DQOs

Quality Management Tools - Systematic Planning

The EPA uses systematic planning to plan projects and link goals, cost and schedule, and quality criteria with the final outputs. Systematic planning ensures that all participants understand the needs and expectations of the customer and the product or results to be provided by the supplier.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

ELEMENTS OF SYSTEMATIC PLANNING

RESOURCES

EXAMPLES OF SYSTEMATIC PLANNING PROCESSES

Data Quality Objectives Process (EPA) - Planning process for decision making.
- Guidance on Systematic Planning using the Data Quality Objectives Process (PDF 1693 KB) contains guidance on how to perform the Data Quality Objectives Process. Clarification of Terminology for the EPA Quality System (PDF 124KB). Memorandum from Norine Noonan dated March 2, 1999 that clarifies the use of "data quality objectives" vs. "acceptance or performance criteria."
- Systematic Planning: A Case Study for Hazardous Waste Site Investigations (PDF 1321 KB) contains examples on applying the Data Quality Objectives process to hazardous waste site investigations.
- Introduction to Data Quality Objectives - This 1-day course teaches participants the basic elements of the Data Quality Objectives Process. Participants learn the elements of this process, how the process applies to a regulatory program at EPA, and how to interpret the consequences of potential decision errors. Then the participants work together as teams to apply the process to some real-life examples.
- DOE Hanford
  www.hanford.gov/dqo/index.html
- DOE Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
  dqo.pnl.gov/
- Federal Remediation Technologies Roundtable
  www.frtr.gov/optimization/monitoring/dqo.html
Technical Project Planning Process (Army Corps of Engineers) - Planning process for hazardous, toxic, and radioactive waste sites.
hq.environmental.usace.army.mil/tool_info/tpp/tpp.html
Dynamic Field Activities (EPA) - Planning process for Superfund.
www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/dfa/systplan.htm
The Triad Approach (EPA) - Planning process for hazardous waste remediation programs.
www.triadcentral.org