QLE Southeast Executive Forum 2006

Thursday, October 19, 2006
2:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Westin Atlanta North at Perimeter

7 Concourse Parkway
Atlanta, GA 30328
Phone (770) 395-3900
www.qualityleadershipawards.com 

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Global Topic: Building Effective IT Quality Assurance Strategies for Solving Today's Complex IT and Business Challenges in a Global Economy
Led by: Fran Dramis, CIO, BellSouth

In today's demanding business environment, rapid technological advancements and round-the-clock development cycles, IT projects are measured in days and weeks. In this discussion, you will share with one another what innovative technology your team has worked with for your organization's software testing initiatives in these highly accelerated environments. Discuss with the global moderator and your peers, how the IT quality assurance technology deployed integrated into a demanding delivery schedule and still allowed your organization to produce quality software. Share the lessons learned and techniques used for implementing an accelerated test process and how your team was able to deliver a high-quality production-ready application.

Key Discussion Points:

• How do you define quality? What do you think of when you think of quality?
• How do you build quality elements into what you do?
• How did you align the business functions with the QA functions in the planning and definition phase of your program?
• What kind of collaboration took place between development, quality assurance, operations and the lines of business? How do you break down traditional barriers and misconceptions between the different functions to create a highly effective working environment?
• What aspects were considered in your program -from reliability, security, compliance issues and performance?
• Do you do anything differently when your organization is geographically dispersed?

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Thought Leadership Topic One: Making the Numbers Count
Led by: Marian Lucia - CIO, Federal Home Loan Bank

Metrics is more than just numbers; it's finding ways to make the numbers count and mean something to the stakeholders, end-users and decision-makers. In this roundtable, you will discuss with your peers what metrics can be used to help evaluate the effectiveness & efficiency of a QA testing program. Share with one another your real-world experiences and best practices within the following areas:

Key Discussion Points:

• How do you identify and implement a way to measure the effectiveness of your QA/Testing program?
• When you get the results -what can you learn from the numbers? How do you look inside the numbers and assign meaning to the information?
• How do you evaluate your results and the establish tangible action plans
• How do you communicate the results - making the numbers count to others in the organization?

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Thought Leadership Topic Two: Deep Dive - Integrating an Effective IT Quality Assurance Program into Large-Scale Software (ERP) Projects
Led by: Guido Sacchi - CIO, Compucredit

The quality of an organization's IT Services has become a critical success factor for many organizations. As IT matures and becomes intertwined with a company's products and value chain, it directly impacts the customer experience. At the same time, a set of best practices, called ITIL (IT Infrastructure Library) offers organizations an opportunity to dramatically increase the quality of IT Services and related functions. ITIL has now become part of the ISO 9000 certification process and is rapidly becoming the cornerstone of IT Services provision from a quality and financial standpoint.

Key Discussion Points:

• Discuss how ITIL provides a tangible roadmap for achieving IT quality objectives.
• Are there any foreseeable obstacles on the IT Services Improvement Roadmap that should be highlighted and can you share practical real world solutions as it relates to IT Quality Assurance programs?
• How and where has ITIL has reduced costs in your IT organizations? Has it made the QA programs in your organization more effective and efficient?
• Is there greater customer satisfaction through this more professional approach to service delivery? If so, please share some examples of where the impact has been.
• Has the specification of ITIL improved the delivery of third party services and products? If so-how and why?

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Thought Leadership Topic Three: How to Sell the Importance of IT Quality Assurance Program with Limited Resources and Funds
Led by: Brian Shield - CIO, The Weather Channel

Today, many IT executives are not only faced with the challenge of implementing or improving a test process to support constantly changing requirements in shortened development cycles - they are often faced with having to do this on a limited budget. Share your real world experiences on how to establish an IT Quality Assurance program under such conditions and still integrate the much needed experts and tools. Discuss how you were able leverage your organization's existing resources and technology infrastructure but still built a sound business case to hire professional testers and obtain the capital investment to purchase some of the testing industry's leading solutions.

Key Discussion Points:

• How to establish a strategy to meet short and long term IT quality program objectives and budgets
• Discuss with one another which areas should invested initial dollars and efforts -where can you have the most impact?
• Share some proven cost effective techniques for implementing key processes in these tight environments.
• What tips can you share on how to organize and manage your IT Quality Assurance team even if you're the only resource?
• Discuss which test automation tools are available and make the most sense when you're strapped for cash

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