Box 32.2 Responsibility for quality

32.2Key elements of a quality assurance programme

The definition of quality – meeting client requirements – suggests the best starting-point for any quality programme. Feedback and data from clients can provide focus and leverage to debates on quality issues and introducing measures to improve performance. It is important to use a dynamic model of quality assurance to drive a programme of continuous quality improvement. Many quality improvement initiatives have failed because they did not address real issues in a practical, sensible way, so that they become an integral part of day-to-day working and relationships. Some key dos and don’ts, based on experience, are set out in box 32.3.

The key elements of a quality assurance (QA) programme in consulting assignments can be considered under the following headings:

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Box 32.3 Introducing a quality assurance programme

1.Assignment management

–assignment management procedures

–quality plans

–client satisfaction surveys

2.People management

–personnel policies and procedures

–knowledge management

–training and development

–coaching on the job

3.Quality programme management

–quality policy

–quality organization

–focus of the programme

Assignment management

Procedures. Client feedback is a useful lead into reviewing the need for, and structure of, assignment management procedures (see also Chapter 31), if only to ensure that the focus remains firmly on matters that have the greatest influence on quality in the consultant–client relationship. It also provides a framework that consultants can more readily understand and accept.

Management consultancy is not like a factory-built standard product which can be quality-tested at the end of the line. Quality assurance, together with client involvement, needs to be built into every stage of the assignment process.

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Box 32.4 Assuring quality during assignments

Remedial action at the end of an assignment may be costly and too late, and may do little to repair an already damaged client relationship. Box 32.4 sets out a suggested list of main assignment activities which need to be managed and monitored to assure quality work.

Many consultants would claim that they carry out all or most of the activities listed in box 32.4. In practice, this usually involves a substantial degree of postevent rationalization and overreliance on memory rather than documentation. The client may appear to be satisfied but a better, and more profitable, job might have been done with a more rigorous approach to quality management.

It is better for the approach to assignment management procedures to be that of the zero option rather than the comprehensive compendium which ends up as a many-volume manual. Once published, such manuals are rarely consulted. The mobility, responsiveness and flexibility required of consultants are not compatible with highly documented and prescribed procedures. Useful rules are:

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–make full use of checklists and “best practice” guidelines;

–define and document mandatory (minimum) work systems and procedures;

–once communicated, monitor adherence to these procedures;

–encourage consultants to comment on procedures and to suggest improvements.

There are a couple of management tools, one used at the beginning and the other at the end of an assignment, that can give excellent leverage in establishing a quality management programme. These are the quality plan and the client satisfaction survey.

The quality plan. The concept of the quality plan is open to criticism that it is bureaucratic and that it should be no different from the assignment plan, which should cover quality matters. In practice the concept is valuable in helping practitioners to focus on quality assurance, particularly in large and complex assignments.

The quality plan is an extension of the assignment or project plan (see section 31.1), and can be treated as part of it. Its contents will vary according to the nature and complexity of the assignment and the size of the assignment team. The following headings provide a skeleton framework:

(1)What are we trying to achieve: (a) assignment definition; and (b) assignment plan and deliverables?

(2)How are we going to ensure that we do a quality job: (a) organization and responsibilities; (b) quality assurance procedures; and (c) technical standards?

(3)How do we measure our success: quality criteria (time, cost, rework, etc.)?

The successful implementation of the quality plan lies in its scope and communication to all members of the team, including the client and support staff. Particular emphasis should be given to:

●initial team briefing covering the assignment plan, client expectations and quality assurance procedures;

●progress monitoring and reporting to client;

●communications and documentation of client contacts and feedback;

●control of change implemented;

●document control;

●acceptance of final report by client.

In planning for quality assurance, consideration may be given to allocating special responsibility for quality monitoring to an individual member of the team, or to appointing an independent quality auditor from outside the project team, who will carry out a peer review of the work.

