Career Development Plan Summary Essay Example

system and compliance, propose corrective action plans where appropriate. Maintains a safe work environment by ensuring that employees in area of responsibility are properly trained. Leads continuous improvement activities. Applies value engineering techniques to processes to assure that the essential functions are provided at minimum overall cost to the organization.Implements Statistical Process Control techniques and tools for continuous improvement and performs design of experiments in all areas of the software development life cycle to control and improve product & process quality and yields.

Requirements: Bachelor’s Degree, at a minimum 15 + years experience in Quality Management Ability to accurately communicate the financial impacts of quality decisions and to direct implementation activities that yield profitability gains Practical knowledge and experience with IEEE, ISO, CMMI standards QA Lead Will perform complex testing tasks requiring planning, scheduling and testing to assure that developed products meet design specifications and are within total quality management limits and standards. Ensures all assigned projects/initiatives meet Quality Assurance specifications with regard to expected features, functionality and quality, by implementation of a test plan, and through comparison of the end product to the finalized requirements documents, product descriptions, and technical design specifications.Provide necessary feedback to software developers and designers to eliminate defects within the product as early in the development process as possible. The QA Lead will communicate with IT Development, Technical Operations, Professional Services, Marketing and Customer Service on project risks/issues/concerns/status. Develop test plans and project status reports for project leads and management. The QA Lead manages the testing schedule and resource requirements for all assigned projects/initiatives.

Interacts with all project leads to ensure a comprehensive engineering documentation and test strategy.Responsible for documentation reviews for

process and project deliverables. Supervise and mentor junior QA engineers to meet established project milestones. Has in-depth knowledge of QA test methodologies and strategies.

Understands PI’s application and can demonstration systematic approaches for identifying and rendering feature rich, complex test cases. Demonstrates competence and self-motivation in analyzing problems and performing root cause analysis. Has experience with the full product development life cycle process. Has experience in rendering and reviewing metrics for assessing readiness of phase/project/product.

Proven ability to grasp quickly and keep current on new technologies and understand business needs. Has excellent analytical skills and attention to detail. Has experience working in test-driven development model. And the QA Lead will stays abreast of industry-wide changes in technology, programming techniques and testing tools. Requirements: Bachelor’s Degree, at a minimum 10 + years experience in Quality Management Practical knowledge and experience with IEEE, ISO, CMMI standards •HA Test Lead The Test Lead reports to the QA Lead(s) on specific project implementations.

The Test Lead will supervise a team of HA resources, and will work with other Test Lead(s) and the Team Lead to ensure everyone is busy. The Test Lead will also be responsible for the following: Overall oMaintains constant communication with QA Leads and HA resources oWork with other Test Lead(s) and the Team Lead to ensure everyone is busy oTrain New / Junior Team members and other team members as needed oTrack project progress oTrack Change Requests oCommunicate / track team member vacations, holidays, personal days and sick time. oProvide feedback for individual performance reviews Provide feedback for team performance reviews oProvide feedback for department improvements Requirements Gathering / Analysis / Design Phase oPerform requirements reviews oReview for

accuracy oReview for completeness oReview for coverage oProvide feedback to QA Lead oSupervise requirements entry into QC oPerform Technical and Functional Spec Reviews oReview for accuracy oReview for completeness oReview for coverage oProvide feedback to QA Lead oHelp QA Lead with time and resource estimations oHelp QA Lead with Project / Resource Scheduling oCreate/update Project Test Plans QA Preparation Phase Supervise and participates in the development of Test Scenarios oPerform Test Scenario reviews oReview for accuracy oReview for completeness oReview for coverage oProvide feedback to QA Lead oSupervise and participates in the development of Test Cases oPerform Test Case reviews oReview for accuracy oReview for completeness oReview for coverage oProvide feedback to QA Lead oMaintain Traceability Metrics oRequirements to Spec.

