What is a Quality Framework?

A Quality framework can be defined as: 

• Systematic structure for self-evaluation

• Umbrella for quality practices

• Survey program to practice quality

• Practice that can be used for quality assessment

 A quality framework enables an organization focus on:

• Doing the right thing

• Doing the thing right

Companies to improve their business processes adopt various quality frameworks. Today, we have an array of quality disciplines to choose from. Some, such as Six Sigma for the plant, ISO 9000-9001 for the enterprise, and the Malcolm Baldrige program to improve overall performance, are commonly known. Others such as Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology (CobiT), is popular among auditors, Capability Maturity Model (CMM) for software development, and the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) for IT operations and services are also popular.

While there are certain common features among these quality frameworks, in most cases, they don’t conflict. Indeed, most large companies use two or three of them. For example, IBM uses ISO 9000, CMM, ITIL, Six Sigma and several homegrown quality programs.

But now-a-days if we analyze most of the very sophisticated companies don’t use any of them, preferring to roll their Own Quality Framework.

Isn’t this a better approach?

For instance, MasterCard International Inc. has adapted a framework according to its own way of doing business. It underwent an external assessment and tried to implement some ideas from the established quality processes, but it hasn’t adopted any of the frameworks formally. Outcome of this was reduced development time for new software releases from 18 months to 12 and has reduced the number of software defects as well.

So the idea should be roll your own and apply it just where it makes sense is often the best choice for organizations.

The choice can be made considering various dimensions of quality framework, such as relevance, accuracy, timeliness, accessibility, interpretability, comparability, coherence, and standardization.

Based on the above discussion I have few unanswered questions in my mind.

• Some organisations are using quality frameworks others are not. Does it really make a difference?

• What is important, the existence of a quality framework or quality of the organisation?

• Is it really important to adopt established quality frameworks or good idea is to create one?

 Let’s find an answer together…….

So finally I am ready to write my first blog. For so long I was finding a topic to write my blog. I searched lot of blogging sites on the Internet………but nothing worked out. So here it is…I am trying to create a blog about Quality awareness, like test strategy, test tools, test plans, test cases, and many such technologies and concepts, specifically applicable in the world of e-learning.

My first topic in this area is about Test Strategies. Let’s start with the general definition of test strategy.

What is a strategy? Why does testing need one?
A strategy outlines what to plan, and how to plan it. A successful strategy is your guide through change, and provides a firm foundation for ongoing improvement. Unlike a plan, which is obsolete from the point of creation, a strategy reflects the values of an organization – and remains current and useful. When an organization tests its products or its tools, it tries to compare them against its expectations and values. By its nature, testing introduces change as problems are identified and resolved. A test strategy is necessary to allow these two impulses to work together. Furthermore, testing can never be said to be ‘complete’, and a core skill in testing is the justified management of conflicting demands; without a strategy, these judgments will be inconsistent to the point of failure.

Is test strategy a document?
A test strategy is not a document. It is a framework for making decisions about value, and has strong links to the unique values of an organization. It is part of the creative process. Test strategies can cover a wide range of testing and business issues, values, and decision-making framework.

Does an E-learning application need to have a test strategy?
The increased use of the Internet in learning and the advancements of new authoring and web tools in computer-assisted learning have created challenges and opportunities for e-learning developers, especially as far as Web-based pedagogy is concerned. Most researchers and educators have found the Web as a potential resource to support learning pedagogy. It is also important to formulate how available technology can be used to facilitate desired learning objectives within the psychological and pedagogical constraints.

Building an e-learning application is no different from building many other types of software application. Whether the e-learning software is designed to support Instructor Led Classroom training, Synchronous or Asynchronous e-learning delivery, or whether the software should provide a comprehensive Learning Management or Learning Content Management System. It is assumed that the case for e-learning has been made, and that the general e-learning application requirements are agreed.

In order to provide effective learning solutions, we need to set a quality standard for e-learning based applications. To achieve this quality we need to have an effective test strategy designed from the start of the project.

In most organizations e-learning projects are poorly served by a one-size-fits-all approach to their testing strategies. In order to design effective test strategy for an e-learning project we need to understand that e-learning application is divided in three area of the application:

Pedagogical Area:     Learning goals/objectives
                                           Learning material
                                           Target (end) users
                                           Cognitive mapping
                                           Interactivity

Technological Area: System availability
                                           Mode of delivery
                                           H/W resources
                                           Internet bandwidth
                                           Course engine/Programming tools

Usability Area:           Look and Feel
                                          Learner’s perspective

Test Strategy for E-learning Applications
While not a checklist, you might expect to see some of the following in your own test strategy for an e-learning application:

Project plans, risks, and requirements
Relevant regulations, policies, or directives
Required processes, standards, and templates
Supporting guidelines
Stakeholders and their test objectives
Test resources and estimates
Test levels and phases, such as content review, edit review, technical review, and functionality review, etc.
Test environment such as level of automation and manual tests
Completion criteria for each phase
Required documentation and review methods

Other than the generic points we need to mention following points also:

Description and characteristic of content/instructional strategy used
Instructional elements used such as content, graphic, audio, etc.
Testing/reviewing approach such as checklist based testing
Change management
Required documentation and styles and standards followed for review

Whatever is mentioned in my blog is as per my experience in the area of e-learning as a QC. This is not a conclusion but a start to a discussion on effective testing in the area of e-learning-based applications. Much need to be discussed and talked about. So lets explore!!!!