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Create Quality Software |
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Information management has seen a breadth of change in the past 10 years. Different technologies, faster networks, quicker computers and brighter individuals have revolutionized the way we view IT. In case of quality assurance, we have noticed a consistent downward trend within companies of all sizes in regard to information management. Issues dealing with process, requirements, change management, quality with ownership and direction are now brushed aside with little or no importance attached to them. The root cause of such comes from the business model: Increase the bottom line as much as possible by cutting costs and expenditures. Unfortunately, the practice of maintaining quality throughout production is typically sacrificed as a means to this end.
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We've found that one of the underlying reasons why an IT corporation may decide to remove (or completely overlook altogether) the steps associated with quality production is because these steps are wrongly regarded as the most lucrative to relinquish. This kind of mentality has been a constant, problematic issue for me throughout my past employment. It starts with a lack of direction and ownership where it is most necessary. A blind eye is usually turned to the idea of hiring an individual whose main function is to take ownership of overseeing company and department process and procedures, requirements, change management and quality. Of course, these four aspects are imperative for the creation of a suitable product or service. When these are combined with sufficient support from a "go-to" person, the scope of the project will most likely will turn out to be a success.
To their credit, IT businesses generally do a satisfactory job at filling the main positions in the corporation: managers, developers, network individuals, salespeople and help desk/support. But those roles don't always provide sufficient support for the project and clients.
Similarly, the need for fluidity in process and procedure is almost never addressed. Process outlines the business flow from department to department, the types of internal and external documentation that is needed, and the rules of how to conduct business in every division. When business transactions are made, all stakeholders must be aware of the timeline from start to finish, as well as follow-up procedures. Executives in most of companies we've worked did not find this an important task due to the fact that it is not directly connected to a monetary payoff. Instead, they believed that changing the way an IT process was handled would be too costly due to the amount of time it would take to revamp it. What my previous employers didn't understand was that the long-term benefits to such a change greatly outweighed the time that would be lost during reorganization.
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Information management has seen a breadth of change in the past 10 years. Different technologies, faster networks, quicker computers and brighter individuals have revolutionized the way we view IT. In case of quality assurance, we have noticed a consistent downward trend within companies of all sizes in regard to information management. Issues dealing with process, requirements, change management, quality with ownership and direction are now brushed aside with little or no importance attached to them. The root cause of such comes from the business model: Increase the bottom line as much as possible by cutting costs and expenditures. Unfortunately, the practice of maintaining quality throughout production is typically sacrificed as a means to this end.
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Issues that can occur because of a poor IT process include ineffective or misleading communication between departments and/or clients, lack of project responsibility and flow from start to finish, workflow documentation issues, aggravation on the part of clients and various departments when specific documented material is expected and then not received, and the lack of employee knowledge of supporting business tools and how they are to be used. The list can go on and on.
The one saving grace of a weak process or procedure is the kind of technology an organization uses to support it. On the other hand, technology can create an additional problem because before it can be used, it needs to be centrally managed and agreed upon by employees of the company. If a greater importance were placed on process in the first place, rebuttals such as "I did not know" and "It's not our responsibility" would be less of an issue. But as so often happens in business, corners are cut, and the ants are left scrambling to pick up the pieces.
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Poor requirements gathering Corporations that have few concrete requirements for each service or product are another trend we have seen time and time again in the IT business world. Often, the creation of legitimate documents that outline requirements is not a high priority. A reason behind this is due to the fact that analysis of requirements and design take time to generate -- time that, again, is not directly tied to a profit. If a client's objectives for the project do happen to be noted, they are often written in erasable marker on white boards or typed in emails, but almost never put into a formalized document.
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The adherence to clear-cut requirements during the analysis phase can assist in troubleshooting any issues that could occur before development. For example, if changes do arise within the development process, the client must review the requirements, decipher the best course of action and provide proper authorization for the change. Therefore, critical errors will not be easily overlooked, and traceability is created from analysis to development, from QA to the client.
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Our Global Vision |
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