Companies that have decided to improve their IT quality strategies will need to re-examine their processes and procedures because there are no simple software short cuts despite claims to the contrary.
What is more, implementing software before quality processes have been put into place can actually be a step backwards. Because of the problems inherent in introducing software solutions prematurely, it is essential that organisations identify their current quality status before designing a quality strategy.
There are models that can help with this job, and by matching an organisation`s characteristics to the stages of a model, it is possible to achieve a level of maturity and determine what improvements are required to progress quality processes to the next stage.
In a recent survey conducted for Compuware by Forrester Research, most organisations emerged as being at an intermediate stage of maturity. To achieve full maturity, the software quality strategy needs to become integrated with the rest of the organisation`s IT and business activities.
Although this does not necessarily mean that the quality lifecycle should be integrated with the main development lifecycle, it does mean that quality strategy needs to be integral with the organisation`s overall IT and business strategy.
This ultimate level of integration is known as "Quality Governance" and it is only at this stage that the organisation`s quality processes are fully matured and that the entire enterprise is committed to those processes.
Most companies will be aiming to achieve Quality Governance sooner rather than later. The secret is to create quality processes that are driven by business risk. In scheduling quality activities such as testing, decisions should always be based on the severity and scale of the risk associated with the particular system element that is at issue.
Similarly, decisions about whether a system is ready to go live need to be rooted in an objective assessment of the risk involved in doing so.
A company that is under pressure to go live with a new Web-based quotation application, for example, will clearly be at high risk without fully testing the screen which customers use to request a quote.
But by prioritising the testing of high-risk elements, the company can gain the financial advantages of early entry to the market without having to rely on software that has not been fully validated.
Creating an integrated software quality strategy is a question of focusing on processes, and having assessed its degree of maturity, a company can develop its quality processes to the point where they are not only effective in themselves but also serve the objectives of IT and of the business as a whole.
Given the priority of processes, what role remains for software solutions?
The greatest value of these solutions lies in their ability to implement strategy and to streamline processes. Automation is a logical step for any organisation that needs to attain high quality at affordable cost - but, strange as the message may sound coming from a company that is known as a software solutions provider, processes must always come first.
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Compuware Corporation (NASDAQ: CPWR) is a world leader in delivering software and services that enable businesses to manage their enterprises and maximise the value of their IT assets. Compuware solutions accelerate the development, improve the quality and enhance the performance of business-driving applications. Founded in 1973, Compuware serves the world`s leading IT organisations, including more than 90% of the Fortune 100 companies. Learn more about Compuware at http://www.compuware.co.za
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