Connecting Practice

Poor quality management can stand in the way of project success. It’s a quality problem that challenges us to change quality assurance and software testing (QAST) practices. Some of the common signs that show up due to quality problems - tend to show up late in the project - are as follows:

• Task rework;
• Lack of project direction;
• Lack of project documentation;
• Higher maintenance and support costs;
• work, Product, service, and/or process return and replacement;
• Missed deadlines and budget;
• Client dissatisfaction;
• Failure mode analysis;
• Complaint resolution;
• Help line support;
• Defect Correction;
• Poor morale;
• Scrap; and
• Etc.

I believe the quality problems have to be solved and the quality management needs to overcome the challenges above. However, some of the things (evidences of existence or limitation) that support the challenges above and keep them going (hinder or blocking you to solve the above challenges) are as follows:

• Act of the will;
• Degree of motivations;
• Commitment, knowledge, and expertise to the QAST practice;
• scope of work and/or improvement (change) desired;
• Adaption to enterprise cultural values, ethics, and abilities to do best and implement the QAST practice effectively;
• Purposeful stability of management;
• Resources; and
• How they respond to the QAST practice chosen.

To avoid the quality problems above, a quality manager must require continual attention to the following activities:

1. Define clearly the desirable quality goals and targets with the project sponsor and client on a project.

a.) Identify and understand the quality needs and/or expectations of the project sponsor and client in terms of quality on the project.
b.) Develop a quality statement as part of the quality plan.

2. Establish a quality process.

Determine, design, define, Develop, organize, manage, implement, and maintain quality control, assurance and improvement mechanisms (quality means for the project), such as: standards like criteria for completeness and correctness, policies, planning, procedures, quality assurance and control processes, reviews, trainings, and tools. These mechanisms will be used on the project to help meet or exceed those quality needs and/or expectations.

3. Measure the effectiveness of the quality process.

a.) Establish performance measures that track achievement of the quality goals. This includes driving team members to perform their job and produce good results.
b.) Track and/or monitor quality goals and the performance measures by identifying the indicators that will tell you whether the required results are being attained.
c.) Analyze the results to determine and prioritize systematic activities for quality. This includes identifying risks and/or problems so steps can be taken in the future to avoid the same concerns.
d.) Share results with the appropriate stakeholders.

4. Monitor the quality process.

Periodically audit the quality process to ensure it is being followed.

5. Change the quality process as needed to keep it effective.

If it is not achieving the results you need, improve it by adjusting processes and/or adopting improved practices to maintain the desired level of quality.

Join QAST Practitioner Group and/or give comment(s) at:
http://daniloalsonado.com/qastforum/index.php?topic=10.0