Course Catalog

This 4 hour session provides the participants essential 'Process quality assurance' practices as established in many quality and process models such as the CMMI(R)., or ISO 9001, and teaches the attendees the differences between "Quality Control" (i.e. Testing) and "Quality Assurance"., and also as it applies to the IT/Software industry.  Industry has long been confused between QA and QC. It has now been an established industry standard that QC refers to the Testing activities, and QA focuses on assuring and ensuring that relevant quality standards and processes are being followed in product development or service delivery. However, many industries still use the terms wrongly even in the contemporary days. 

This course has been a success since the early 2000's with SQC offering this to several clients, and several repeat clients asking for this training many times over!

The course starts with explaining this basic difference between QC vs QA., with examples.

We then delve into the types of activities that are performed under QA., i.e. Reviews, Peer Reviews, Audits, Facilitation, and Improvement consulting.

Each of these QA activities is explained with examples of activities in a typical product development lifecycle (PDLC) or a service lifecycle.

The course then explores how the role of being in "QA" as a career has developed and evolved to the contemporary times., including how the Profession of QA is now highly sought after, with relevant certifications and career advancement opportunities. (references to ASQ, CMMI Institute, ISO, ISACA, PMI certifications are provided).

The attendees walk away with an enhanced confidence in being able to value-add in their existing QA roles in their organizations, or being able to understand basics of QA and the clear differences between QC and QA.

Includes couple of exercises, and a QA Quiz that is fun activity at the end of the class.

Don’t make your next decision until you attend this course!!    Senior Managers, Sponsors of improvement programs, QA Managers, Practitioners and anyone interested in learning more about Decision making techniques in business as well as software projects/systems development. This world class training course addresses all known structured decision making techniques and is a MUST for organizations looking at decision quality improvement, and also those looking at CMMI (R)or other Quality standard/Model based improvements. 

Course Outline:

1. Introduction & Definitions
2. Decision Making in a complex world
3. Influence Diagrams, Decision Trees, and Trade offs, Expected value    
4. Uncertainty in making decisions  
5. Scalable Decision Process (SDP)
6. Sensitivity Analysis  
7. Probability in DM Monte Carlo
8. Using judgment
9. Summary
10. Implementing the DA process CMMI and DA Conclusion  
11. Test Exercises and Case Studies

This 4 hour session describes the origins and importance of using measures and metrics., in organizations. Starting with terminology on Measures, Metrics, base and derived measures, the course then focuses on various metrics in use in product and service organizations. 

The course then explores and explains how to get started to establish a measurements program by using the GQM(R) (Victor Basii) method of Goal-Question_Metric and explains detailed examples. Case studies and exercise presents an opportunity for attendees to develop their metrics they think are most critical in their work/organizations.

The course also explains the difference between Quantitative and Statistical Analysis methods, and with examples, provides easy understanding of common metrics used in software and IT organizations.

The use of metrics is also discussed which focuses on seven QC tools, or analysis tools such as the Pareto chart, Histograms, Pie-Charts, Scatter diagrams and so on.

Participants will learn about and get confident in understanding the Metrics concepts and be able to walk away to their organizations to start a Metrics program and run it.

The conclusion deals with usual misuses and pitfalls, of Metrics programs and critical success factors.

Course Agenda/Topics/Modules:

Get an introduction to Measurements and Metrics –Understand the objectives of Measurement and Analysis –How to evolve a Measurements program (Goal – Question – Metric method) –Get an introduction to Measurements usable in software/IT  organizations –Understand fundamental “quantitative” analysis techniques –Understand fundamental “statistical” analysis techniques –Data based “thinking” and “decision making” –Standards and Models like CMMI and Metrics – Expectations Case studies and Exercises

This brand new course, is designed to provide a high-level management and key stakeholder perspective on the new DoD Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) to organizations pursuing use of CMMC best practices to build cyber resilience and compliance.

The new CMMC model is established by the Department of Defense Office of Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (OUSD -A&S). The intent is to bring all existing models and standard in Cybersecurity under a single umbrella for Defense contractors and ensure compliance by requiring implementation of CMMC based processes and independent certification appraisals to demonstrate compliance and on-going monitoring. 

This 2 hour Webinar will hence ensure understanding of the basic tenets and overall goals of the CMMC model, with a quick glance at the structure and compliance/certification approach.

Audience for this course will include, but not limited to:

1. Senior Management from Organizations that are providing products or services to the U.S. Defense agencies and federal agencies. 
2. Key leaders/ critical practitioners of Information systems (I.T./I.S.) that have cyber controls
3. Quality, Process and Performance improvement professionals in such organizations