An example of a quality plan is that prepared for a large international management information system project. It starts with the premises that quality must be built in from the beginning of the assignment, and that the competing interests that might compromise quality are best reconciled if they are identified and managed from the outset. The relevant quality criteria are then described both

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for the client (e.g. recommendations should clearly identify costs and benefits) and for the project team (e.g. no rework, clear language in presentations, meet cost targets). The next sections of the plan outline the quality assurance principles, procedures, standards and methodologies, for example, the role of the programme manager and the content and frequency of reporting.

The client satisfaction survey. The measurement of client satisfaction through surveys is an essential component of a quality programme in every consulting firm. The survey must be handled with sensitivity and confidentiality to protect clients as well as partners, directors and staff. To be equitable and acceptable, it needs to apply to all parts of a practice, and to be subject to independent management and interpretation. It is not acceptable, for example, for an individual partner to select the clients or assignments that are surveyed. It is also essential to obtain the views of the project team in analysing the client’s feedback.

Postal questionnaires are relatively cost-effective if a large number of clients and projects are to be covered, and if clients are not readily accessible. Points to note are:

–the timing of sending out the questionnaire needs careful consideration;

–questionnaires should normally be returned to an independent director of quality to safeguard both clients and consultants;

–the number and complexity of questions should be limited.

Questionnaires should cover an overall scaled assessment and specific questions on areas of satisfaction and dissatisfaction and on suggestions for improvement. Open-ended questions often provide powerful feedback to project teams; on the other hand, ratings are essential to provide comparable evaluations and identify trends. The extent to which the client should be prompted in the questionnaire needs careful research and pilot studies to suit the individual firm’s requirements.

Personal interviews with clients have the advantage that areas of concern can be thoroughly probed, and an opportunity is offered for strengthening the consultant–client relationship. The questions asked can be more thorough and extensive. However, the size of the firm and of the clientele may make extensive use of personal interviews prohibitively expensive. Also, some clients may feel safer in expressing their views in an anonymous postal questionnaire.

If client interviews are feasible, it is important that they are based on a standard questionnaire, so that comparisons can be made. It is also preferable that they should be conducted by a director or a partner independent of the project team.

Finally, it is important to bear in mind that:

●some clients will not cooperate, but the majority will welcome their opinions being sought;

●the value of client satisfaction surveys lies in their results being fed back to all members of project teams.

Independent market surveys. Client satisfaction surveys do not provide an assessment against competitors or benchmarking on how a firm is doing in

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comparison with other consultants. Many firms contribute to broad surveys of consultancy purchasers, and use their own professional associations and networks to obtain data on how they are doing competitively.

People management

Good personnel policies and people management are essential to quality management and to ensuring that continuous quality improvement is achieved. Apart from the application of high standards, appraisal and training provide the vehicles for taking corrective action and addressing client satisfaction. Quality can be enhanced by:

●the consistent application of high standards in recruiting new consulting staff and in selecting subcontractors;

●induction and training in core skills to equip consultants with the necessary competencies;

●coaching, helping and supervising people on the job;

●practising knowledge management to make sure that best practice experience is available to operating consultants and that they are encouraged to seek it and use it;

●assignment appraisals which feed into an individual’s longer-term development, remuneration and promotion;

●using databases of skills and experience which enable properly structured and highly competent teams to be formed for client assignments;

●feeding back results of client satisfaction surveys into consultant appraisals and training;

●defining and publishing a code of ethics for the firm and encouraging voluntary membership in professional associations and institutes.

Within consulting firms, consideration may need to be given to “accrediting” consultants with specialist skills who have completed the required training and demonstrated competency. This protects both the firm and the clients by ensuring that certain specialist work, which may involve high risks (e.g. financial modelling), is undertaken only by accredited experts on the topic.

Quality programme management

The director or partner responsible for quality will need to provide a framework that ensures that the quality programme has direction and support, and is applied consistently throughout the firm. The starting-point is the drafting and publication of a quality policy statement. This should include:

–aims of the policy, linked to client satisfaction;

–whether there is an intention to work in conformance with an externally audited quality standard (e.g. ISO 9001:2000);

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