Osagie iboi (MSc Tech)’s Post

Why have you not been considered for the QA manager (QM) job? Having put in a good number of years, maybe as a quality analyst, supervisor, or junior manager it is expected that you have the required experience to be the QM but you are not entitled. However, when the opportunity comes, management still decides to recruit from outside, surprisingly recruiting someone without experience in your process. There are many written and unwritten reasons why you may not be the next QA manager for your facility. What is your skill set like? it should go beyond sampling and testing, documentation, and yelling at whoever opposes your opinion, which are difficult to manage by other colleagues. On the days you acted in the stead of your QA manager how did you fare? Did you get good feedback from your manager or other HODs? How do you present your points or arguments in meetings? What does your current manager think about your ability to lead a team? Have you checked comments about you and your work rate during calibrations? Do you have the charm of visibility or you are just a noise maker? How is your relationship with your colleagues from other functions? What can other HODs say about your leadership, problem-solving, communication, and passion for the job? What does your team think about you? Remember, as a QA manager, you are seen as someone with a helicopter view of the business, you do not reason, think, or make a decision like a technician or analyst would. There should be a clear difference in the quality of decisions, approach to issue management, and relationship with other cross-functional colleagues. It would help if you had the resilience to withstand pressure mentally and emotionally. You should be ready to succeed with or without 100% support from either management or colleagues. In the face of adversity, are you allowing your emotions and emotional words from your direct reports to push you around, or do you apply the risk-based thinking approach to manage issues? What is your carriage and charisma like? How do you email other colleagues, especially when there is an issue? Are you seen as someone who pushes blame, nags, or slanders your team members in front of people? Are you seen as someone who raises her voice like a trader at the ''ogbete'' market? There are a lot of questions already begging for answers, so it is up to you to check how to be a better colleague, make wise decisions, collaborate and align with other colleagues, and have the mindset that you need to work with other colleagues, to achieve your results. Look at yourself in the mirror and ask if you would allow yourself to lead you. You be have to work on yourself, re-brand, re-skill, reflect, rise above emotions and be an inspiration to others. Hey sometimes you have to seek for QA manager Jobs elsewhere; it doesn't have to be in your facility. The algorithm for career growth has moved from days of spending so many years expecting to be the QA head. Author-Osagie iboi MSc

Here is a #funfridayread from Randy our Senior QA Engagement Director: In a meeting the other day one of our client mentioned that he “smelled” something amiss with a process. That got me thinking about the whole concept of smells. The most common way I have heard smells referenced is “code smells,” where something just seems off when looking at a piece of code. It’s like opening your refrigerator door immediately knowing something has spoiled. So, that smell prompts a search for the bad items. Or, the smell could be coming from your teenage son’s room. Those who have been there know 😐! From a code perspective, perhaps a review would be in order when something smells bad. But what about processes that also smell? Those smells can help you identify when a process might be inefficient or broken. Some ways to isolate process smells are: 💡 Walkthroughs - To study the steps in a procedure or to examine other process elements such as input data, QC checks (such as testing), and tool efficiency. 📊 Metrics and measurements - To examine Key Process Indicators. 🔎 Direct observation – Look at how people actually do their work. It is interesting that people may take shortcuts to deal with process issues when the defined process is broken. One other smell to consider is cultural smells 😤. These can be easy to detect as they are apparent almost when entering the office. However, cultural smells may sometimes be masked by fear, much like a smell in the home might be masked by room spray. Finding the source of a cultural smell might be difficult, but if you talk with the right people, you might find it soon. Look for: 😫 Ego and Misplaced Pride – Often, when you find the ego, you have found the problem. 😱 Fear – In bad cultures, people are often afraid to speak up. 👈🏻 Blame – People may be afraid of retribution and blame others for their mistakes. Much more could be said about this, but hopefully, it generates examination in your own organization to identify where the bad smells are. By the way, not all smells are bad. Sometimes, the aroma is sweet in healthy cultures, with healthy processes! Do you have a funky smell in your current quality assurance process and want help identify the issue/concern, and the right corrective or preventive measures? We’d be happy to help. Reach out in our DMs or at dan@muraho.tech #qualityassurance #processoptimisation #testautomation #qualityengineering

Fundamentals For Excellence For Quality Assurance-Part 1 For Me, Excellence Simply Means Living Your Best Inside-Out Which Must Be Validated By Your Highly Consistent ,Superior And Distinctive Performance On Your Assignment. This Is Where The Crux Of The Matter Lies, Especially When It Has To Do With Some QA Managers Having Their Heads Above The Waters. But What Does It Take For A QA Manager To Be Excellent? Ultimately, What Exactly Do Businesses Need?- Performing Or Excellent Quality Assurance Managers? Having Spent Few Days In This Profession, I Have Come To The Understanding That Most Business Owners And Leaders Do Not Give A Dam To Your Performance As A QA Manager If It Lacks Excellence. Therefore It Is Crucial To Understand The Fundamentals Required For Building Excellent Quality Assurance Performance By Anyone Who Wants To Stay On Top As A Quality Assurance Professional. I Will Be Sharing Some Of These Fundamentals With You On This Series. We Shall Be Taking Part 1 Today And Continue Next Week. Fundamental Number 1: You Are First A Business Manager Before A Quality Assurance Manager- As Quality Assurance Managers, We Are Either Promoted Or Hired To Ensure Business Continuity, So The Life Of The Business Is First Because Killing A Business In The Name Of Implementing A Well-Thought-Out Quality Plan Is Peak Of Futility. Most Quality Assurance Managers Put The Cart Before The Horse In The Name Of Driving Quality Compliance, Little Wonder We Have Many Struggling Managers Trying To Assure What They Do Not Understand. In Order Not To Fall Into The Trap Above, Every QA Manager Should Spend Time To Really Know The Health Of The Business So As To Develop & Deploy The Right Quality Plan For Excellence. Why The Need To Understand The Business First: -It Is Your Robust Knowledge Of The Business That Gives You An Edge In Designing Failure-Proof Strategies And System To Drive The Required Quality Culture For That Business. What Most QA Managers Do When They Lack The Required Business Knowledge Is To Be Carrying Cross-Company Templates About And Be Fighting Everyone For Non-Compliance. This Often Happens When These Set Of Managers Change Job. We Must Know That Every New Business Environment Has Some New Things To Learn. -You Will Need To Know Your Organization's Business Leadership Set-Up. For Instance, A QA Manager Who Knows Little Or Nothing About His Or Her Organization's Decision Matrix Will Always End In The Corner Of His Or Her Office Lamenting That No One Is Supporting His/her, Simply Because He/she Fails To Know The Key Decision Makers And Design A System To Get Them Buy His/her Quality Vision For The Business With Well-Thought Data-Supported Plan To Improve The Business Bottom-line Over Time. -The Organization's Financial Health (NSR/EBITA etc.).Not Knowing The Financial Health Of Your Organization Will Always Make You A Wrong Timer For Quality Support.

If a Quality Manager consistently causes every Quality Assurance (QA) team member to be terminated from their job in every meeting, it suggests a severe issue within the organization. Here are some potential outcomes or implications of such actions: 1. **Loss of Trust and Morale**: Continuous termination of team members can lead to a loss of trust and morale among the QA team. It creates an environment of fear and uncertainty, which is detrimental to productivity and job satisfaction. 2. **High Turnover**: Constant terminations would likely lead to a high turnover rate within the QA department. This instability can disrupt project timelines, continuity of work, and overall team cohesion. 3. **Impact on Quality**: QA is crucial for ensuring product or service quality. Rapid turnover and constant changes in personnel can compromise the quality control processes, leading to potential issues with product/service quality and customer satisfaction. 4. **Legal and HR Concerns**: Depending on labor laws and company policies, frequent terminations can raise legal and HR concerns. It could lead to investigations into workplace practices, potential lawsuits, or reputational damage for the company. 5. **Leadership Evaluation**: Such actions may prompt an evaluation of the Quality Manager's leadership style and decision-making. It could result in managerial intervention, coaching, or even removal if the behavior is deemed detrimental to the organization. In summary, if a Quality Manager is consistently causing QA team members to be terminated, it indicates serious organizational dysfunction that needs to be addressed promptly to restore stability, trust, and operational effectiveness within the QA department and the broader organization.

True and important facts about the life of a QA are crucially explained in this insightful post. With 9 years of experience, I take pleasure in being a QA, setting up processes, and striving for quality achievement. However, there are various struggles when it comes to emphasizing the importance of QA. Quality should not solely be our responsibility; it requires collective effort to achieve stronger business outcomes by delivering efficient software and services. 👩💻 What do you love most about your QA role, and what challenges do you face? Share your stories and join us in celebrating the unsung heroes of quality assurance! #QualityAssurance #QA #UnsungHeroes #Testers

Hello QA enthusiasts! 🚀 Welcome back to the QA Dose Series – the tech talk that brings a dose of wisdom to your Quality Assurance journey. Today, we're diving into the fascinating realm of "Quality Assurance vs. Quality Control." Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) are like subsets of quality management. However, let's talk about what makes them different. 🌟 Quality Assurance (QA): QA is a set of activities and procedures that ensures you create a high-quality product or have a successful project outcome. It involves ensuring that a product or project is advancing toward delivery and that an organization or team adheres to standards or guidelines. Think of QA as the meticulous director planning the perfect play. QA sets the stage, defines the script (read: processes), and ensures everyone is in sync. It's a proactive approach, focusing on preventing issues before they take center stage. 🕵️♂️ Quality Control (QC): QC, on the other hand, monitors results after a product is developed. This means checking product development or project outcomes to meet the previously defined quality standards. Now, QC is more like the sharp-eyed detective backstage during the show. It's about inspecting each scene, catching any deviations from the script, and making real-time corrections. QC is the reactive hero, ensuring that the final product meets the predefined standards. 💡 Key Takeaways: - QA is about preventing issues like a director ensuring the play runs smoothly. - QC is about detecting and correcting issues like a backstage detective making sure each scene is perfect. Now how do they work hand in hand? Much like a well-executed play, QA and QC work hand in hand. The director (QA) lays the foundation for success, while the detective (QC) keeps a vigilant eye, ready to improvise if needed. How do you see the roles of QA and QC in your tech adventures? Share your thoughts! Stay tuned for more QA wisdom and tech tales in the upcoming episodes of QA Dose. 🚀📖 #QualityAssurance #QualityControl #QADose #TechTalks #LinkedInSeries

Why the QA managers Job is the most high-risk job in the FMCG - a case of sipping early morning coffee and a customer complaints changes the roasted smell to a great fear. Ask all the quality managers this tough question. Do you think you sit on a gun powder? Do you think you are one step away from being removed from your position? Every quality manager has this conscious thing going on that complaints or incidents can come with devastating consequences even when the T's are crossed and I's are well dotted. Imagine sipping early morning coffee and then at noon a public alert comes with an incident on one of your products... It is never a moment any QA manager enjoys, no matter the level of expertise. From a gruelling RCA session to developing a CAP, to making presentations and commitment to management team to fix the red to ensuring no other complaints of that magnitude comes is never an exciting experience but you just must enjoy every moment. As a QA manager, you have to be mentally ready to be the unsung hero, be a self-starter, and have a winning mindset in the face of adversity either internally or externally (Osagie 2024). You are the first point of contact when there is a product related issue for as long as the shelf life of that product is valid.Sometimes your job is tied to how well that product behaved during the shelf life of a product. So your job depends on the survival of the products. From my experience, complaints are inevitable. Rarely, you hit your complaints targets. However, you need to be tactical and ensure you focus on what matters most in the type of complaints that is a No - No . The QA manager is faced with 3 milestones first is the company's laid down rule, management rule, and personal values. Often time your personal value resonates with the companies laid down rules but always inverse to the management rule, and that's where the main issues lie (Osagie 2024).... Over the course of my career, i have seen QA managers axed the next day for internal quality issues as well as external it is never a good experience. You have to be armed to the teeth especially with root cause analysis and finding the plans to fix the issues. You have to allow your personal value lead atimes, sometimes you have align with a win-win mindset. You of course need to have an ownership mindset, think like a business owner and do not fear issues. Remember if you are not doing anything wrong it technically means you are not doing anything. Recognise that adversity is part of the job and find a way to fix or scale it. let every of your decision be from risk based approach and not from an emotional or fear perspectives. Be the LION in your own field. Can you reflect in your own words how your personal values get in the way against management value and aligns with the company's value. Author- Osagie iboi

Only QA needs to worry about quality. 🚫 This is one of the most common misconceptions about QA. Let’s unpack this myth and explore the true essence of quality in the workplace! Quality assurance is often misunderstood as a responsibility that falls solely on the QA department. However, quality is a collective effort, integral to every aspect of a company’s operations. It's about creating a product or service that everyone can be proud of. 👇 Here are some truths to consider: Involvement: Quality touches every part of an organization, from development to delivery. When everyone contributes to quality, the results are not only better products but also more engaged teams. Impact: By integrating quality practices across all departments, companies see improvements in efficiency and customer satisfaction, leading to stronger business outcomes. Innovation: Quality isn’t just about avoiding errors; it’s about setting standards that push the industry forward. Every team member plays a role in driving innovation through high-quality standards. 🔍 The role of QA: While #QA professionals specialize in quality standards and practices, their goal is to embed a quality mindset throughout the organization. When quality becomes a part of the daily conversation—discussed in meetings, planned for in project timelines, and celebrated as a key success metric—it shifts from being a compliance requirement to a core organizational value. What do you love about your QA role, and what are the challenges? Share your stories and help us celebrate the unsung heroes of quality assurance! #QualityManagement #QualityAssurance #QualityCulture

Building a High Performing team as a Quality manager- Talent pipeline. The last time I shared in my post on why you need to race for innovation as a QA manager, but in this knowledge sharing I will focus on how you can develop, spot talents and raise leaders within your team.Every member of your team have a different skill set, strength, capability and capacity. It is up to you to figure out who is best at what. To know who is good at what is done by observing every member of your team, what they are good at doing and what interests them. A one-on-one with each member of your team and during the chat ask them what interests them, what they are good at doing. Also assign and delegate tasks with selected members of your team and have sessions with them for update on the project or task delivery. If for instance you spot a member of your team good with data analytics, visualisation and systems then such person should be retained to handle all your departmental presentation and data management. If you find a member good at equipment handling, calibrations and analytical method development then make such responsible for that role....Just like 5S ensure every member of your team have a special role or task aside their routine work. You are building a well mentally engaged, challenged, healthy and result driven team. Do not be a jack of all trade and do not see delegation and assigning of task as making you redundant as a QA manager. You must utilise the human resources at your disposal to achieve your result. Remember to always give the credit to each team member openly for a job well done and during period of adversity encourage, motivate and be a pillar of support for your team. Let it be that you are the one that your team members can rely upon even when trials, experiments, projects fail at some point....Give your team members the opportunity to be creative and do things the way they can with a little guidance from you. I am a product of being allowed to explore, experiment, given free hand and I succeeded. So wouldn't you rather tag along with best practices as it is what is obtainable everywhere in the world.. Never micro-manage , you do because of your own insecurities, lack of trust and not willing to explore the full potential of your team members . As a QA manager never hesitate to explore the potentials in your team. there are untapped resources each member of your team can deliver. It is now in your hands Hey have you been a product of this topic of interest? How did it help your career? is your QA head giving you enough free-hand? share your experience . As a QA manager how is your experience with people development ? Has it been easy ? any challenge ? share your thoughts Author- Osagie iboi MSc