QW2001 Paper 8V1 Mr. Steve Smith (QualityLogic) Develop Great Stuff, Repeatedly, On Time

Key Points

• Delivering quality products repeatedly requires more than good process. It requires effective strategy and an enabling culture. All three must be present and in balance for success.
• A nine-step formula for delivering good stuff on time…repeatedly.
• Successful quality management the easy way.

Presentation Abstract

Success in building quality products depends on how well a company’s management does at setting and enforcing effective corporate Strategy, Process and Culture. Without conscious attention to these factors, some level of quality just “happens” or more likely, “doesn’t happen.”

No matter how good the processes and tools, if a team does not have a clearly communicated strategy and a disciplined culture to implement that strategy, the probability of delivering good stuff, on time, repeatedly is very small.

QualityLogic has developed the “Quality Success Formula” to work with companies in successfully delivering quality software products that meet and exceed your customers’ expectations. The “Quality Success Formula” is a blend of industry best practices and knowledge gained from QualityLogic’s years of experience in the software quality business. This includes the management of strategy, process and culture; Information Quality Assurance; advanced quality understanding and philosophy; and product life cycle management.

About the Author

Steve Smith has over 30 years experience in software development and Quality Assurance with companies such as IBM and Mentor Graphics. Steve joined QualityLogic in April of 2000 and has been a key contributor to building the QualityLogic Professional Services Practice and the QualityLogic Quality Assessment Process.

He started his career at IBM. After a tour in the Army he returned to IBM working in a Quality Engineering group testing IBM’s then fastest computer, the Model 195. His next position was as Manager of Mission Test for the Physical Design Mission in IBM’s Engineering Design System (EDS) Physical Design Mission developing application software for IBM’s 26 worldwide labs. In this role he was responsible for directing the Quality Assurance and Quality Control requirements of the mission.

Steve moved to Mentor Graphics in the early 1980s as the Manager of Systems Engineering Support in the Board Systems Division. He helped lead Mentor and his division to ISO9001 Certification and conducted SEI assessments. Steve then took on the role of Director of Usability for the PCB Product and then became Director of Engineering for the Division that was approaching $100 million in size.