What is a QAP (Quality Assurance Plan)?
The QAP or Quality Assurance Plan is a document used in project management and within the framework of an IT service for a company. It defines precisely what a provider must do and in what context. The QAP is evolutionary and is not fixed in time. The QAP must be written in agreement with all the stakeholders (the implementing company and the client are the main stakeholders involved) to ensure that all the stages are well understood, from the beginning to the end of the project. The QAP is also a quality management tool.
The quality assurance plan is used to define:
- The objectives of the project, what we want to do/implement
- How we're going to do it : Steps, conditions, implementation schedule, roles and responsibilities of those involved.
- The process implemented : tools, methods
- Finally, it is important to include in the QAP a section dedicated to measuring the quality of deliverables
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And concretely, how to establish the Quality Assurance Plan?
The QAP is established in several stages. It is necessary to begin by evaluating the current situation and, based on this, to define objectives and strategies. The process continues with the implementation of procedures and monitoring tools.
In order to accompany the company, it is also necessary to train and sensitize the employees and finally, the last step will consist in evaluating the actions set up and according to the results obtained, to propose axes of improvement in order to remain in a continuous improvement process.
Some tips for writing a good QAP:
-Write what you do: define who, what, where, when, how, how much, and why (QQOQCCP)
-Do what you have written: by referring to what you have written
-Write what you have done: check the conformity of what you have done with what you have written
-Validate the document with all stakeholders
What are the benefits of QAP and what does it bring to the company?
The Quality Assurance Plan allows to control that all the steps of the project, defined in advance, have been respected and implemented,. IIt also allows to reassure the customer on the quality of the expected service. We note several advantages in the implementation of a quality assurance plan:
- Improving the quality of products and services
- Increased customer satisfaction
- Reduced costs related to returns, dissatisfaction and complaints
- Improved employer brand
Implementing a quality assurance plan allows to improve the quality of products and services offered by a company and to optimize its operation. It is therefore essential for any company to have an effective QAP.
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