Preparing the Organization for Final Audit

After seeing the flourishing success of the Quality Management System in my company, the next undertaking for me was to prepare my organization for the final audit which would result in ISO 9001:2000 certification.

Drafting the Quality Policy was one milestone that took a lot of efforts to attain. The Quality policy was framed based on the quality objectives, which in turn mapped with the business objectives of the company. Having a carefully sketched out and communicated policy definitely motivated people beyond the existing level. As everybody became clearer about his/her objectives of working in the organization, it inculcated the team spirit within the organization.

After that the Quality Manual was prepared where all the processes, their interaction, their mapping with ISO Standard, roles and responsibilities of every individual were clearly stated. The compiled manuscript was circulated among everyone and inputs were invited from all.

Although we were doing extraordinarily well still as the date of Final Audit approached all of us had a fear of facing it. The last minute jitters was a common phenomenon seen during the last weeks before the audit. Besides conducting one to one audits, creating
Organization-wide awareness of Quality Policy & Objectives, Mock Interviews of top Management was also arranged.

The Certification & Life after
My company received most prestigious ISO 9001:2000 certification by Chamber Certification Assessment Services Limited, England (CCAS) on December 27th 2003.
We were able to attain the certification after an extensive audit on the various processes that are ongoing in the company. The audit for the compliance with the standard also examined the extent to which the company’s Quality system contains customer-focused elements, including understanding needs, meeting requirements, keeping customers informed and measuring satisfaction.

Whizlabs became the proud achiever of this Quality certificate and joined the list of very few ISO 9001:2000 Certified companies in the IT Certification domain. This acquisition not only placed greater accountability on the company management’s involvement and measurable quality objectives of the Quality Management System, but also on me as I now had a successful accomplishment behind me. The only reflection I had was that I whole new chapter has opened after reaching this New Way of life.

Comments are most welcome at kaushikvikas@gmail.com


Vikas Kaushik
CSQA

My Experiences of Leading a Quality Endeavor (ISO 9001:2000) IIIrd Part

Achievements before the certification

Quality Weeks: Different activities like “Quality Week” for each department were organized. People were encouraged to participate and bring forth the positive and negative points of the system. In these weeks many Quality tests and quizzes were conducted and the champions were awarded. A quarterly award was also started for “Quality Person of the Quarter” based on individuals performance in that particular quarter and his/her contribution towards our Quality endeavor. All these proceedings helped a lot in motivating people for further improving quality of their individual work.
Successful Implementation: A custom-made appropriate Quality Management System was implemented successfully in spite of all the problems we faced. By now people were highly motivated towards the system and the decision to get the ISO certification came naturally.
Instigating Metrics: Having a Quality Management System definitely helped in refining the work continuously. Still since the system and its results were not measurable at all, a program for metrics collection was devised. Based on the areas where we needed to measure the results and saw the scope of improvement, various formulas were made and incorporated in the processes. Data was calculated every month and quarterly or bi-monthly reports were made, which were then analyzed and corrective and preventive actions taken.
Customer Satisfaction Survey: Customer satisfaction survey was a part of this endeavor and it was an achievement in going closer to our customers, and providing them with the opportunity to share their experiences. This greatly facilitated us in anticipating the needs of our customers in advance.

Last Part will complete this..Happy Reading!!

My Experiences of Leading a Quality Endeavor (ISO 9001:2000) Part II

Problems I Faced and Solutions I Designed
While implementing the processes of our newly documented Quality Management System, I felt huge resistance coming my way. People felt very uncomfortable in doing the work in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedures and using the templates.

Of course I understood how leaving the old and opting for new was challenging the tranquil and comfortable environment we all were accustomed to. I discussed thoroughly with every accountable person and communicated him/her about the possibility and the difference he/she could make if work was done in accordance with the system. I tried not to force anything and to offer my unconditional support anytime they faced any difficulty. I think frank discussions and support from my side and realization of the possibility to improve things on everyone’s part, did the trick.

I also felt immense pressure building around me at various stages while implementing the system. I could see people had started following the processes but some how they were not contributing to the fullest. I contemplated the reasons for such behavior and found some misunderstandings that I needed to satisfy before I could go ahead.

Firstly they were expecting quick results out of the initial step they had taken of following the process. I had to motivate each and every individual again and again and convince them about it being not a one-day match and reassuring them of getting the results, if not so quickly then definitely not so late also.

Secondly they considered that following the process was sufficient and they need not contribute in the continuous improvement of the system. This was the reason for their contradicting the frequently conducted audits and checks as fear of failing stemmed out of these reasons itself.

Lack of a competent team of internal auditors was another challenge I faced. To begin with I got certified as an internal auditor before building and training the team of internal auditors. People were motivated and volunteers were sought and trained for conducting the internal audits.

