure, and focus on compliance with policies and procedures as key characteristics of a quality audit.

Final Answer:
A quality audit is a structured, independent review to determine whether project activities comply with organizational and project policies, processes, and procedures.