Quality Engineering Forum unveils new charter to fix tech fails

A new initiative aimed at bolstering the reliability and quality of technology within businesses has been unveiled by the Quality Engineering Forum. The forum, which comprises leading professionals from various sectors, including representatives from Alliance Healthcare, the BBC, Zenith Intelligent Vehicle Solutions, Roq, and S&A Group, has introduced the first Quality Engineering Charter designed to garner executive buy-in to mitigate the risk associated with technology failures.

Notably, the recent months have been marked by significant software failures at Barclays, MacDonalds, Tesco, and Sainsbury's, severely disrupting customer orders and payments while inflicting considerable reputational damage. Industry reports indicate that around 25% of new tech projects fail outright, 20% to 50% do not show any return on investment, and up to 50% undergo extensive reworking because they fail to meet the requirements of staff, customers, or clients. Additionally, a startling 45% of large projects massively exceed their budgets.

The Quality Engineering Charter seeks to address these pervasive issues by establishing a set of principles aimed at embedding quality-centric practices throughout the technology lifecycle within organisations. The charter defines Quality Engineering as an ethos focused on value-driven behaviours and a quality-first mindset, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and repeatability that ensures consistent delivery of desired outcomes.

Among the foundational principles outlined in the charter are:

• Embedding quality from the outset of any project.
• Promoting a culture where quality is considered as important as time and cost.
• Empowering a culture where everyone owns quality.
• Ensuring clear communication and understanding of responsibilities and accountabilities.
• Maintaining focus on the end goals.
• Building solutions that meet business and customer needs to deliver quality outcomes.
• Managing risks proactively by understanding the risk landscape and enabling timely mitigations.
• Making decisions based on quality data analysis from multiple meaningful sources.
• Advocating for continuous improvement and being prepared to challenge existing practices.

Companies adopting these principles will be awarded a Quality Engineering Charter logo, signifying their commitment to these standards, which can be prominently displayed on their websites and business materials. Additionally, they will gain access to a supportive community of peers, fostering a collaborative environment dedicated to quality improvement.

Stephen Johnson, CEO of Roq, a founding member of the Quality Engineering Forum, emphasised the importance of prioritising quality: "For organisations relying on technology to deliver services, revenue, and stakeholder engagement, quality must become a higher priority within the corporate agenda. The relentless focus on volume and speed has left organisations vulnerable and, at times, embarrassed. The charter provides simple yet effective guidance and principles for enhancing quality to the benefit of businesses." Johnson added that the charter has been made accessible to all sectors, ensuring broad applicability.

Supporting this sentiment, Mark Bland, QA and Automation Manager at Zenith Intelligent Vehicle Solutions, stated, "We aim to empower companies, managers, and team members to prioritise quality throughout the delivery lifecycle and make it central to everything they do. This focus on quality will benefit everyone, including the bottom line and overall business reputation."

The charter is open for sign-up to any business wishing to adopt its principles and strive for enhanced technological outcomes. The forum encourages interested parties to visit the Quality Engineering Charter website for more information.