Even after putting together the team, making internal audits a success was tough in the preliminary stages till we learnt the art of auditing to bring forth improvements from every audit. Removing the fear everybody had of the audits, making them respect the processes to such an extent that they worked through the process was a profound experience.

The fact that majority of my working schedule was consumed in solving these fears and confusions, I was not able to devote enough time to learn new things required to carry out the task in hand. Some times I even had to spend nights in office to have the solitude, which helped me gain more knowledge for this endeavor.

Two more parts please.. Happy reading!!

My Experiences of Leading a Quality Endeavor (ISO 9001:2000)

The month of November year 2002, my company started looking for Software testing professional to test the quality of our products. The need for catching current and potential bugs was eminent since satisfying customer’s expectation of a bug free product was our company’s primary objective. The search began, and during that only a good friend of mine, who had years of experience in Quality Assurance, suggested us to set up a Quality Management System. At that time we had absolutely no idea of implementing a Quality Management System. The proposal immediately clicked, when the benefits were explained and understood.

Establishing such a system was a far better option than a testing program or a professional, since it ensured increase in the overall efficiency of the organization and its offerings. I was given the opportunity to transform this idea in to reality, which I took with full enthusiasm and led my organization to a successful attainment of ISO 9001:2000 certification in December 2003. The path that I tread was very long, and so are my experiences during this Quality Endeavor.

Mind set of Top Management
It is often seen that the top management or company proprietors start any quality program with the main objective of getting the certificate and marketing the same to their utmost benefit. The top management in my company was very clear right from the first day about the reasons for establishing a Quality system. What we wanted was an overall improvement in the operational efficiency of the company. Their commitment towards this quality endeavor was openly communicated to every body in the organization. It was in fact that true support that called for success.

Building the System from Scratch
Taking the onus of leading this venture was not an effortless task, considering the fact that every thing had to be built from scrape. The demand of the organization was a system that catered to its each and every aspect, in short a customized & tailor made system. A lot of exploration and hard work went into initiating the system.

-Keeping myself abreast: Even though I was doing so many things together, I was still feeling insecure at times. The thought that if I was building a good enough system or not plagued me constantly. To overcome all this I started participating actively in many online groups and browsing quality related sites where I could easily find plenty of information about Quality. I attended seminars on auditing and other methods like statistical process control. I carefully studied books like Software Engineering by Pressmen, CMM in practice by Pankaj Jalote and Software Metrics by Norman E Fenton. This gave me all the energy to carry on my initiatives and guided me whenever I felt low. In fact I learnt a lot during this time, a learning that was definitely more than what I had garnered till date.
Discussion with key people: All this learning was brought into action and I started working towards the task I had taken up. The key people from the organization were identified first and I listened carefully to them while they shared all about the way they carried out their work, what all problems they faced, and how they thought they could improve the quality of work.
New mode for old tasks: Many new ways of doing the same work came out during my discussion with my company staff. Some such ways promised increase in the efficiency of doing the same work along with reduced chances of committing an error. The roads less traversed till date were opening up.
Citing down the findings: From the collective pool of old and new ways of accomplishing work, filtration was done. At some places new ideas were rejected whereas some other ideas saw the light of day. The same also gave way to the documentation in the form of Standard Operating Procedures along with templates and checklists that could be frequently used in the process.
Implementing the System: Once the documentation was complete from my side, the formal implementation of the system was done. Although an achievement in itself, it was a whole new beginning for me for it brought me face to face with fresh trials.

To be continuted in Part II... Happy Reading

Points to consider before switching our job

We are generally in a dilemma, when we are planning to switch our job. The extent of dilemma increases when we have more than one opportunity in hand. Here, I would like to write a little about what points/parameters, we should consider when we are not clear and do not have confidence to choose from the available options.

Location: For many of us, this would be one of the most important criteria. Of course, home town is preferred. Even from long term perspective, we would like to work where we want to settle. For those who do not have the option of home town, should consider a location based on the following
a. Cost of living
b. Infrastructure
c. Weather

Culture: We must enquire about the culture of the company and evaluate ourselves if we can fit in to that culture or not. This can be a reason of quitting our job early if we are not compatible to the culture.

Growth Path: Gather information about the growth path and see how people have grown. This may be a question to ask to the interviewer also. Enquire why people left the company and what percentages of people are staying for a longer period say 4 years or more.

Challenges in your job profile: Are you challenge loving personality or would like to sit ideal or have interest in doing monotonous jobs or would like to innovate? Ask yourself! Check what kind of challenges are available and choose the option corresponding to your type of personality.

How performance is recognized and awarded: This is again one of the most important points to consider if you are a performer. Ask yourself how do you want to be recognized and awarded when you are a consistent performer and see which company fits to your requirements.

Onsite Opportunities: Check what kinds of onsite opportunities are available and how frequent. Match with your requirements and consider for your decision.

Salary: Do I need to write about this too?

