Ensuring quality products and services should be a priority for every business. There are plenty of methods for assessing quality, but when it’s time to review an entire process, most turn to experts.
This leads us to today’s pressing question. If you’re looking to evaluate the quality of a process, what do you look for? Do you need a project audit or full-fledged IV&V?
What’s The Difference?
It seems like we have to mention this in every article, but it bears repeating: these processes are often customized, and won’t necessarily look the same for each and every business. That said, there’s a general difference between the evaluation processes of project audits and IV&V.
Put simply, project audits focus on people, while IV&V focuses on systems.
Project Audits
The project audit process, like IV&V, begins with some clear goals and expectations from management. These can include customer expectations, compliance needs, costs, and so on. Once goals are established, the project auditor (typically a third party) develops a questionnaire for the people working on the project.
Audits, then, consist largely or interviews with personnel. Questions for team members evaluate team structure, tracking and reporting, understanding of requirements, and so on. Auditors also interview stakeholders to identify expectations and build understanding of the scope of the project.
All of the information gathered through interviews is then compiled and reviewed. The goal is to identify gaps in knowledge, problematic strategies, warning signs, etc. that may disrupt the quality or success of the project.
IV&V
Independent Validation and Verification has similar goals as a project audit, but generally evaluates systems over people. IV&V is commonly used to evaluate software development or the implementation of ERP, CRM, and other systems. Where project audits interview people to gain important insights, IV&V evaluates code, policy, compliance needs, documentation, and other “rigid” pieces of information.
There may also be verbal communication about end goals, customer needs, etc., but most of the IV&V will focus on systems to be improved or fine-tuned.
Which Should You Choose?
Once again, every company has their own unique needs. Deciding between project audits and IV&V isn’t a simple answer – and you may very well stand to benefit from both! If your project relies heavily on new software (or is the development of software), IV&V will likely be your best choice. If your project is based more on collaboration among staff, a project audit may provide exactly the results you need.
We understand that these choices can be difficult. Knowing your desired ends results isn’t necessarily the same as knowing how to get there! We’re here to help you find the best option for your business, and build a solution that meets your company’s needs. Don’t hesitate to contact us to dig into the details!
Sources:
bia.ca
thebalance.com
mymanagementguide.com
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