The Path to Product Excellence: Avoiding Common Pitfalls and Enhancing Commun...
Lecture 2
1. ⇒ CONSULTANTSCONSULTANTS
⇒What? Where? Why? Who?What? Where? Why? Who?
⇒ Consultants vs ContractorsConsultants vs Contractors
⇒ Stages of an assignmentStages of an assignment
⇒ CONTRACTSCONTRACTS
⇒ Contract LawContract Law
⇒ Contract managementContract management
⇒ Contract purpose/coverageContract purpose/coverage
⇒ QUALITYQUALITY
⇒ Why the concern for quality?Why the concern for quality?
⇒ Methods/techniquesMethods/techniques
⇒ Quality management/TickITQuality management/TickIT
CONSULTANTS, CONTRACTS AND QUALITY
2. WHAT DO CONSULTANTS DO?
The Institute of Management Consultants defines consultancy as:
“the service provided to business, public and other
undertakings by an independent and qualified person or
persons in identifying and investigating problems
concerned with policy, organization, procedure and
methods, recommending appropriate action, and helping
to implement those recommendations”
Normally involves provision of specialist expertise,
impartial advice and help in the analysis and solution of
problems
Occasionally involves software development,
implementation and training
3. WHERE DO THEY WORK? WHY
ARE THEY USED?
Most areas of IT and most organization types, mainly:
• strategy and planning
• feasibility studies/ system audits
• legal and contractual matters
• staff selection
• requirements analysis
• design
• equipment/software selection
4. •To provide temporary assistance
•To provide objectivity and independence
•To handle a difficult political situation
•To initiate change
•To meet an expertise gap
•To deal with new technology
•To educate/train users and development staff
(Consultants often act as project managers in a new area to help
to build a team)
WHERE DO THEY WORK? WHY ARE THEY USED?
(Continued)
5. WHO ARE THEY?
Several types
• self-employed
• groupings of “associates”
• employees of (large) consultancy organizations
• employees providing consultancy services within an organization
People with high level of interpersonal skill
• consensus building
• education and attitude change
• facilitation
• change management
6. CONSULTANTS vs CONTRACTORS
CONSULTANTS
• Assignments more open-ended
• Operate at a higher level, often alone
• Tend to drive the assignment
• Softer (people-oriented) problems
• Assignment oriented (i.e often short timescale)
• Deliverable usually a report
7. CONTRACTORS
•Well-defined tasks to perform
•Usually within a team of permanent staff
•Tend to be given specific tasks to do
•Harder (technical) problems
•Usually 6-, 12- or 18- month contract
•Deliverable usually software
CONSULTANTS vs CONTRACTORS(Continued)
8. STAGES OF AN ASSIGNMENT 1
Starting the assignment
•initial contact
•clarification of tasks, timings and fees
•shared understanding
Terms of Reference
•crucial document, guides the whole activity
•define objectives, deliverables and metrics
•set out framework within which work to be done
•define timescales, personnel, other resources
•must be clear, comprehensive and agreed before proceeding
Planning
•develop a plan, schedule activities and resources
9. STAGES OF AN ASSIGNMENT 2
Investigation and diagnosis
• focus on environment, technology, people, objectives and methods
• use analytical techniques such as question boxes, charts, grids,
checklists, SWOT analysis, CBA analysis
• differentiate symptoms from causes
Developing proposals/recommendations
• check with client as assignment progresses
• there should be no surprises
• nor should the recommendations be simply what the client wants to
hear
• test any proposals for practicality and measure against metrics
10. A SWOT
analysis (alternatively SWOT
Matrix) is a
structured planning method used to
evaluate
the strengths, weaknesses, opportun
ities, and threats involved in
a project or in a business venture. A
SWOT analysis can be carried out
for a product, place, industry or
person. It involves specifying the
objective of the business venture or
project and identifying the internal
and external factors that are
favorable and unfavorable to
achieving that objective
11. STAGES OF AN ASSIGNMENT 3
Preparing the report
•write clearly and intelligibly
•write to persuade
Making a presentation
•formal
•with evaluation
Concluding the assignment
•agree any follow-up
•make self available
•assist with implementation
12. CONTRACT LAW
There are two main types of contract - for goods and for
services
Sale of Goods Act 1979 requires that “the goods supplied ...
