Businesses, organizations and corporations purchase software in hopes of bettering existing processes, but sometimes the data is suspect and manual processes have to be put in place to fix errors caused by the new software tools. If software was implemented to help you operate more efficiently and grow as an organization, why is your new software slowing you down? Perhaps it’s time to look to your software testing team! (more…)
Author: Neil
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JobBOSS Certification under ISO 13485 and FDA QS 21 Parts 11 and 820
Software like JobBOSS is an integral part of many shop processes. While it may not be as ‘visible’ or ‘apparent’ in many situations, it is often key to scheduling, controling, recording, and maintaining many of the results of work completed in various shops.
As a result, regulatory agencies like the FDA and ISO require proof that the software is in compliance with regulations like FDA Quality Systems regulation 21 Parts 11 and 820 and ISO 13485 if the products from the machine shop are used for registered industries. Your surveillance audits, and the client audits that are requested by customers to ensure that the supplying shop is in compliance, may include the software such as JobBOSS. The audit pertains to the actual use of the software in the shop, including installation, maintenance, and upgrade processes. The auditor looks for proof of due diligence with regard to the above processes and requires proof from the audited organisation. In software, this proof generally takes the form of screen shots showing unchanged behaviour in major functionality after upgrades have occurred, and various supporting reports and documents. This constitutes a Quality Assurance program for the software. The auditor examines these proofs and evidence of the Quality Assurance program to provide a Pass on the audit.
If you have a concern about passing an audit for JobBOSS or have had an audit that has resulted in an NC rating, take a look at our service to see what can be done and how it can help you pass an audit. Contact us to follow up.
NVP has generated and maintains a regression package for JobBOSS to help organisations pass the audit. Since it is already built, the cost is restricted to customising it for your situation and gathering up the artifacts as proof. The cost of updating is borne by NVP.
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Reduce Business Risk with QA
The software your business relies on to operate successfully is crutial to the success of your company. Software RISK (a potential problem that may occur due to lack of information, control or time) is something that should be minimized wherever possible when it comes to your daily business operations.
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Upcoming Course – Essentials of Leadership in Software Testing
Happening October 20 – 21 in Toronto, Canada this 2-day course offers solutions and techniques available to Test Leads and QA Managers in the challenges they face in managing Quality Assurance and Testing within their organizations. (more…)
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Quality Assurance for Startups
Quality Assurance for Startups sounds like a bit of an oxymoron. Startup companies and leaders have enough on their mind without adding that ‘horribly slow and stodgy Quality Assurance Process’ to the mix.
This concept is wrong for a number of reasons:
- Quality Assurance is never about being slow or bringing the process to a halt. It’s all about speeding up delivery of whatever you are supplying.
- Set up good processes at the start of your business and make improvements that have the biggest return, before bad or wasteful habits become entrenched.
- A startup needs to provide a product or service that ‘delights the final customer’. A product or service that falls short in some makes for a short-lived company.
What does a startup need from Quality Assurance? Just enough to make the final deliverable delight the customer!
So what should you have?:
- Processes that ensure feedback from the customers is received.
- Sufficient information about the way the deliverable was constructed so that feedback can be actioned.
- Assurance that the changes made will not impact existing functionality adversely.
- Consideration of how to implement future growth opportunities.
Of the above list, the last two are the more important.
We generally would consider the third point to be a form of regression testing and the earlier that is planned and implemented, the cheaper it is. However, it is often left (as we can personally testify) to a later release and the startup spends thousands of hours and a lot of funding retroactively forcing in regression testing. Minimal consideration of the possibility of needing this will SAVE A LOT later on.
The fourth point above is slightly more difficult to apply since it requires some anticipation of future needs based on limited information. We will leave that one for next week.
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Another Apology Letter From a Major Utility
Last year we received several bills containing errors from a major utility. A year later we received an apology letter ‘This is not the level of service you expect ‘ and promises to do better. Two days later another bill with an error and contradictory statements about when it will be automatically withdrawn.
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New Website
NVP Software Solutions invites you to view their new website and review the new exciting services now on offer.