Abrachan Pudussery

This article gives insight into why many organizations fail in implementing corrective measures which require only plain common sense for their solutions.

Most organizations fail to progress on the quality front just because they are unable to prevent problems from happening even when the recurring problems are not alien to them. As a result, they end up with missed deadlines and dissatisfied customers and employees.

Over the last few years, I have read at least a dozen self improvement and time management books. All of these had a very positive impact on me. A culmination of all these ideas, and the observation of some really successful executives, helped me to improve my time management. Here I am not giving any magical formula for better time management. If this article can initiate a new thought process in you, which results in a happier and more effective "You," I am successful in my attempt.

During my career in software engineering spanning almost two decades across half a dozen organizations, I see a pattern. The organizations can be classified into four categories based on their strengths and weaknesses in management and technical capabilities. In today's business environment of speedy change and uncertainties, if the initiatives are not managed well, they can boomerang as an organizational energy waster.

This article explains a set of six metrics, which collectively provide valuable insight into:

a) Effort variation
b) Assessing the organizational capability
c) Knowing how well the organization meets its commitments on time
d) Defect detection capability of QA&QC activities, hence control on price of conformance
e) Defect leakage across the phases of projects, organization wide
f) Productivity metrics - a sure input to scheduling

These six metrics are easy to understand and implement. The cost of implementation will be minimal, if the basic systems like time tracking and defect tracking systems are in place, and the organization follows a standard method for project size estimation.

When one walks into an organization, with the task of quality improvement, normally the focus will be on the implementation of programmes, without giving much thought to team development for the quality function. This can lead to failure. This article throws light into the pitfalls and the solutions in building a world class, quality organization.