Being SMART with SmartBook

Being CMMi certified makes processes available for most of the tasks we do in our company. When ever I start a new task and I need guidelines I know one important place in our company where to look for help. It is the process documents area created by SEPG. This is an area where the documents are kept arranged according to process areas. There are folders for each process area. Then there are documents for special practices and general practices arranged in a customized manner aligned with the tasks we do in our company.

(Image courtesy Manu Contreras)

The beauty of CMMi processes is we can modify and align our processes according to our needs. I dont know if this is also a part of standards but the SEPG team has come up with a name to the process documents area. We call it our SmartBook.

SmartBook is the area where we can find processes. We can find checklists. We can find guidelines to do our day to day tasks easily and with standards.

(Image courtesy bjortklingd)

Before starting any task I need a checklist for all the items which will be required and all the steps which are a must for the task. I reach immediately to the SmartBook and check if there is a checklist available, a guideline document, a template if available. Most of the times I find a checklist, a template a guideline document available to start with.

Once I thought if there is no checklist available for my task and it has emerged as a vital task then what to so. SEPG told me to create the checklist and submit to SEPG which will get reviewed by some seniors and it will get included in the next version of SEPG. Now that is really cool. The SEPG documents are constantly reviewed and improved by the SEPG team and all the employees of the company in this way. There is an index of all the documents we call it Apex manual. This Apex manual is updated twice a year.

This apex manual also states our Quality Policy. Our quality policy is SMART. I mean really SMART.

Infospectrum Quality Policy

• S - Systematic and disciplined approach in whatever we do
• M - Monitor and control benchmark to ensure quality
• A - Accent on customer needs and quality assurance
• R - Redefine processes that are not producing high-quality products
• T - Training for employees to learn both the importance of quality and how to measure it

with regards
Tushar Joshi, Nagpur