The concept of the quality management plan in regards to the field of project management refers specifically to the input/output mechanism detailing the exact methodology that will be implemented by the project management team and or the project management team leaders for the purposes of conducting an overall accomplishment of attaining and maintaining the level that is needed to meet the organizations predetermined and preordained level of quality required. The quality management plan is ultimately an essential component (and in many cases a subsidiary) of the already determined and defined project management plan. The quality management plan may be a formal document, or it may be more of an informal concept. And may be a very detailed plan, or may be more of a broad idea of sorts. Ultimately, the need for specificity in this arena is dictated entirely by that the project management team and or project management team leader deem to be necessary for the project.
This term is defined in the 3rd and the 4th edition of the PMBOK.