Document oTest Scenarios to Requirements oTest Cases to Test Scenarios oDefects to Test Cases oProvide daily/weekly status reports to QA Lead Testing Phase Provide Daily/Weekly test summary reports oPerform defect reviews oVerify defects to ensure they actually are defects oEnsure defects are entered into QC correctly oTrack defect progress to ensure they are being fixed in a timely manor oGenerate reports as needed (open rate, close rate, time to close, etc. )

• Supervise and participates in the execution of Test Cases
• Ensure Test Scenario’s / Cases are updated
• Track testing progress against timeline oFollow issue escalation process UAT Phase
• Monitor customer feedback and act accordingly
• Compare customer feedback to requirements Ensure defects are entered into QC
• Track defect progress Implementation Phase
• Help QA Lead with Deployment resource scheduling
• Ensure all project documents and QC are up to date

Provide final test summary report oReview release notes Requirements: Bachelor’s Degree, at a minimum 6-9 years experience in Quality

Management Practical knowledge and experience with IEEE, ISO, CMMI standards

HA Test Specialist The HA Test Specialist reports to a HA Test Lead or a QA Lead(s) on specific test management tasks. The HA Test Specialist is responsible for the following: Overall Maintain constant communication with HA Test Lead(s) or QA Lead(s)

• Train New / Junior Team members and other team members as needed
• Provide feedback for department improvements
• Requirements Gathering / Analysis / Design Phase
• Perform Technical and Functional Spec Reviews
• Review for Understanding
• Provide feedback QA Preparation Phase
• Develops Test Scenarios
• Provide feedback oDevelops Test Cases
• Provide feedback oMaintain Traceability Metrics
• Test Scenarios to Requirements
• Test Cases to Test Scenarios
• Defects to Test Cases Testing Phase
• Participates in the execution of Test Cases Identify and records defects in Quality Center
• Updates Test Scenario’s / Cases as appropriate
• Follow issue escalation process Other
• Technical specialist in specific engineering methodologies and controls
• Participates in testing automation
• Assists in defining software quality assurance processes Requirements: Bachelor’s Degree, at a minimum 3-5 years experience in Quality Management Practical knowledge and experience with IEEE, ISO, CMMI standards
• HA Test Analyst The HA Test Analyst reports to a HA Test Lead on specific test management tasks.
• The HA Test Analyst is responsible for the following: Overall Maintain constant communication with HA Test Lead(s)
• Provide feedback for department improvements
• Requirements Gathering / Analysis / Design Phase
• Perform Technical and Functional Spec Reviews
• Review for Understanding
• Provide feedback QA Preparation Phase
• Develops Test Scenarios
• Provide feedback
• Develops Test Cases

Participates in the execution of Test Cases oIdentify and records defects in Quality Center oMaintain Traceability Metrics, Defects to Test Cases

Updates Test Scenario’s /

Cases as appropriate oFollow issue escalation process Requirements: Bachelor’s Degree, at a minimum -1 year experience in Quality Management Training Program Currently, there is a limited plan for training of employees or career development, and that PI has hired employees with specific skill sets to fulfill needed job roles. With the realignment of the QA department it will be expected that new hires will come into the organization at the ground level. And that PI will train the employee on our processes, tools, and products. Once the employee has shown the ability to successfully perform their job function and has the desire to be promoted a training program will be defined, milestones identified.An overall training program will be defined to align to the job functions within the QA department.

Whether training is be outsourced training classes or internal classes, training requirements will be defined and as part of the employees career development section within the performance appraisal. Performance Methods There will be two methods used for performance of an employee. Training performance will evaluate an employees understanding prior to and after completion of the class. And then three months after the class was completed the employee will be surveyed for their knowledge and applicability of the training.The training curriculum will be evaluated based on the job requirements and the surveys.

Employee performance will be conducted quarterly completing a performance appraisal form. The appraisal will address result orientation, behaviors, support surveys, career development, and training needs.

Challenges of the Department

The Quality Assurance department supports the entire organization and thus has many challenges to face regarding service orientation, communication, attitude, teamwork, and effectiveness.Our performance appraisal should be based on individual

contributions as well as how the team achieves success in project initiatives. Different types of appraisal Physicians Interactive uses a results oriented, manage by objective approach for evaluating an employees performance quarterly. This quarterly performance evaluation has been used to determine success of assigned tasks, deliverables, and initiatives.

The scoring of this evaluation has a direct impact to the bonus rewards program. Physicians Interactive also uses a behavior oriented appraisal that is completed once a year.This yearly performance review is used to determine behaviors and actions of the employee. The scoring of this evaluation has a direct impact to the salary merit of an employee. The performance appraisal system should be modified to have an evaluation that is completed quarterly where goals of the company are aligned with specific department and individual goals.

Then assigned tasks, deliverables, and initiatives would be defined. And have behavior expectations, career development, training needs assessed. Scoring would be based on the employee’s accomplishments and behaviors.The quarterly appraisal score could still be used for the bonus incentive program, and then at the end of the year a summary of the quarterly reviews would be written to score the employees’ salary merit.

