Overall Quality Assurance, Selecting and managing external consultants and outsourcing Baku Training Module.

Overall Quality Assurance,

Selecting and managing external

consultants and outsourcing

Baku Training Module

Discuss:Overall quality assuranceConsultants and OutsourcingQuestions

Overview

Due to the size and complexity of census operations, it is likely that errors may arise at any stage of the census.

To minimize and control errors, it is good practice to devote a part of the budget to quality assurance and control programmes.

Overview

Four attributes to quality:relevancecosttimelinessdata accuracy

Achieving a quality outcome is essentially about balancing cost, timeliness, accuracy and relevance - relevance usually determined early when topics and output determined.

Quality is relative, and based on what is acceptable, rather than a concept of achieving absolute perfection

What is Quality Assurance?

Deficiencies in quality are usually the results of deficiencies in the process rather than the actions of staff

Key to achieving a quality outcome is to regularly measure the cost, timeliness and accuracy so that the process can be improved - using the Quality Assurance Circle

Measuring quality

Measuring quality

Identify root

cause

Identify most important quality

problem

Measure Quality

Implement corrective

action

Quality Assurance Circle (or Continuous Quality Improvement)

Quality Assurance

People undertaking the process are in a good position to identify problems and suggest improvements

Quality therefore relies on:established, documented proceduressystems to monitor outcomesactive encouragement by management to involve staff in identifying and resolving quality issues

Managers play a key role in achieving quality:establish a culture of focusing on qualitygiving staff responsibilities to allow them to achieve

ensure staff understand the philosophy of qualityproviding the opportunity for staff to contribute

Quality Control: finding errors and fixing themrelies on ability to find all errorscan add significant costfixing errors can itself introduce errorputs the responsibility in the hands of the inspector

Quality Assurance/Continuous Quality Improvement: emphasis on improving the process rather than just fixing the errorrecognises there will be errors in the processaims to improve the process as it proceedsgives staff a responsibility in improving the process

Control versus Assurance

Testing the form designinvolving the public – how do the public understand the questions being asked, involving stakeholders to ensure the results obtained are as expected, such as the Processing team to ensure the form works with the processing systems, and the subject matter specialists to ensure the questions are being answered as expected

Testing the field operationsHow are the procedures implemented, does the training provide staff with sufficient skills, what suggestions do staff have to improve the process

Testing the Processing, Dissemination and Evaluationdo the systems perform as expected, how well do the documented procedures work, how accurate is the data obtained during the test

It is ok for tests to fail - the purpose of testing is to learn and improve

Activities to assist in assuring quality of the Census

A key starting and ending point for planning any Census is the Evaluation:start planning by examining the evaluation from the previous Census - what worked well and what could be improved

evaluate as you go - continuing to record what worked and what needs to be improved

finish the Census process by evaluating the process and recording what worked and what didn't so that future planners have this insight.

Quality assurance applies to all aspects of the Census, from developing forms, procedures and systems through to dissemination.

The Census is a once every 10 years event, so need to test all aspects to reduce the possibility of major issues occurring

Overall Quality Assurance

Questions?

Use of contractors and/or outsourcing can play a key role in the Census operation and continues to increase

Whether other Government agencies, private vendors or consultants, key principles in selecting and managing them are the same

Is outsourcing needed? This is an organisation decision based on skills and abilities within the organisation.

Ultimately the outcome is to achieve a successful census to an agreed cost and an agreed timetable

Selecting and Managing external consultants and outsourcing

Other organisations have their own objectives

Private Vendor: obtaining a profit for their shareholders

Other Government: other Government policy and activities

Differing Objectives

Clear Specifications are key to ensuring you get what you want and that everyone understand what is expected

Specifications

Ongoing monitoring is critical to ensure the success of an outsourcing project

Should include activities such as regular scheduled meetings with a defined structure/activity, project management reporting, and include reporting through the Census governance arrangements

Continual review of achievements against original specifications, such as achieving key dates in the timetable

Aim for clear and open communications

Monitoring the outsourcing project

Questions?