Business method for quality assurance of services

• US 7,136,823 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2004
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kurlanski, Kathleen Moore, Gloor, Russell Frederick, Miller, Myla Steelman
• Primary Examiner(s): Reagan, James A
• Application Number:
  US10/935,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20050033620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/2, 705 7- 10, 705/26, 358/1, 379/112, 235/380
• US Class Current: 705/7.23
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06313 Resource planning in a project environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0635 Risk analysis of enterprise or organisation activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06395 Quality analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

The quality of information technology services provided by an organization to a customer is assured. Assurance reviews of a first solution are performed and a second solution is defined to correct deficiencies. A third assurance review is performed. Customer commitment to the second solution is obtained. A readiness review, a project management review, and a deliverable readiness review are performed assuring customer need satisfaction.

Claims

1. A quality assurance method for an information technology services solution, comprising:

defining a first information technology services solution by a provider having a business objective for a customer having a need;

performing a first assurance review of the first solution to determine whether the first solution is technically viable and deliverable, and whether the first solution includes technical risk identification and assessment;

performing a second assurance review of the first solution to determine whether the first solution satisfies both the business objective of the provider and the need of the customer;

defining a second information technology services solution by the provider, wherein the second solution comprises;

(a) correcting any deficiencies identified in the first assurance review with respect to whether the first solution is technically viable and deliverable, and with respect to whether the first solution includes technical risk identification and assessment; and

(b) correcting any deficiencies identified in the second assurance review with respect to whether the first solution satisfies both the business objective of the provider and the need of the customer;

obtaining a commitment by the customer to the second solution; and

periodically performing a project management review to verify that the second solution is being managed as defined and is meeting the need of the customer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the first assurance review or performing the second assurance review comprises electronically performing the first assurance review or electronically performing the second assurance review, respectively.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the first assurance review and performing the second assurance review comprises electronically performing the first assurance review and electronically performing the second assurance review, respectively.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the second assurance review further comprises performing the second assurance review to determine whether the first solution includes complete schedules.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the second assurance review further comprises performing the second assurance review to determine whether the first solution includes complete schedules, and wherein said correcting any deficiencies identified in the second assurance review further comprises correcting any deficiencies identified in the second assurance review with respect to whether the first solution includes the complete schedules.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a first readiness review of the second solution to identify new issues or risks which arose during obtaining the commitment by the customer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein if said periodically performing the project management review has verified that the second solution is being managed as defined and is meeting the need of the customer then performing a deliverable readiness review to verify that the second solution has been delivered to the customer.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a third assurance review of the first solution to determine whether the deficiencies identified in the first and second assurance reviews have been satisfactorily corrected.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein if the third assurance review has determined that the deficiencies identified in the first and second assurance reviews have been satisfactorily corrected then obtaining a commitment by the customer to the second solution.

10. A quality assurance method for an information technology services solution, comprising:

defining a first information technology services solution by a provider having a business objective for a customer having a need;

performing a first assurance review of the first solution to determine whether the first solution is technically viable and deliverable, and whether the first solution includes technical risk identification and assessment; and

performing a second assurance review of the first solution to determine whether the first solution includes a complete cost and profit case and satisfies both the business objective of the provider and the need of the customer;

defining a second information technology services solution by the provider, wherein the second solution comprises;

(a) correcting any deficiencies identified in the first assurance review with respect to whether the first solution is technically viable and deliverable, and with respect to whether the first solution includes technical risk identification and assessment; and

(b) correcting any deficiencies identified in the second assurance review with respect to whether the first solution includes the complete cost and profit case and satisfies both the business objective of the provider and the need of the customer;

obtaining a commitment by the customer to the second solution; and

periodically performing a project management review to verify that the second solution is being managed as defined, is meeting the profit case, and is meeting the need of the customer.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein performing the first assurance review or performing the second assurance review comprises electronically performing the first assurance review or electronically performing the second assurance review, respectively.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein performing the first assurance review and performing the second assurance review comprises electronically performing the first assurance review and electronically performing the second assurance review, respectively.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein performing the second assurance review further comprises performing the second assurance review to determine whether the first solution includes complete schedules.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein performing the second assurance review further comprises performing the second assurance review to determine whether the first solution includes complete schedules, and wherein said correcting any deficiencies identified in the second assurance review further comprises correcting any deficiencies identified in the second assurance review with respect to whether the first solution includes the complete schedules.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising performing a first readiness review of the second solution to identify new issues or risks which arose during obtaining the commitment by the customer and to establish baselines for said profit case.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein performing the first readiness review further comprises performing the first readiness review of the second solution to determine whether delivery plans are established.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein if the first readiness review has determined that the delivery plans are established then periodically performing a project management review to verify that the second solution is being managed as defined, is meeting the profit case, and is meeting the need of the customer.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein if said periodically performing the project management has verified that the second solution is being managed as defined, is meeting the profit case, and is meeting the need of the customer then performing a deliverable readiness review to verify that the second solution has been delivered to the customer.

19. The method of claim 10, further comprising performing a third assurance review of the first solution to determine whether the deficiencies identified in the first and second assurance reviews have been satisfactorily corrected.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein if the third assurance review has determined that the deficiencies identified in the first and second assurance reviews have been satisfactorily corrected then obtaining a commitment by the customer to the second solution.