QA Tools & Methodologies

There are numerous QA Tools, Methodologies & Applications used in Industry. They are used to manage and monitor QMS – Quality Management Systems and its progress and / or effectiveness within an organization or company. QA Tools, Methodologies & Applications assist businesses to determine specific business performance, profit or losses, potential risks or gaps, areas for improvement etc.

Below are some typical QA Tools, Methodologies & Applications(i.e. to name a few) used in Organisations and Companies, depending on their size:

• PDCA – Plan, Do, Check, Act (by Deming)
• TQM – Total Quality Management
• BPM – Business Process Management
• ITIL - IT Infrastructure Library & Service Management
• PRINCE 2 – Projects In Controlled Environments 2nd Version
• SIX SIGMA

PDCA

The PDCA cycle is a four-step Business Improvement model that is used to carry out change – by Deming. It’s a continuous cycle circle with no end. The PDCA cycle should be repeated consistently and regularly to achieve continuous improvements.

We can also assist Organizations, Companies & Businesses to design their own PDCA cycle. For example:

This Deming / Shewhart Cycle approach was particularly useful in solving Quality related issues and problems. The PDCA Circle denotes continuous improvement by repeating the basic cycle above.

TQM

TQM – Total Quality Management is an overall ‘business quality improvement system’. It encompasses strategic planning, leadership, management and personnel resources to drive process improvement.

Typically, TQM emphasizes using multi-functional teams (both management and staff across the company and its departments) to solve identified problems. Teams are usually trained to use the below mentioned basic statistical tools to collect and analyze data:

• Pareto Diagrams
• Cause & Effect Diagrams
• Scatter Diagrams
• Histograms
• Flow Charts
• Check Sheets
• Run Charts

BPM

BPM – Business Process Management is a business discipline that uses business practices, techniques and methods that are used to drive business performance improvements.

The business process is the end-to-end co-ordinate set of collaborative and transactional work activities that are carried out to produce a desired result or achieve a goal.

ITIL

ITIL - IT Infrastructure Library & Service Management consists of six (6) elements that is essentially a representation of best practice for IT Service Management. It comprises a series of books and information which provide guidance on the quality provision of IT Services.

• Service Support
• Service Delivery
• Planning to Implement Service Management
• ICT Infrastructure Management
• Applications Management and
• The Business Perspective

Service Delivery however, comprises of five (5) disciplines. They are:

• Service Level Management
• Capacity Management
• Contingency Planning
• Availability Management and
• Cost Management for IT Services

PRINCE 2

PRINCE2 – Projects In Controlled Environments 2nd Version, is exactly what its title is. Running a project in a controlled environment. The PRINCE2 method is very flexible and adaptable for any type and size of project, in any environment.

Similar to others already mentioned, PRINCE2 is a process-based approach to project management. Its processes define the management of its project activities from start to finish.

PRINCE2 consists of eight (8) components. They are:

• Business Case
• Organization
• Plans
• Controls
• Management of Risk
• Quality
• Configuration Management and
• Change Control

SIX SIGMA

The Six Sigma methodology is the implementation of a measurement-based strategy that focuses fundamentally on process improvement and variation reduction. This is done through the use of two (2) Six Sigma sub-methodologies. DMAIC and DMADV.

• The DMAIC process stands for; Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve & Control. It is an improvement system for existing processes falling below specification, that requires incremental improvement.
• The DMADV process stands for, Define, Measure, Analyze, Design & Verify. It is an improvement system used to develop new processes or products at Six Sigma quality levels. It can also be used if a current process requires more than just incremental improvement.

Six Sigma professionals are categorized by ‘Colour Belt Levels’. From lowest to highest levels, they are:

• Yellow Belt
• Green Belt
• Black Belt
• Master Black Belt