Process Improvement in Quality Management Systems

About the Book

After more than two decades since the advent of Total Quality Management, one might think there was nothing left to say regarding its application, but Walter Ray McCollum shows that one would be wrong. Process Improvement in Quality Management Systems: Case Study of Carnegie Mellon's Capability Maturity Model (CMM) explores how a company can obtain Level 3 compliance where an organization's processes for management and engineering activities are formally defined, documented, and integrated into a standard process that is understood and followed by the organization's staff in the development and maintenance of software. Once an organization has reached this level, it has a foundation for continuing progress. New processes and tools can be added with minimal disruption, and new staff members can be easily trained to adapt to the organization's practices.

Numerous case studies have been enacted across industries to describe successful, and unsuccessful, implementation of quality management systems and programs. Several generic frameworks for quality management implementation have been proposed to help organizations achieve quality, productivity, and gain a competitive edge. However, few attempts have been made to synthesize frameworks for measuring quality management practices, especially with regard to managing software quality. Phan (2001) found the best-known work concerned with process improvement was the Software Engineering Institute Capability Maturity Model (CMM). However, very few studies have examined the effects of process improvement on quality management systems, and no studies have addressed the variables that impact the effective use of SW-CMM. McCollom mitigates these gaps to offer software development professionals, and developers of quality management systems, the information they need to enhance their effective use of SW-CMM. This book empowers projects, teams, and organizations by giving them the foundation to support reasoned choice, and identify fi ndings relative to the effects of process improvement in quality management systems using SW-CMM, process focus, and risk management training.

Marilyn K. Simon, Ph.D. President Math Power

About the Author

Dr. Walter "Ray" McCollum is a Senior Management Consultant employed by Science Application International Corporation (SAIC) where he provides clients with organizational performance and transformation options to improve effectiveness and efficiency. He employs methods and practices to improve organizations wherever people are a significant investment. He also employs organizational capabilities to include organizational design, leadership and team development, business process re-engineering, knowledge management, workload analysis, change management holistic analysis, collaborative systems, enterprise integration, human factors, strategic alignment and performance measurement.

In Dr. McCollum's previous position, he oversaw the Biometric Education Program in the Department of Defense Biometric Management Office. He oversaw the development of a Masters level education program and implementation of a Graduate Certificate Program and 5-Day Short Course in Biometrics and Information Assurance through the partnership between the Biometric Management Office and West Virginia University (WVU). He was also responsible for incorporating formal academic programs into Department of Defense long-term training opportunities for various career programs. In that capacity, Dr. McCollum worked with the Department of Defense schools and Military Occupational Specialties (MOS) programs to incorporate biometrics education into courses.

Previously, Dr. McCollum worked for Lockheed Martin, Information Technology at the Pentagon where he was the Manager, Organizational Development (OD). In this capacity, he developed the overall day-to-day operation for the Development and Training Organization. He oversaw and guided the design, approval and implementation of OD and Leadership Development systems and processes. Ray managed subordinate staff providing consultation to enhance the effectiveness of manager and teams to increase organization productivity and customer satisfaction. He also spearheaded Organizational Change efforts to apprise staff of change management phases, adaptation/ acceptance spectrums, organizational systems and subsystems integration.

At ACS Government Solutions in Rosslyn, Virginia, Dr. McCollum was the Training Manager. In this position, he planned prepared and presented internal and external training to technical personnel, managers and government clients. Delivery mechanisms included computer-based training, on-line (web-based training), and classroom instruction with discussions, role-playing and practical exercises. Training areas included Capability Maturity Model (CMM) process training, software development processes, project management, configuration management, requirements management, and quality assurance.

In his previous job, as Training Manager, Educational Services, OneSoft Corporation, McLean Virginia, Dr. McCollum designed and developed on-line computer based training document management libraries. He managed internal and external document management version control and established and incorporated procedural guidelines of document management. He also enforced process management of automated workflow. Walter developed and designed work breakdown structure of document management tools. He developed and delivered training materials on the Customer Relationship Management System (CRM) Clarify.

Dr. McCollum was also an Information Technology Training Analyst with Booz Allen & Hamilton, McLean Virginia where he conducted Business Operations Training and Technology for the National Guard Bureau on Distance Learning Technology in the 50 states and 4 U.S. territories. Training included Instructional Technologies, Audio-graphics, Audio-conferencing, Computer User Support, Video-teleconferencing, Business Plans, Marketing Plans, Financial Management and Property Management. He conducted training on the Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) Network and performed instructional designs and technical writing for instructor and student end-user guides.

While working at Lucent Technologies as Training Manager, Arlington, Virginia, Dr. McCollum conducted End-User Training and System Administration Training with clients and system administrators on Merlin Legend, Merlin Mail, Messaging 2000 and Intuity Audix Voice Mail telephone systems. He coordinated with system consultants, technicians and scheduler to perform programming of telephone modules meeting various organization and agency requirements. He also performed technical writing for instructor and student end-user manuals and incorporated Web-based design into course curriculum.

Prior to working in the commercial sector, Dr. McCollum served thirteen years in the US Air Force where he held various Air Force Specialties to include Information Management, Communications, Special Duty Postal, and Special Duty Reserve Officer's Training Corp (ROTC). His assignments include Office of the Secretary of Defense, Pentagon Washington, DC; Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, VA; Incirlik Air Base, Turkey (OPERATION DESERT STORM); Ellsworth AFB, Rapid City, SD; Clark Air Base, Republic of the Philippines; Langley AFB, Hampton Virginia; Keesler AFB, Biloxi, MS; and Lackland AFB, San Antonio TX.

Dr. McCollum's awards and medals include Air Force Commendation Medal w/1 Oak Leaf Cluster, Joint Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal w/2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Southwest Asia Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Distinguished Graduate Noncommissioned Officer's Academy, Military Citizenship Award Noncommissioned Officer's Academy, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense Junior Enlisted Member of the Year.

Dr. McCollum's educational accomplishments include: Associate of Applied Science Degree in Business Management, Dabney S. Lancaster Community College, Clifton Forge, VA; Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology, University of the State of New York, Albany, New York; Master of Arts in Management, Webster University, St. Louis, MO; and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Applied Management and Decision Sciences with a specialization in Organizational Change and Leadership, Walden University, Minneapolis Minnesota.

Dr. McCollum is also an adjunct professor at the University of Phoenix, both on-line and ground at the Maryland and Virginia campuses. He facilitates both graduate and undergraduate programs in the School of Business and the School of Management. He is also a professor at Central Michigan University. Dr. McCollum is ICS Faculty Certified and FLEXNET Online Certified. He is also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated and the American Society for Training and Development. Dr. McCollum is also a Registered Organizational Development Consultant.

Dr. McCollum is the President and founder of the Walter McCollum Scholarship Foundation where he is responsible for presenting scholarships to outstanding graduate students who have demonstrated academic excellence, potential for future achievement, and leadership both in school and community activities.

"Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said it best when he said that everyone can't be famous, but everyone can be great. And that greatness is shown through service." Dr. McCollum plans to continue providing service to affect social change in society and our community while paving the way for those coming behind him. He wants his legacy to be one of hope and inspiration.