So far in this series on Business Intelligence, we’ve discussed what a Business Intelligence System is and how it helps optimize business performance. We also covered how to speed the development of a Business Intelligence System. In this third installment, we outline how Total Software Quality (TSQ), PC Ware’s proprietary software quality system, ensures that we deliver the Business Intelligence System you need.
Testing for Quality vs Designing for Quality
When others think of getting software right, they often think first of testing to ensure their software works as intended. But for us at PC Ware, getting software right – ensuring a system provides the right functions, performs them accurately, is easy to learn and fits well with business processes and procedures — involves much more than testing. It actually starts with the way the software is defined and designed. It continues through development and testing and doesn’t end until the software is in daily use, producing its intended business benefits.
Here is how PC Ware’s Total Software Quality System works:
Objectives and Outcomes
The first thing we establish is a clear understanding of your business objectives for your project. These objectives become our guide, the standard for measuring everything we do.
Understand The Environment
Next we gather a complete understanding of the work environment where the new system will live. What business processes will touch the system or be touched by it? What work flows will be affected? How? A complete and thorough understanding of your business environment results in a system that fits smoothly into day-to-day operations
Direct Observation
Then we visit your site to observe how users actually do their work today. We look for redundancies, inefficiencies and gaps. We look for ways to improve things. We ask your team for their ideas. We ask, “How are you doing your process now?”, “What about it do you like and don’t you like?” “How can this be done better?”, “What do you think about this approach?” And throughout, we pay close attention to all the details
Design from the User’s Shoes
We design with the user in mind. We ask ourselves, what would be the easiest way for the user to accomplish a particular task. What is the effect of this approach on users? We design what’s easy to use, instead of what’s easy to design.
We’re Problem Solvers
Our super power is solving problems. But we don’t settle for any solution. We keep digging until we find the best solution. We ask, “Is it possible to do this a different way? We suggest alternative solutions. We test constraints. And we check our assumptions so errors don’t creep into our work.
Error Rejection
Our designs make sure the program can’t accept “out of bounds” information. We can’t eliminate all human errors, but checking for and rejecting inputs that don’t make sense reduces data corruption.
Reduce review cycles with internal reviews
We recognize your, the client’s, time is a precious commodity. The thorough understanding of your business, processes and users we develop allows us to utilize extensive internal testing so that the time you, the client, must devote to system testing is reduced to a minimum..
Total Testing
When a prototype system is available we immediately start Total Testing. By Total Testing, we mean we test with every user, we test every function, and we test under every condition. We directly observe each user as they execute their tasks and note any snags. We expose any facet that is difficult to use or learn. Total Testing ensures we identify and fix any problems before we release the system to you.
At PC Ware, our Total Software Quality System equips us to tackle your big Business Intelligence challenges. It all starts with scheduling your free consultation. Call Zev today to find out how your business could be working better tomorrow.