Well ultimately the decision should be consistent with our requirements. We should right down our requirements and the above points are just a little effort to initiate our thinking towards identifying our true requirements. We would be happy and result in high performance once we have taken a conscious decision in the direction of our requirements.

What is IELTS?

IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System. It is an English language assessment test for those who wish to study, work or immigrate in English speaking countries.

The exam is managed and conducted by University of Cambridge through British Council ESOP examinations and IDP: IELTS Australia. The exam consists of four modules which thoroughly test one’s ability to Listen, Read, Write and Speak in English. The exam is broadly divided in to two formats which are General Training and Academic module. General Training module is for those candidates who are going for work or emigrate for permanent residency while Academic module is for those who are visiting the country for academic purposes.

IELTS is recognized by Universities, Employers and immigration authorities of many countries including Australia, Canada, UK, New Zealand and the USA. The score is given out of 9 and the same of 6 or above is considered to be good.

The links below are among a few good resources to know more about IELTS examination.

IELTS official home page
Frequently Asked Questions
Information for new candidates (Handbook)


I hope you will find it valuable.

Happy Reading
Vikas Kaushik

Starting a career in Software or IT (Information Technology) Industry (PART II)

Dear Friends,

Thanks for the enthusiastic response. So what is the guess..???

For those who thought of “attitude” and “being” of the person who is applying have got the right answer. The second thing is the perception of going in to “Programming” field. Well for all my programmers’ friends or those who have got strong programming skills and mindset, I would like to tell that I am not against programming. I myself started my career as a Java Programmer and produced extraordinary results. My only idea of writing this article is to educate those who need a start or those who are struggling in getting a job such that people get a fair understanding of what is available in the Software/IT Industry and which field they should take in which they are passionate and have the potential to produce breakthrough results.

To take forward the perception of Programming, we think that this is the only respectable job in Software/IT industry. Even when we meet in a social gathering and come across a friend, we generally ask a question “Which language you are working into?” By making this perception and assumption, we ignore many other valuable job functions in Software/IT industry in the absence of which the probability of getting an interview call becomes very low. Here are a few important job functions (other than programming/coding)

• Software Quality Assurance
• Software Testing
• System/Network Administration
• Server Administration
• Online Marketing
• Web Master
• Web Designer
• Flash Developers

The above mentioned job functions have a very strong potential and huge growth opportunities. The salary packages are also decent and sometimes higher than their programmer counterpart.

Now after choosing the right direction to go ahead, we should have strong skills and competencies. Having globally recognized certificates like CSQA (Certified Software Quality Analyst), CSTE (Certified Software Test Engineer), MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer), CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associates), RHCE (Red Hat Certified Engineer), CIW (Certified Internet Web Professional), MMCPs(Macromedia Certified Professionals) etc, greatly enhance our chances of being short listed and filtered out. If we have strong programming skills and have demonstrated that in some of our projects, then having certifications like SCJP (Sun Certified Java Programmer), SCWCD (Sun Certified Web Component Developer), MCSD (Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer), IBM XML Developer, IBM UML and many others will definitely add value to our portfolio. The process of preparing for the certification and getting certified itself, adds a lot of value to our career.

I hope I have communicated my message. In my next articles, I would write about the way to prepare and achieve for some of the prestigious, respected and worldwide recognized certifications. I got SCJP1.2 in Jan’01 and CSQA in June’04. I would also share how I prepared for these certifications exams.

Looking forward for the comments/suggestions/feedbacks.

Happy Learning
Vikas Kaushik

Starting a career in Software or IT (Information Technology) Industry (PART I)

When we dream about starting our career in software/IT industry, we think of landing up in a programming or development role. Some of us start learning programming languages like Java, JSP, EJB, .Net. VB etc and some pursue certifications like SCJP (Sun Certified Java Programmer), MCSD (Microsoft Certified Software Developer), SCJD (Sun Certified Java Developer) etc. many of us speculate about forthcoming so called “ Hot Technologies) and make effort to learn the skills required for this new technology. After all this hard work and effort which consumes significant amount of time and money, we start applying for a suitable job for a programmer or developer position. Resume is circulated among friends, friends of friends & relatives networks. Resume in all the famous job search portals like naukri.com, dice.com or monster.com is posted and regularly updated. The regular updating is done to ensure that our resumes stay in top in all the employer searches. Only very few of us are fortunate enough to get interview calls and finally make it to the desired job. What happens to others? Why do the rest of us not receive any interview call? Is there anything wrong with our resume?

Any Guesses….?

I would leave the readers here so that they can think and sharpen their brain muscles till the time I come with the second part of this article. My promise to all of us is that we will enjoy and learn from these series of articles.

(Hint: This article has nothing to do with “Good Resume Building” or “How to write impressive resume” or “How to effectively post our resumes to Job search site/portals”)