Tag: Quality Assurance

The last three NVP Blogs have discussed Doing it Right the First Time. The last one addresses the issue of Implementing Right the First Time. This is the part that usually trips up most people. They know they want to implement this in their organization. They know how or they can refer to explanations that will suggest how. The problem comes when we try to actually implement the process.

As is usual with almost any new initiative, we want to follow three precepts:

1. Start small.
2. Pick off the easy items first.
3. Publish the successes.

Taking these in order:

Start small
Start with something over which we have full control or a limited number of stakeholders. Do not start with a mission critical project with numerous stakeholders; that will not work.

Pick off the easy items first
A quick analysis will reveal some small and easy to fix items that can be corrected. Sometimes it can be as small as adding a field to a defect report that avoids an extra step further down in the process or removing a step like having Quality Control test a defect as it arrives from the customer before passing it to development and then testing it on the way back out. The second example might have had use at one point but no longer makes sense. A third and frequently easy place to look for improvements is in items that have been made redundant by technology changes. These can include printing items that are now easily stored online or even still testing installation disks for a hosted system.

Publish the successes
Even though this is third, it requires some upfront thought. We need to know the current situation and statistics before we can determine whether improvement has occurred. So even though this is the ‘last’ step it must be considered early.

Rule 3: Take a step back; look objectively at your process; pick off a few items that can be improved; check the current situation; make the change and measure again.

This is the first step to implementing Right the First Time or Quality Improvement in your organization. Next week; an anonymous example of How Not to be Right the First Time.

Last week we discussed how to measure the results of a Process Improvement initiative and how to successfully implement the process. This week we have assumed that the Process Improvement Initiative has been completed and we are now faced with Acting on the Results.

There are two possible outcomes from the results and both lead to further action.

1. The measurements and metrics indicate a successful process improvement and we have achieved the results we want.
2. The measurements and metrics indicate an unsuccessful process improvement and we have to decide what to do next.

In the beginning it is usually suggested that we review the measurements and derived metrics to ensure that we are measuring what we thought we were measuring. A false positive, (we think our program was successful but it was not) can be caused by either measuring the wrong item, deriving the wrong metrics or drawing the wrong conclusion. If the analysis indicates that the conclusion is correct then the following steps are recommended:

1. 1. 1. Determine a new process improvement initiative.
      2. Determine if our existing metrics will properly measure the new initiative.
      3. Define new metrics as required.
      4. Implement and measure as before.

If, after due analysis, we determine that our process improvement initiative did not lead to the correct result, then we have to decide between the following two possibilities:

1. 1. 1. Undo the changes made and revert to the previous method of doing the process.
      2. Initiate another process improvement session to change the process to something better.

For either of the above, we still need to measure and make sure we are accomplishing what is desired in terms of Process Improvement or maintenance of the status prior to the initial change.

Note that none of this is based on supposition or guessing. No changes are made without supporting statistics.

Next week: Quality Assurance – Doing it right the first time.

This is the first of two blogs devoted to implementing metrics and discusses the piece most likely to cause failure. Assuming that the metrics were properly identified, measured and the results analyzed, we are now at the point of Acting on the Results of the metrics.

There are two major ways in which a organizations tend to act on results.

1. Making major changes all at once and cleaning up the results.
2. Incremental changes

Making major changes all at once

In this approach the organization identifies where it wants to be, determines the changes and makes them all at once. This is sometimes called the Big Bang approach, often followed by the Gib Gnab which is a Big Bang in reverse
There are several steps:

1. Determine where the end point of the changes would be
2. Make the changes to get there
3. Look for what has gone wrong or is incomplete or has been resisted (this will likely be a long list)
4. Fix the problems

Incremental changes
In this approach the organization identifies where it wants to be, determines the changes and decides on individual small steps that will end up getting to the correct point.
There are several steps:

1. Determine where the end point of the changes would be
2. Determine individual small steps that will ultimately lead to the end result
3. Coordinate the individual steps for each objective
4. Obtain buy in from the affected parties for the individual steps
5. Start making the steps
6. Measure the progress continuously making changes if any measurements show adverse results
7. Watch for progress towards the final goal

If the above process is carried out correctly, not only will we get to the final point, we will also have support for our next measurement program. If any of these look unfamiliar give us a call and we will talk about it.

Next week: Acting on the results – Redoing