Feb 20 WISQA Experts Answers

TOPIC #1

· What is a defect?

o Something not meeting user requirements.

· How good are your requirements both written & implied?

· How do others weight defects?

o Low, medium, high, critical (reviewed with each project to make sure team members all have the same interpretation of the weighting).

· Also priority vs. severity vs. risk

o Put numbers around basic L, M, H

o Example Low = 1, Med = 3, H = 5, Critical = 10

o 2 Critical= 20 vs 10 Low = 10; Would 2 Critical be a showstopper but 10 Low be a go ahead?

· How do I compare for performance?

o Baseline

o Industry standards

o Improvement from baseline

o # calls help desk receives after install

· How do I prove Quality is improving?

o Metrics

o Marketing

o History

o Time per unit on quality – cost of rework goes down

o Projects on time/on budget

o Quality – proactive approach where are we doing things well

o Ask Tech support what do developers do to drive them up a wall and improve those areas.

· How do I prove I am doing worthwhile things?

o Testimonials & publish them

o QA Day – internal presentations

TOPIC #2 – QA Manager doesn’t feel ready to release product. How do you convince upper mgmt?

• Rate defects – severity, risk assessment, & cost basis.
• # of test cases entered & # left to go.
• Impact to customer group if released right now.
• Negotiation – can you do a partial release /break down into phases.
• New estimate/timeline & cost with alternatives.
• Pilot with a small group if not convinced to show them reality (if errors are found with the pilot).
• # requirements that have been tested & # that have been changed since start of project.
• Input from project team.
• History of bad projects.
• Quality plan should have showstoppers documented up front. This way you’d know the rules up front before testing began.
• Strength of the QA Position or who they report to within the organization (more clout).

TOPIC #3 – Managing testing efforts across multiple locations?

• Have same defect tracking tool in both locations.
• Keep project manager in the loop.
• Change control – pass through different approvers.
• Weekly meetings.
• Traveling as much as possible.
• 1 manager over both locations – 1 cohesive team.
• QA Lead presence necessary.
• Identify quality inhibitors (i.e. – not enough video conference rooms when we need them).
• Intranet/Internet site – what about 1 per project.
• General sign on (for test environment or wherever) with sign or indication of project status so it is kept in front of everyone (red/green/yellow status).
• Common definitions between sites/speak same language.
• Understand cultural differences between sites – example was given with working with groups from USA & another country. Same word with different meanings (one complimentary, one not). Have a class on cultural differences to gain understanding.

TOPIC #4 – to busy to implement quality processes – how to break the roadblock (i.e. – can’t do a new tool or use a new process now….)?

• Show #’s to provide benefits – relate those to # of problems (use both figures & charts).
• Condense information to make it easier for mid management to review.
• Pilot efforts.
• Phased approach.
• Find friends/supporters who will agree to try and support you. More forgiving if you make a mistake than someone who was not on your side to begin with.
• Balanced Scorecard – prove you know what you are doing. Have management wanting to know more.