Inspection
A formal review of a deliverable or other work product to verify it complies with the documented standards and criteria.
Key Points
- Used to confirm that outputs meet written standards, specifications, or requirements.
- Can occur at receipt, during execution, or before final acceptance.
- Often uses checklists, measurements, and sampling to detect defects.
- Results may trigger acceptance, rejection, rework, or updates to the defect log.
Example
The quality engineer examines completed wiring panels against the project specifications and safety codes, using a checklist to confirm labeling, torque settings, and component ratings before authorizing installation sign-off.
PMP Example Question
Which quality control technique involves checking a delivered component against documented specifications to decide if it should be accepted or sent for rework?
- Inspection
- Quality audit
- Variance analysis
- Benchmarking
Correct Answer: A - Inspection
Explanation: Inspection is a direct examination of a work product against written standards to determine accept or reject decisions, whereas audits assess process compliance, variance analysis compares performance data, and benchmarking compares to external best practices.
