Independent Project Quality Assurance

The work of one or more professionals responsible for monitoring and assessing the health and effectiveness of project management plans and processes as well as an overall assessment of a projects's short and longer term risks.  To preserve independence, the QA provider(s) report outside the project management organizational structure, generally to the project's Executive Sponsor and the State CIO.  In Washington state government, independent Project QA is considered different than product or technical quality assurance which might include testing and other independent verification and validation activities.