Top management plays a key role in ISO implementation. The
visibility of its role is often treated as an indication of the management's commitment.
Top managers have to be prime movers for the implementation and their role is not just
that of adhering to laid down procedures. Top management has to provide the vision,
determine the overall framework and ensure that the spirit of the implementation is
understood besides providing resources.
The activities to be undertaken by top management for ISO
implementation include:
implementation of ISO 9000.
allocation of suitable resources and adequate funds. Management commitment is needed for
financial, personnel and material resources. Review of the impact of `Operation ISO 9000'
on business processes and reengineering of the business processes, if required.
required and discharging any additional responsibilities specified in the Quality System
(QS) for top management. Management needs to set aside time for these activities.
counselling.
account the impact of 'Operation ISO 9000' on its activities. Planning needs to include
periodic surveillance and recertifcation activities.
specified for top management need to be performed.
required.
The top management should have a clear understanding of the
scope of the ISO standard. While the management need not be familiar with details of how
the ISO standard is being implemented, they need to have an overview of how the quality
system satisfies the requirement of the ISO standard.
Quality manager
The quality manager will usually be the management representative, responsible for
'Operation ISO 9000'.
The quality manager's responsibilities will typically
include the following:
standard. This will involve identifying all activities, resource requirements, effort
requirement and planning the schedules. The quality manager will monitor all the
activities to ensure that the implementation is on schedule.
following up with them for resources and any other support required.
Significant activities in the initial implementation
includes:
requirement of the ISO standard.
understanding and implementing the QS.
on it.
including coordinating the ISO assessment with the selected certifying body.
The quality manager needs to ensure that the QS adequately
covers the ISO standard and should be familiar with its structure. On an on-going basis,
the quality manager's activities will be as defined in the QS and will typically include:
conducting audits and following up on the actions.
correct versions of the QS are available to the appropriate persons.
the QS.
Technical director
The technical director is the person who is the senior- most manager of the technical
function and has the technical staff reporting to him/her. The technical director needs to
act as a facilitator and provide all required resources and support to technical persons
executing projects for conforming to ISP requirements. In addition, he/she needs to
initiate amendments to the QS taking into account the trends in the software industry and
the profile of projects executed by the organization (life-cycle models, methodologies,
standards etc).
In the initial phases of ISO implementation, the technical
director has to be involved with several activities which are critical to developing and
implementing a suitable QS (consultants may be called in for assisting in some of these
activities). The Technical Director needs to:
are related to the technical functions.
life-cycle models and tools, methodologies and techniques for software development.
that it is practical and cost effective.
to ISO standards and remove any doubts/apprehensions. The technical director needs to be
conversant with the technical coverage of QS to perform this activity effectively.
Project manager
The project manager has the overall responsibility for the execution of the project.
To ensure that they conform to ISP standards, project managers need to be conversant with
the standards and procedures related to the execution and audit of projects. As activities
during project execution may have contractual implications, project managers need to have
an understanding of the ISO perspective on contracts and contractual implications.
In the initial stages of the ISO implementation, the
project managers will typically be required to contribute significantly to the development
of the QS, specifically to the format and guidelines for the development plan and related
standards and procedures. On an ongoing basis, the project managers will have to prepare
the development plan in accordance with the standards and ensure that the work proceeds
according to the plan.
face="Arial" size="2">The quality manager of the future will likely have two primary
roles: administering the quality department and assisting upper managers with strategic
quality management.
The future role of a quality department is shown below. It
will include traditional activities, but also some important departures from the norm.
Note, for example, the last item: transferring activities
to line departments. In recent decades, it has become clear that by far the best way to
implement quality methods is through line organizations rather than through a staff
quality department. (Isn't it a shame that it took us so long to understand this point?)
The Quality Department of the Future
While the project managers will need to have a general
understanding of all standards related to software development, specifically they will be
responsible for the following aspects of the QS:
for the project
contractual implications
to senior management
to conform to the ISO standards.
metrics.
The analysts
On an on-going basis, analysts need to ensure that their activities are in accordance
with the QS. Analysts will need to be familiar with and to implement standards and
procedures on design and program specifications, system testing, acceptance testing,
reviews and quality records. While working on specific projects, they will need to
understand their documented role and agree to it. They will also need to understand the
reporting required from them and conform to it. They will be expected to have a reasonable
understanding of the following aspects of the QS:
items
procedures for allocating, monitoring work and risk assessment.
Persons at the analyst level may be made responsible for
the quality control activities of a project. In such cases, the roles and responsibilities
will be as defined in the project development plan. In addition, these persons will need
to have a perspective of the Quality Assurance (QA) procedures and concepts.
The duties of configuration management for a project may
also be assigned to persons at this level. The roles and responsibilities will be as
defined in the project development plan. The type of activities will include change
control, document control, version control, release procedures, product identification and
traceability.
QA Teams' area of activity
face="Arial" size="2">Rank Activity structured analysis) assessments, quality metrics) consulting. |
Programmers
On an on-going basis, programming staff needs to ensure that they work in accordance
with the QS. Programming staff will need to be trained to implement standards and
procedures on coding and testing. For their roles and responsibilities as defined for a
project, they will need to understand the documented role and adhere to it. They will also
need to understand to comply to the reporting required. The staff will be expected to have
a reasonable understanding with the following aspects of the QS:
applicable
items.
Other managers
Managers responsible for activities like training, allocation of persons to projects,
purchase, contracts and support services need to fulfil the following responsibilities for
ISO implementation:
- Training need analysis
skills and training
quality records
communications, computing facilities etc) for the execution of software development meet
the requirement laid out in the QS and planning documents.
All senior managers need to have an overall perspective of
the coverage of the QS, with more detailed knowledge of areas impacting their work and
responsibilities.
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A round up
Implementing ISO involves all levels of the organization. Top management needs to play
a very active role in implementing the ISO standards. It has to provide all resources and
support required for 'Operation ISO 9000' besides ensuring adequate visibility of its
support and suitable morale boosting and counselling. It also needs to incorporate the
impact of ISO implementation in its corporate planning and approach.
The quality manager, who is also typically the management
representative, is responsible for planning and executing the operation. Managing the QA
functions, conducting internal audits, follow-up of corrective actions, providing guidance
and training are some of the activities to be carried out by the him. Coordination with
the certifying body is also an activity he/she has to perform.
The role of the technical director is extremely important
as he/she provides inputs for structuring those parts of the QS which relate to the
technical function and monitors the implementation of the QS in all projects.
Persons at the level of project managers will contribute
significantly to the development of the QS and will be responsible for ensuring
conformance to the QS in their respective projects. Analysts, designers and programmers
will need to work in accordance with the project plan and standards and procedures laid
down in the QS.
Senior managers responsible for training, allocation of
persons to projects, purchase, contracts and support services will also need to work in
accordance with standards and procedures laid down in the QS for these functions.
Successful Quality Leaders
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