The Virtual Workgroup Technologies Corporation (VWTC) management team is charged with creating an environment where high expectations are established and standard, repeatable processes are used to ensure unremitting quality improvement. Written procedures and standards govern all development and delivery efforts, both creative and technical. We apply pre-project success metrics and post-project measurement and analysis. In between, a series of checks and balances assures that no detail is overlooked.
While the entire VWTC management team is held accountable for delivering quality results, quality control and quality assurance are ultimately the responsibility of the Program Manager, who ensures a prompt and adequate response to eliminate any performance problems or defects. Our practice is to be proactive to anticipate such problems before they arise. If a problem does arise, the Program Manager is empowered to provide immediate direction to ensure its resolution. It is also the Program Manager’s responsibility to ensure that quality control methodologies and processes relevant to the Navy’s standards and requirements are in place for creative and technical development.
Constant attention to detail from within a process orientation provides an assurance of reliability, and makes it easier to prevent problems from occurring—or when they do occur, to correct them quickly and efficiently. The table below summarizes the major elements of the VWTC quality control process.
- Process Methodology
Each VWTC project follows a defined process from project inception to final delivery. The process establishes review procedures and criteria for each work phase and stipulates who is responsible for quality control at each phase. In-progress reviews are used to help guide development in the proper direction-with input from senior technical managers and the customer. - Project Management Software
To plan the flow of projects against calendar-driven deadlines, and ensure efficient scheduling, all the VWTC program managers and project managers use proven management tools and MS Project integrated to plan and manage workflow, track hours, and gather performance data for later analysis and benchmarking. - Customer Satisfaction
VWTC aims at continual improvement measured against goals and objectives set in collaboration with our customer. We collect both statistical and anecdotal information designed to help the VWTC staff identify areas in which our approach should be improved, priorities should be revised, or services should be enhanced. - Material Development
Materials developed for this program meet all of the Navy requirements and specifications. Web artifacts are tested to ensure 508-compliance and other Navy software tools and testing conditions. Internal reviews are conducted to assure that all program and project management products-reports, documentation, media, etc.-maintain the highest professional standards. - Compliance
VWTC is diligent in our adherence to regulations regarding the use of software applications, specifications for software development, and other requirements. Web sites, DVDs, interactive multimedia, and other electronic products are carefully designed to comply with Section 508 of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other federal regulations. - Security
VWTC has worked closely with the Navy to develop secure systems to ensure that data is only made available to authorized users. The VWTC developers have experience in developing and implementing security safeguards at all levels-in compliance with government guidelines and directives, to include password protected access and public key encryption infrastructures. VWTC will ensure that sensitive data supplied by the Navy is protected by government-sanctioned technologies and in compliance with Navy’s regulations.
This quality control process encompasses the entire discovery, design, development and testing cycle used in all our projects. The ultimate test of quality is in the results that a project produces. Consequently, our process is focused on building products on a solid platform of stake-holder requirements and concrete objectives. We conduct content research to ensure that information is current, accurate, consistent and non-redundant, and we conduct peer reviews of all material to ensure quality prior to submitting it as completed work. Reviews of graphic design and writing typically involve the entire project team, regardless of whether individual team members are experts in the review area.
Status checkpoints and reviews, both formal and informal, are built into the process. Customer involvement in reviews is negotiated at the kickoff meeting and incorporated into the project plan. During status checkpoints, the project manager reports progress, compares progress to schedule, and discusses changes in strategy or execution. In addition, the project manager is responsible for adhering to government and individual agency graphic standards.
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