Difficulties of evaluating performance The challenge with the current process is that the quarterly appraisal system does not help the employee and organization look forward past the three month interval, the focus is very short term. And the yearly review does not allow any feedback to the employee in correcting or to be success in meeting or exceeding expectations.Changing the performance appraisal system to include short and long term expectations allows for the employee to react and be proactive to the organizations

expectation and culture. This will also allow the organization to be more dynamic in its expectations and give appropriate and valuable guidance/direction.

Unique needs of a department appraisal There are unique needs associated with an individual and department performance appraisal system. One need is since our economy is now a service economy evaluations need to assess not only individual efforts but address how the department is servicing others by common goals and accomplishments.In order for us to be competitive, a department evaluation section must be included as part of the appraisal to focus on service and support relationships. As we here at Physicians Interactive have a more diverse organization, with an onsite staff and an offshore staff the need for creating a team type environment is more evident. These diverse teams are able to develop a variety of strategies and solutions from the individuals within quality assurance, from different ages, cultures, and genders to develop the product and support that benefits all.

Adding a department section within the appraisal system will communicate and motivate members of the department to use collective efforts to have a common attitude to achieve a common goal. Department motivation and expectations The QA department should be motivated the same as individuals. We have identified department motivations to include a way for us to succeed in quality of the activity/deliverables we are participating in. Department members should provide a successful deliverable service oriented sense of urgency, customer commitment, and customer satisfaction.All of these goals being accomplished will elevate Physicians Interactive financial bottom line and employee’s opportunity for bonus incentive and salary merits. Motivations also consist of management assisting the business units in business

and financial goals.

The QA department’s expectation is to become more effective, have better attitudes, teammates listening to one another and helping each other. The most important expectation of the department is being able to work better together to ultimately succeed in a common goal and being able to provide quality, qualitative deliverables being produced.Strategies to discourage social loafing There are some strategies that can be employed to discourage and/or reduce social loafing (the tendency to reduce the amount of effort applied when working in a team) which include:

Evaluating each member of the department independently will encourage each member to pull their own weight.

Have checkpoint statuses on planned completions, milestones, and contributions and compare that to the actual.If the group is put together well (meaning each member brings a different set of skills) then each person will feel that the group can not achieve their desired results without each person’s contribution.

Even better would be to assign tasks that are complex as opposed to simple. This will discourage loafing as the members will feel a sense of accomplishment for tackling such a difficult task. The ideal department makeup to discourage social loafing would be focused, comprised of diverse talents, and be told early on what (and when) their (team and individual) evaluations will be based.Individual employee responsibilities The individual employee’s primary responsibility towards the QA department is to keep in mind that while this may be a group effort, each person should be contributing their maximum.

This is not to say that each person will not take (and give) assistance to others along the way. Each department member should cooperate and coordinate efforts to ensure the project is

carried out in a timely fashion. Keep in mind that in a group effort, each member should avoid working in a vacuum and check in with their team before attempting to change the direction of the project.Your individual responsibilities and desires will have to be weighed against the good of the team.

Ideally, each person within the department will have a chance to contribute an equal share and pull together the project in question in a timely manner, with all persons in the department impact the success of the quality of the organization. Incentives and Benefits As indicated earlier the financial incentive program is a company performance bonus program. Based on the organization achieving specific sales, profit, and ROI goals employees will be eligible to receive a bonus.The bonus program is quarterly and the calculation is as follows: x% of employee yearly salary equals y dollars Q1 bonus = 15% of y dollars Q2 bonus = 20% of y dollars Q3 bonus = 25% of y dollars Q4 bonus = 40% if y dollars Benefits for fulltime employees are packaged by the HR department which encompasses health, dental, vision, life insur. , 401k and company matching, disability, and etc.

Employees receive new hire packages that explain in detail company benefits. Strategies for Managing Career DevelopmentOnce an employee is hired their manager will outline the company goals, the tied in department goals and the expected goals for the first quarter goals for the employee. Within the performance appraisal system career development objectives and expectations are defined. It is expected the employee and their manager will define the career aspirations and matching organizational opportunities.

Also, within the performance appraisal system

definition of the training requirements for the employees current and future job role will be written.Compensation Plan Based on market analysis PI will market the job roles within the seventy percentile of the software quality assurance sector as a baseline. The specific salary will be adjusted on the candidates skill set. The range of each job role will be sized for an employee to receive approx. 7 cost of living yearly merit increases. The gap between ranks will be no more than 10% of a salary increase.

References

1. Cascio, W. (2006). Managing human resources: Productivity, quality of work life, profits (7th ed. ). New York: McGraw-Hill