NVP Software Solutions

Tag: Process Improvement

  • End of Year Rush

    End of Year Rush

    There is often an arbitrary end date set for projects. Sometimes it is driven by the fiscal year or the calendar year. Budgets run out at the end of the fiscal year and sometimes political requirements drive calendar year end dates. Most of our clients impose a code freeze for the last two weeks of December as well so that moves the real completion date closer. In our experience, the rush starts at the beginning of November and continues until mid December. Projects that were never anticipated appear from nowhere and push aside lower level projects. Other projects get accelerated. No matter what the Quality Assurance and Testing is based on the risk of the implementation and should not change based on a reduced timeline.

    Sound familiar?

    One thing not to forget is to note the Lessons Learned from the process. Don’t let the rush of the project prevent you from making some notes as to what went wrong and what could be improved for next time. Otherwise the same situation will repeat itself.
     

    Test Leader or Manager with concerns? Consider the Test Managers Conference.

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    Photos by Pierre Bamin on Unsplash and Andrew Measham on Unsplash

  • A few good crises

    Last week we mentioned how October used to be Quality Month and now has also been designated as CyberSecurity Awareness month. But the question that arises is how to get Quality accepted in your organization. One client once said that a “A few good crises” would aid Quality Assurance in being accepted. A very true statement and as an external consultant, that was true. However, the people inside the organization were not quite so thrilled with that thought. Clearly crises, were not a good reflection on their management since they should be helping avoid them.

    Our suggestion is to redo the statement as: A few good crises averted and see where you get with that. Start a log of what was averted by your work. Add it to the issue reports as a separate field. Clearly this is bundled in with Risk Management and needs to be attached to the Risk of something occurring. Something that was very low risk is not really a candidate for an averted crisis. However, something that is High Risk and was successfully avoided is a much better candidate for the list. Concentrate on those.

    What are you doing to avert crises?

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  • Why October?

    October was Quality Month at one time although we have not heard a lot about that designation recently. It is now also CyberSecurity month.

    We have to ask “Why October?”

    But ignoring the Why for a little bit, it does seem that October is considered to be a month when we are all supposed to look at the way Quality impacts our lives and take a second look at how we have been operating and see if it can be improved.

    Possibly the originators thought that October would give enough time for any improvements to be included into the following year’s budget and plans. However, with so many organizations having different year ends, that thought may no longer apply. Regardless, Quality considerations should not really be restricted to a single month. Continuous improvement is not continuous in name only. It has to occur all year around.

    What are you doing about Quality Month?

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  • Quality Assurance Article

    Following up to our presentation to PMC on September 1, a short article has been posted elaborating on some of the concepts from the talk. Please see the article at PMAC- Article

    Quality Assurance and You

    Using software as an example, in many more locations, we are dependent on it for our safety and well being. Couple that with the pressure for faster delivery and there is not sufficient time to do thorough testing at the end of development. Quality Assurance finds and utilizes the best places to do validation and verification and ensure a good product while reducing the testing cycle. Projects are delivered, faster, cheaper and with better quality.

    Takeaways:

    Three ingredients to delivering Quality.
    The Costs and Risks of Poor Quality.
    Six Steps to implementing a Quality Program
    Sign up today, this event will sell out!

    See the Article for more information or contact us at neil@nvp.ca

  • I’m late for a very important Project

    I’m late for a very important Project

    Monday morning and already we are late for a very important project.

    The project has been going for several weeks (sometimes months) and you only learned about it last Friday. The schedule is well advanced, software is being installed and configured and the end date is fixed.

    Sound familiar?

    Now is the time for some ruthless Risk analysis on what can and can not be done in the remaining time allotted.

    1. What is absolutely crucial and must be completed?
    2. What can be left without increasing the risk profile unduly?

    Concentrate on the items in the first bullet point.

    One thing not to forget is to note the Lessons Learned from the process. Don’t let the rush of the project prevent you from making some notes as to what went wrong and what could be improved for next time. Otherwise the same situation will repeat itself.
     

    Test Leader or Manager with concerns? Consider the Test Managers Conference.

    Services NVP Quality Assurance Services

    Contact Contact us

    Meeting Book a Meeting with NVP

    LinkedIn Group LinkedIn Group

    LinkedIn Company Page LinkedIn Company Page

    Photos by Pierre Bamin on Unsplash and Andrew Measham on Unsplash

  • Quality Assurance Presentation

    If, as a project manager, you are called upon to implement a new process, software or WHATEVER, quality assurance is something you need to watch.
    On September 1, 2021 at 1PM EST, PMAC will be delivering a one time only professional development webinar for members:

    Quality Assurance and You

    Using software as an example, in many more locations, we are dependent on it for our safety and well being. Couple that with the pressure for faster delivery and there is not sufficient time to do thorough testing at the end of development. Quality Assurance finds and utilizes the best places to do validation and verification and ensure a good product while reducing the testing cycle. Projects are delivered, faster, cheaper and with better quality.

    Takeaways:

    Three ingredients to delivering Quality.
    The Costs and Risks of Poor Quality.
    Six Steps to implementing a Quality Program
    Sign up today, this event will sell out!

    https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcode6tpjktHtzrZPnQJLgRXEosgWwv3jTz

  • Starting Quality Assurance – Part 9

    Starting Quality Assurance – Part 9

    Spread the Word

    This is our last recommendation.
     

    You have worked through all the groups in your organization and now everyone is on the Quality path. There are two further recommendations before we drop this topic.

    1. Present your experiences and results to other people and groups. There are always lots of other companies and people who like to hear success stories and the processes you used to get there. It gives them something to work with in their own Quality journey. They may also provide new ideas back to you.
    2. Go back and look at your original and first attempt at Quality Assurance and analyze how it worked and what you would do differently given what you now know. It might surprise you.

     

    Test Leader or Manager with concerns? Consider the Test Managers Conference.

    Services NVP Quality Assurance Services

    Contact Contact us

    Meeting Book a Meeting with NVP

    LinkedIn Group LinkedIn Group

    LinkedIn Company Page LinkedIn Company Page

    Photos by Chandan Chaurasia on Unsplash and Andrew Measham on Unsplash

  • Register for the Test Managers Conference – September – October 2021

    This 6-week remote workshop is an exclusive event for test managers from around the world. In the six sessions, we will focus on the top challenges as identified by you, facing managers in building, testing, and delivering quality software applications and products in today’s fast-paced and demanding environment. Run by experts from NVP Software Solutions and Berriault and Associates, with input from other industry leaders, you will learn from your peers and experts with a focus on practical solutions.

    This intense and interactive workshop will provide a unique opportunity for managers to learn from industry leaders and to develop solutions with their peers from other companies. Each attendee will have the opportunity to have their specific challenges and concerns addressed during the workshop. This is a great opportunity to connect with other software testing and quality assurance professionals. We hope to see you there!

    Challenges that have been identified in the past

    1. Proving the value of software quality and testing.
    2. Transitioning to Agile.
    3. Defining quality and testing metrics.
    4. Improving the software testing process.
    5. Building quality in throughout the software development process.
    6. Making test automation work.
    7. Establishing a testing center of excellence.
    8. Estimating the testing effort.
    9. Improving requirements.
    10. Building effective teams.

    Please fill out the Management Survey to get your biggest issues recorded and addressed.

     

    Register here

     

    Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash