Operational Systems · Standards and quality · Component
The standard
What good output looks like, written as conditions that can be checked rather than qualities that must be judged.
The deliverable
What it is
A standard exists when two people assessing the same output reach the same verdict. Anything less is a preference, applied inconsistently however sincerely it is held.
The test is cheap to run and almost never run, which is why so many organisations have documents they call standards.
One level in
What it is made of
Each element is a constituent part of the component. Follow one to see the attributes it carries.
The conditions
The observable requirements the output must meet.
3 attributes: Condition · Check type · Priority
LearnThe tolerance
How much variation is acceptable within the standard.
3 attributes: Tolerance · Basis · Out of tolerance action
LearnThe agreement test
Evidence that two assessors reach the same verdict against the standard.
3 attributes: Sample size · Agreement rate · Tested
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Give the same output to two assessors. If they disagree, you have a preference that has not been written down yet.
The other components in standards and quality
The check points
Where quality is verified, placed as close to the source of the defect as possible rather than at the end of the line.
LearnThe defect record
Defects logged by where they were created rather than where they were found, because only the first is actionable.
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