In order to deliver effective IV&V Engagement, IV&V Provider is to establish a well-defined and structured Test Management Office (TMO) that can demonstrate the following:
- Public sector domain knowledge familiarity, and also having resources with relevant industry certifications in the appropriate subject matter, specifically in those related to testing, QA, and IV&V.
- Experience in rigorous implementation & administration of well-defined IV&V processes.
- Systematic assessment of the project’s end-to-end ICT acquisition process.
- Ability to identify critical system functions that enable focus on high-value ICT areas.
- Clear, consistent, and timely communication of IV&V results for all areas addressed.
- Objective and effective management of the metrics and processes, for performance monitoring and control.
- Strong management capabilities and interfaces with The Agency’s staff and teams
Figure 4.2 below shows the minimum setup of the IV&V Provider’s Test Management Office (TMO) that shall deliver the IV&V services.
The IV&V Provider’s Engagement Structure & TMO are organised as above. Being a partner to The Agency, it takes care of The Agency’s interests in the acquisition of the ICT, through:
- monitoring the quality of deliverables that are the results of the ICT project,
- communicating the quality assessment findings objectively and in a timely manner,
- collaborating with The Agency’s appointed Development Team and experts, and to value add where required.
4.2.1 TMO Functional Overview
In taking care of The Agency’s interests in the acquisition of the ICT, the IV&V Provider shall set-up a functional TMO that will perform the following:
- Set-up the level of monitoring and oversight needed, based on:
- Project size,
- Level of value or importance,
- Risks,
- Number of stakeholders.
- Appoint a TMO Manager that among others, monitors:
- the accuracy and quality of all IV&V Provider’s software test team’s deliverables and all IV&V results,
- the impact of the IV&V results on The Agency and Development Team’s time and resources,
- the outcome of the IV&V Provider’s repeated tests (or re-testing) to close the defects, by providing advice and recommendations to The Agency.
- Monitors and measures testing activities to assess:
- health of the ICT project via the Integrated Project Plan (IPP), with focus on three (3) testing quality areas, that are:
- The project team (sets performance expectations),
- Processes (identifies ways to control quality),
- Test level (collaboratively sets project quality level).
- quality of the project deliverables, i.e. discrepancies between planned quality and actual quality.
- Perform risk management in five (5) project areas that are:
- integration (amount of integration and system testing),
- scope (number of test cases and test runs),
- time (how much testing and when testing can be performed),
- cost (best use of testing resources),
- risk (what types and degrees of testing to include).
- Utilize standardised checklists and reports to improve overall communication across the ICT project.
- Documenting and generating formal reports on the IV&V and the Development Team efforts. Subsequently communicate to The Agency and the Development Team the respective reports:
- Formal evaluations and statements.
- Process review reports.
- Technical ICT and process reports related to IV&V activities.
4.2.2 TMO Roles & Responsibilities
Table 4.2 below describes the roles in TMO and also resources managed by TMO that undertake test execution tasks during the IV&V Engagement.
