I am a new PM at a small company that develops web applications for customers of various sizes. There is no QA process in place. My manager has indicated this has been a problem in the past. This is not an area I have any experience in. How do I establish a QA process? What should I consider? Saving Changes...
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David GathenduPM Consultant| DAG ConsultNairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
Hi,
Any information on this will be vry helpful as well. We are in the processes of researching for automated means of running the QA process from Manual processes.
Any headway any one? Saving Changes...
Rohin IraniProject Manager| Kohl's Department Stores Inc. Jackson, Wi, United States
I am sure you know this but just thought I would call this out. Your first and most important pre-requisite to have any QA (manual/automated) is to have an QA application environment exactly similar to the production environment.
The next most important pre-requisite to have a strong QA process is 'Requirements traceability'. Throughout the project lifecycle (Requirements, Design, Construction) upto the point where you will be ready to do the QA, there needs to be a strong traceability process in place. I would suggest the QA works on building a test plan during the Requirements. Design phases of the project and the QA is involved in those steps of the project.
Next depending on the # of resources doing the QA testing, you may want to look at a tool for designing/storing the test cases or you could simply use word templates. I would strongly suggest a tool (like Quality Center) which would serve as a single repository for all designed QA test cases and test results if you have multiple QA resources engaged on the QA testing effort.
Finally the next step would be to determine the testing methodology, whether manual or automated. If automated testing, I would strongly suggest looking at tools such as 'Silk Performer'. If you decide to go the route of manual testing, then documentation of the exact steps used to execute each test case becomes very important.
Once you have determined the above, you should be ready to work on a good QA process. I know this doesn't answer your question, but before defining a QA process, this initial ground work is very important. Saving Changes...
Some advices (or some must-have):
1) Do not limit QA to testing. Testing just checks the quality, not assure. Product quality is done by analysts, architects, programmers. So concentrate on avoiding errors, not on costly finding and fixing.
2) Pay attention to requirements - are they actual, complete, inambiguos, easy to understand (!).
3) Architecture should address questions of technical quality (reliability, performance, security, data integrity).
4) Programmers should follow coding rules.
5) Everyone should be motivated for a quality.
6) To be systematic start with Quality Assurance Plan - in simpliest form a list of meausures to provide a quality with responsible person for each. On a road it will be a tool to check how Quality Assurance Plan is fulfilled.
Saving Changes...
David GathenduPM Consultant| DAG ConsultNairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
Hello,
We currently initiated our Project delivery process by implementing the Project Management Life Cycle. And in as much as Quality is undertaken all throught out the Project Life Cycle, in the Project Execution phase, Qualiy Management implementation is critical, as noted by the other post contributors. Essential aspects do include
1. undertaking a project plan which entails defining the Quality Assurance Plan and Quality Control plans to ensure that the items reviewed meet the projects's established quality targets.
2. Implement the actions listed int the Quality Assurance Plan and Quality Control plans to ensure the items reviewed meet the projects established quality targets
3. Complete Reviews of the whole process.
However, as raised, a decision has to be made on the onset whether the QA process will be automated or manual....... Saving Changes...