are of satisfactory quality”, “free from minor defects”, and
“fit for purpose”
Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 requires “reasonable
skill and care” to be exercised in services
Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 prevents such obligations
from being limited or excluded in the small print of a
contract, except on the grounds of fairness and
reasonableness
The courts have held that, if an organization capable of
looking after itself signs to accept the terms of a contract,
this would be considered fair and reasonable
13. CONTRACT MANAGEMENT
When you purchase a product, you can usually check its
quality (and are protected by the Sale of Goods Act)
When you deal with consultants/software developers, it is
usually to acquire a service which is non-standard, and
whose requirements will evolve. A carefully drafted and
negotiated contract is an essential safeguard
The contracting cycle should cover:
• supplier evaluation and selection
• request for proposals
• bid submission and evaluation (including negotiation)
• contract writing
Then the contract needs to be managed - regular contact,
regular reviews, up-to-date reports, register of key events
14. CONTRACT PURPOSE
The contract should:
• define the scope of the relationship
• manage the relationship
• enable effective termination of the relationship
• anticipate and manage problems
This involves:
• all tasks/requirements being identified in advance as far as possible
• roles and responsibilities being defined and understood
• a realistic timescale
• specific project milestones
15. CONTRACT CONTENTS (often in two parts)
LEGAL ASPECTS, INCLUDING
definition of contracting parties, including addresses
process for specifying deliverables, change control
licences, ownership of intellectual property
access to information, confidentiality and liability
process for resolving disputes, termination
negotiation of changes/amendments
penalties, rights and remedies
terms and conditions
16. SPECIFICATION OF DELIVERABLES/SERVICE
LEVELS, INCL.
obligations of the parties
project management, milestones and delivery dates
acceptance testing
CONTRACT CONTENTS (often in two parts)
(Continued)
17. WHY THE CURRENT CONCERN FOR QUALITY?
Legal requirement/costs of litigation for contractual failure
Pressures of competition
Expectations of customers
Costs of poor quality - headlines
• “Wessex Health wastes £10 million”
• “London Ambulance System fails”
• “DSS computers paying more benefit than entitlement”
Quality cannot be added at the end of a process; it must be
there from the beginning
18. TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT (TQM)
Total Quality Management (TQM) is a concept for improving
efficiency and effectiveness throughout an organisation
It requires a total commitment to a quality culture from
management and employees at all levels
It aims to prevent/reduce failures by every job being carried
out “right first time, every time”
It gives more control to the individual and making him/her
accountable for his/her own performance
It embraces continuous improvement through teamwork,
quality circles, empowerment and employee participation
This quality culture needs standards and procedures within
which the company will operate; BS EN ISO 9001 provides
one set of standards and procedures
19. BS EN ISO 9001 STANDARD
This title covers the national (formerly BS 5750), European
(formerly EN 29000), and international (formerly ISO 9000)
standards
Provides a set of standards for a Quality Management System
(QMS), based on the specification of procedures and criteria to
ensure that products and services meet customer requirements
Covers how to establish, document and maintain an effective
QMS
Demonstrates to customers how quality needs are supplied
Provides independent measure of company’s QMS through a
certification process, involving regular inspections
20. REQUIREMENTS OF A QUALITY MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM (QMS)
Objectives are clearly articulated
There are documented procedures for:
• regular review of contract/plan
• design control
• documentation and change control
• product identification and traceability
• inspection, measuring and testing
• identification of non-conformance
• corrective action
• quality audits and records
23. Metrics for each phase
Centralised responsibility for quality (project librarian?)
Method
• Detailed planning before development starts, with checkpoints and
deliverables
• Use of development change control procedures
• Design reviews to highlight and resolve technical issues
• Progress reviews at formal milestones to ensure adequate planning
and resources
• Design traceable to specification and requirements
• Test plan, specifications and records to be kept
SOFTWARE QUALITY MANAGEMENT (SQM)
(Continued)
24. TickIT
TickIT is a scheme aimed to:
• encourage software companies to achieve ISO9000
• certify this through independent assessment
• monitor the quality management system through visits
• allow the company to display the TickIT logo
BCS has produced a Guidance Manual, which covers:
• introduction to ISO9000 and necessary documentation
• an interpretation of ISO9000 for the software industry
• guidance on what you can expect from a TickIT supplier
• guidance for suppliers on implementation
• guidance for auditors on the assessment process, costs, and benefits
