How to Measure the Productivity of a Software Quality Engineer

This paper critically examines COBOL85 compiler software quality assurance project from the unintentional perspective of Total Quality. In 1988, when this project occurred, the author was not associated with TQM in any way or had any training in, or knowledge about, Total Quality. The project took place 36 years ago. The company Prime Computer, Inc. no longer exists, and the individuals involved have long since gone their separate ways. An unquestionable comfort can be derived from discussing a project that does not violate confidentiality in any way whatsoever. In 1988, this author was hired as a consultant to manage the software quality assurance effort. The charge was to significantly increase productivity in a relatively short period so that the COBOL85 compiler could be released to Prime’s customers on time. This author was directly responsible for increasing the project's productivity by 40 percent over 14 weeks, while the association with the project lasted a little over a year. Unfortunately, MAI Basic Four attempted a hostile takeover of Prime, approximately three-fourths of the way through the project. Due to financial considerations and because Prime management decided to abandon their mini-computer business entirely, the quality assurance effort finished not with a bang but with a whimper. The author was then relieved of management responsibilities so that the company could save money. The last remaining software quality assurance consultant completed his work, and the COBOL85 compiler finally went to market. Because of the lack of managerial commitment, the compiler never met the expectations of the individuals dedicated to bringing to market a quality product. At the time, the author had no formal or informal training or knowledge of TQM whatsoever but did have an understanding of how a process works. The author was convinced that the process he was hired to oversee could experience dramatic improvements in productivity in a relatively short period, which could be construed as a matter of faith or possibly overconfidence. He achieved what he set out to do.