1.1 From silos to synergy
The first thing you should know about me is that I really like questionnaires. I believe they are a powerful and cost-effective management tool. Years ago, when I began developing a quality management strategy, I decided to start from scratch by asking stakeholders within the organization what quality means to them and who they think is responsible for it. The responses varied widely, and even the interpretation of the word "quality" differed among individuals (I suggested three or four possible meanings).
Since then, I've realized that the first step in any company, regardless of its size or age, is to ensure that everyone is on the same page regarding quality. Making this alignment a habit is essential, as your influence will grow with the maturity of the process.
Alignment requires a shift in mindset and a commitment from leadership. However, achieving alignment does not mean more meetings or unnecessary reports. Teams need alignment in all aspects of their work and require appropriate tools to facilitate this, much like workers use various tools to ensure that bricks are aligned so the house remains stable. The team must agree on terminology, values, key processes, and how they communicate updates to different stakeholders. After all, we will have a group of people with diverse backgrounds who behave predictably.
To gain a shared understanding of quality within your organization, start with these three questions:
1. What does quality mean in your organization?
Quality is context-dependent, so start with defining the context of your organization. For instance, the testing principles indicate that it doesn't make sense to test an e-commerce website in the same way as airplane software. Additionally, perceptions of quality are subjective and vary from customer to customer, influenced by their expectations, past experiences, and personal needs.
What are the most critical quality attributes of your system? Is everyone aware that data leakage could lead to the closure of your business? Should quality be associated with your business reputation at this point in time? Does everyone agree that it is not only about explicit but also implicit customer needs?
Defining what quality means for your organization will help you establish the boundaries that should never be crossed, which may (and will) impact your delivery speed.
2. What is the role of the quality management department in your organization?
This question might seem unusual, but it can present significant challenges for a quality manager and make them feel they are not empowered to make changes required. The quality management department is often placed under the Technology department, which can reduce its influence. This structure can result in missed opportunities, as teams such as product, UX, and customer support may concentrate solely on their individual goals, neglecting essential quality initiatives.
Ideally, the quality department should be positioned centrally, establishing policies and embedding quality functions within other departments. We will discuss this further when we cover the role of value stream management. For now, ensure your role is clearly defined within the organization, your line manager is ready to support your initiatives and identify your key partners for driving improvements.
3. What is the role of a quality manager/director?
A quality manager often serves as both a catalyst of change and an auditor of the implementation. They are typically knowledgeable in various methodologies, models, standards, and approaches, such as SAFe, Quality 4.0, Total Quality Management (TQM), Lean Six Sigma, Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI), ISO/IEC standards, and Site Reliability Engineering (SRE), among others. While they all aim to help companies integrate quality into their processes and promote continuous improvement, they address similar concepts using different terminology, and I prefer to use them more as inspiration.
I strongly recommend focusing on what is truly important for your company and your customers at this moment. Relying solely on industry "best practices" can lead you in the wrong direction. As the famous statistician George Box said, "All models are wrong, but some are useful." Instead of searching for a "silver bullet," start experimenting with processes and tools.
At the end of the day, your team must agree on which quality measures should be applied at each stage of the delivery process. While it may not be your responsibility as a manager to implement these measures, you should ensure that they are established and functioning as intended.
To achieve the desired outcome, begin by gathering information about the current situation and how people assess product quality and processes. Next, brainstorm with your colleagues to visualize a desired future state. Summarize and present these ideas to gain buy-in from all stakeholders, because people are more likely to actively participate in quality initiatives when they feel their perspectives have been considered.
FROM | Interviews Questionnaires Brainstorms Presentations | TO |
What is the current situation? | What is the desired future? |
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