Process Quality Assurance (PQA)

((Approval of the PQA indicates an understanding of the purpose and content described in this deliverable. By signing this deliverable, each individual agrees on proposed subsystems roles and business logic it is responsible for; Test Planning and Detailed design work should be initiated on this project and necessary resources should be committed as described in Charter document.))

Document Revision History

1. Introduction

Quality assurance identifies weaknesses and issues related to the process and will make sure that nothing like that surfaces. It works on continually improving the process of producing a better product and process. Quality assurance should begin in the early phases of a project to establish plans, processes, standards, and procedures that will add value to the project and satisfy the requirements of the project and organizational policies. Those who perform quality assurance activities participate in establishing plans, processes, standards, and procedures to ensure that they fit project needs and that they will be usable for performing quality assurance evaluations.

2. Purpose and Goals

The practices in the Process Quality Assurance process area ensure that planned processes are implemented.

• The first goal of Process and Product Quality Assurance is to periodically evaluate processes and work products.
• The second goal stems from the first. Based on the results of evaluations, it should provide objective insight to the organization as to how the project teams are succeeding with process compliance and work product standards.

3. Scope

This process is concerned with CMMI Level 3. The implementation of best practices to plan and conduct audits to ensure the Process and Product Quality. It includes

• Planning and conducting the audits for every area
• Verify Work Products
• Documenting and reporting the results to managers and affected individuals.
• Metrics Report Validation
• Assigning auditing actions to individuals or groups to address identified non-compliances, and tracking auditing actions to completion

4. Policies

PQA Policies Should have,

• Required checklists to ensure PQA
• Maintain the PQA reports
• Share engineering and management practices across the development groups

5. Records of PQA

6. Audit Life Cycle

• Short term Projects
  • Project Life: 14 Months
  • Audit Iteration: 4-5
  • Iteration Gap: 12 days
• Mid-term Projects
  • Project Life: 6 Months
  • Audit Iteration: 7-8
  • Iteration Gap: 15 days
• Long-term Projects
  • Project Life: 12 months
  • Audit Iteration: 13-14
  • Iteration Gap: 15 days

Note:

• Long term projects audit iteration depends on project life if it’s more than 12 months. The auditor shall be responsible to define the audit life cycle.
• Audit life cycles and plans will be updated according to additional features or CR we receive for the project

7. Roles and Responsibility

8. Skills Required

9. Process Flow and Description

flowchart TD

    A[Project Onboarded] --> B[PQA Auditor Decides PQA Team]
    B --> C[Create Detailed Audit Plan After Project Plan Completion]
    C --> D[PQA Team Evaluates Processes, Documents & Work Products]
    D --> E[Communicate Quality Status with Auditee]
    E --> F[Prepare Audit Findings with Non-Compliances]
    F --> G[Report Findings to Management]
    G --> H[Request Resolution for Non-Compliances]
    H --> I[Allocate Time for Resolution]
    I --> J{Non-Compliances Resolved?}

    J -- No --> D
    J -- Yes --> K[Close Audit]

    %% Escalation Condition
    J -- Not Resolved Within Agreed Timeline --> L[Escalate to Higher Management]

• Once the project is on the board PQA Auditor will be responsible to decide PQA team of the project
• PQA auditor will create detailed audit plan once the project plan is done
• According to the audit plan, the PQA team objectively evaluates processes, document results & work products (Critical to the project according to the project plan).
• The PPQA team communicates quality status with the auditee.
• The PPQA team prepares the audit findings to report mentioning the non-compliances encountered.
• The audit findings are then reported to the management and are asked for the resolutions of the non-compliances reported.
• The required time is allotted for the resolution and the audit is again performed until those non-compliances are not resolved.
• If noncompliances are not resolved till the last audit then the project audit will be considered as failed.

10. Verification and Validation

Verify that all the processes have been followed, the way they are mentioned in the QMS along with the evidence of their practices.

11. Measurements

Measurements for PQA,

• Audit Compliance Report

  • If the Average of Area Compliance >= 95% Then Conclusion=Very Good
  • If the Average of Area Compliance > 80% Then Conclusion= Good
  • If the Average of Area Compliance is Between 60% to 80% Then Conclusion= OK
  • If the Average of Area Compliance < 60% Then Conclusion= Bad
  • If the Average of Area Compliance < 40% Then Conclusion= Very Bad

• Work Product Compliance

  • If the Average of Work Product Compliance >= 95% Then Conclusion=Very Good
  • If the Average of Work Product Compliance > 80% Then Conclusion= Good
  • If the Average of Work Product Compliance is Between 60% to 80% Then Conclusion= OK
  • If the Average of Work Product Compliance < 60% Then Conclusion= Bad
  • If the Average of Work Product Compliance < 40% Then Conclusion= Very Bad

12. Entry and Exit Criteria

• Entry Criteria

  • Audit Plan

• Exit Criteria

  • Audit Finding Reports

13. Acronyms and Abbreviation