issues: first, validating that the requirements are correct, complete, unambiguous and logically
consistent; and second, designing a necessary and sufficient set of test cases from those requirements
to ensure that the design and code fully meet those requirements.1
The overall requirements-based testing strategy, Bender notes, is to integrate testing throughout the
development lifecycle and focus on the quality of the requirements specifications. This leads to early
defect detection, which has been shown to be much less expensive than finding defects during
integration testing or later.1
A well-designed quality assurance process with thorough QA testing typically includes the entire project
team, asking each stakeholder to take on responsibility for the quality of the solution. Careful recordkeeping
is crucial, along with continuous monitoring of the QA process itself to gauge its effectiveness.
QA and Risk Management
A quality assurance methodology can be a valuable part of the overall risk management strategy for you
and your IT project management business.
Without ongoing QA, your project could fall victim to costly and time-consuming setbacks, or even fail to
meet established requirements. Even worse, a problem with the new solution might have a negative
effect on other system components, causing downtime or financial losses for your client. In any of these
situations, you could face a lawsuit.
On the other hand, the benefits of QA are clear. A controlled development and quality assurance testing
strategy is likely to result in a better-quality solution that requires less maintenance, which makes for a
satisfied client. Implementing a QA strategy early on also saves time for you and cuts costs for your
client. After all, it’s easier and cheaper to fix a problem early in the course of a project, before it causes a
snowball effect that requires extensive and costly rework.
Detailed QA documentation also helps you reduce scope creep and delays, both of which can add to
costs and frustration levels for your client. At the same time, your business gets a better handle on the
management of risk because your QA and testing methodology reduces your exposure to a client
lawsuit.
Should any question arise about how project glitches are being handled, you’ll be able to show the client
your QA testing documentation to prove that any defects have been identified and addressed, and that
progress has been monitored to ensure that the solution will meet requirements.
If the worst happens, and you find yourself facing a professional liability lawsuit, your QA
documentation may come in handy in court. Regardless, having detailed documentation on hand shows
that you’re an expert project manager who is taking every precaution to deliver a product that will meet
or exceed the client’s needs.