Episode 18: Organizational Challenges in Defining Quality with Chris Harbert

04/29/24 • 45 min

Welcome to episode 18 of Inside The Outer Loop. In this episode, Curiosity Software's Rich Jordan and CEO James Walker are joined by Chris Harbert, an industry executive and host of the Developers Who Test but also founder and CEO of Testery. Together they discuss the organizational challenges in defining quality. So, quality is essential in software delivery. But, who actually owns quality? if that’s a reasonable question to ask. Collaboration between developers and testers is crucial for achieving quality and a mutual respect and involvement in bug fixes can bridge the gap between the two roles and improve overall product quality. But can this lead to the ‘bystander effect’? in which no one seems to be responsible for quality. Increasingly due to legacy systems organizations need to address their technical debt and complexity to improve quality, so saving a clear plan, architectural overview, and leveraging test automation can help untangle legacy systems and pave the way for better quality practices. This can enhance testability and reduce toil during sprints. And what of metrics which play a crucial role in measuring quality? Key metrics include bug discovery rates, test coverage, customer satisfaction scores, and support team efforts. These metrics provide insights into the effectiveness of quality initiatives and highlight areas for improvement. Finally, as with any episode of Why Didn’t You Test That? we consider AIs impact your testing effort. Generative AI and non-deterministic behaviour may complicate testing, so requiring skilled testers is paramount to ensure you’re leveraging in line with organizational quality objectives in meeting customer expectations, but also providing a good user experience. Inside the outer loop – brought to you by the Curiosity Software team! Together with industry leaders and experts, we uncover actionable strategies to navigate the outer loop of software delivery, streamline test data management, and elevate software quality. Tune in to transform the way you think about software delivery, quality, and productivity!

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Episode 17: Making Quality Requirements with Colin Hammond

Welcome to episode 17 of Inside The Outer Loop. In this episode, Curiosity Software's Rich Jordan and CEO James Walker are joined by Colin Hammond, CEO of ScopeMaster who discusses the importance of how requirements analysis and sizing lends well to predicting project schedules and assessment of scope in software development. The neglect of skills and training in requirements elicitation and documentation leads to poor requirements quality and project issues. Hammond emphasises how sizing software using functional points allows for accurate estimation, better resource planning, and early identification of project issues. This early detection is crucial avoid budget overruns or ultimately to prevent a project from failing. Agile development should not neglect the importance of high-level requirements and architecture to avoid costly changes later. Functional sizing provides a reliable predictor of effort, aiding in project estimation and scope management. AI advancements can automate requirements analysis, generate test scenarios, and offer suggestions, but human supervision and context are essential. Organizations are starting to challenge the ownership of quality, recognizing the need for a holistic approach beyond testing. The shift towards a quality engineering role and new quality-focused positions shows an increasing awareness of requirements and quality in software development. Inside the outer loop – brought to you by the Curiosity Software team! Together with industry leaders and experts, we uncover actionable strategies to navigate the outer loop of software delivery, streamline test data management, and elevate software quality. Tune in to transform the way you think about software delivery, quality, and productivity!

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Episode 19: IT Procurement Challenges Uncovered with John Matthews

Welcome to episode 19 of Inside The Outer Loop. In this episode, Curiosity Software's Rich Jordan and Huw Price are joined by John Matthews, a leading purchasing consultant and director at Arish Consulting Together they discuss the impact of quality, speed, and cost in software delivery and the organisational challenges of IT procurement. John Matthews opens the conversation with a focus on the use of open-ended questions in RFP processes, and how they're a great way for organisations to consider smaller innovative vendors who provide more focused solutions than the behemoth-sized providers. Matthews further emphasizes the need for procurement to add value and be influential, while also recognizing that they are not in control of the budget. Matthews also highlights the importance of identifying strategic stakeholders, high impact stakeholders, and core stakeholders in IT projects. One big issue is that people think procurement controls decisions. Matthews says that's not quite right. Instead, procurement should influence decisions positively by showing its value. When this isn't understood, it can slow down projects and make them lower quality. Another problem is identifying and talking to the important people who make big decisions. Huw Price says it's crucial to understand their needs clearly and talk to them in simple terms. This helps everyone be on the same page and work towards the same goals. Huw continues by describing the vague requests for IT services that often cause delays and extra costs. Matthews suggests having clear talks about all the costs involved from the start. This way, everyone knows what to expect and can plan better. Additionally, performance-based fees are proposed as an alternative payment model to incentivize timely and efficient project delivery. This approach shifts the focus from time and materials to outcomes, encouraging vendors to prioritize performance and value creation. To sum up, by fixing these issues through better communication, talking to the right people, and trying new buying methods, companies can make buying IT services for software smoother and more effective. Inside the outer loop – brought to you by the Curiosity Software team! Together with industry leaders and experts, we uncover actionable strategies to navigate the outer loop of software delivery, streamline test data management, and elevate software quality. Tune in to transform the way you think about software delivery, quality, and productivity!