Validate and Iterate with Quality in Mind
A successful Quality Engineering Framework Adoption is not a one-time initiative but a continuous journey of validation and refinement. Ensuring quality remains a strategic enabler that requires structured reflection, iterative improvement, and a commitment to transparency.
Objectives:
- Provide a clear summary of findings and recommendations
- Develop a roadmap for continuous quality improvement
- Establish mechanisms for regular review and iteration
Actions:
- Embed the strategy within a living framework – The Quality Engineering Strategy should remain a continuously updated reference point rather than a static document, that could be out of date the moment it is published. Just as with any documentation, defects, designs, code, or tests that are no longer relevant should be decommissioned or marked obsolete, ensuring a lean and effective framework with an appropriate paper trail.
- Develop an action backlog – Tracking quality initiatives in a transparent backlog ensures visibility and accountability among stakeholders – as with any other backlog refine for relevance, and as with any captured actions, don’t let them die in another action backlog graveyard, keep it lean!
- Define a feedback loop – Regular cadences (e.g., quarterly reviews) should be established to reflect on progress, reprioritise, and refine quality goals – with ownership being established appropriate to your organisation (such as with guilds, communities of practice, or domain experts)
Outputs:
- Living Strategy Framework – A dynamic, evolving resource that reflects ongoing findings, recommended actions, and measurable outcomes.
- Quality Engineering Action Log – A structured approach to tracking short, medium, and long-term quality initiatives, providing a clear path for improvement.
- Feedback & Review Cadence – A plan to revisit and refine quality goals and metrics periodically with key stakeholders, ensuring continuous alignment and improvement.
Why This Matters
Quality is not a destination but an ongoing process. By validating and iterating with quality in mind, teams can adapt to new challenges, ensure alignment with business objectives, and maintain a sustainable approach to delivering high-value software. This structured approach keeps quality at the heart of decision-making, fostering continuous improvement and innovation.
As we’ve explored across the six steps of this framework, the continuous validation and iteration of quality practices are key to achieving long-term success. From establishing a shared vision and strategy to embedding quality in every facet of your SDLC, each step has laid a strong foundation. In the final article, we’ll bring everything together, focusing on how to sustain these improvements over time and continuously refine quality practices to meet evolving needs.
