Framework for internal quality analysis

• US 9,378,477 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2013
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Original Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Inventors: Ross, Jeannette M., Choudhari, Shilpi, Kapoor, Priyanka, Pathrose, Tomy Victor, Kinney, Antonio J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Thuy
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAYIM, SAMUEL E
• Application Number:
  US13/944,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20150025942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3616 using software metrics
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06313 Resource planning in a project environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06393 Score-carding, benchmarking or key performance indicator [KPI] analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06395 Quality analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32

Abstract

An apparatus for assessing and controlling the quality of a project in a production environment is provided. The apparatus comprises a memory, a processor, and a module stored in memory, executable by the processor, and configured to: receive a deliverable; process the deliverable, wherein processing the deliverable comprises assigning a quality score to the deliverable; compare the quality score value to a threshold value; and determine if the deliverable requires an action in response to comparing the quality score to the threshold value.

Claims

1. An apparatus for a quality analysis framework for assessing and controlling the quality of a project, the apparatus comprising:

at least one memory device;

at least one processing device operatively coupled to the at least one memory device; and

a module stored in the at least one memory device comprising executable instructions that when executed by the at least one processing device cause the at least one processing device to;

receive electronic data associated with the project using a network of distributed servers, wherein the project comprises one or more project phases, each of the one or more project phases comprises one or more deliverables and each of the one or more deliverables comprises one or more sub-deliverables;

initiate presentation of a user interface for display on mobile devices of one or more users using a user application, the user interface comprising information associated with the project;

wherein the project information comprises a phase level, a deliverable level and a deliverable level artifact, wherein the phase level comprises information associated with one or more project phases, the deliverable level comprises information associated with one or more deliverables and the deliverable level artifact comprises information associated with one or more deliverables and information associated with one or more sub-deliverables;

initiate access to the project information from the mobile devices of the one or more users, wherein initiating access further comprises;

receiving a first set of authentication credentials from a first user via the mobile device;

verifying the first set of authentication credentials;

enabling the first user to view the information presented on the user interface based on at least the verification of the first set of authentication credentials;

receiving a second set of authentication credentials from the first user via the mobile device;

verifying the second set of authentication credentials; and

enabling the first user to modify the information presented on the user interface based on at least the verification of the first set of authentication credentials and the second set of authentication credentials;

process the one or more deliverables, wherein processing the one or more deliverables comprises;

evaluating the one or more sub-deliverables associated with each of the one or more deliverables, wherein evaluating the one or more sub-deliverables further comprises implementing a deliverable quality assurance program to evaluate the quality of the one or more deliverables, wherein implementing the deliverable quality assurance program, for each deliverable of the one or more deliverables, further comprises;

receiving a first score, wherein the first score comprises a first numerical value associated with a first level of quality, wherein the first level of quality is associated with a sub-deliverable associated with the deliverable;

receiving a second score, wherein the second score comprises a second numerical value associated with a second level of quality, wherein the second level of quality is associated with the sub-deliverable associated with the deliverable;

processing the first score and the second score to generate a third score, wherein the third score is a review score for the sub-deliverable associated with the deliverable; and

receiving a weight corresponding to the sub-deliverable associated with the deliverable;

assigning a total quality score to each of the one or more deliverables using the deliverable quality assurance program based on the review scores and the weights associated with the each of the one or more sub-deliverables; and

determining an overall score for each of the one or more project phases by combining the total quality scores of each of the one or more deliverables;

compare the total quality score value of each of the one or more deliverables to a first threshold value and each of the overall scores to a second threshold value;

determine if one or more deliverables require action in response to comparing each of the total quality score values to the first threshold value;

determine if the one or more project phases require action in response to comparing each of the overall scores to the second threshold value; and

transmit control signals configured to cause the mobile devices of the one or more users to receive a message based on at least determining whether the one or more deliverables and/or the one or more project phases requires action.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the project comprises at least one of a project goal, a product, or a report.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more deliverables comprise at least one of a responsible party or a team.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the deliverable quality assurance program further comprises a checklist to evaluate the quality of each of the one or more deliverables, wherein the checklist comprises a scoring criteria and a comment for each of the one or more sub-deliverables;

wherein at least a portion of the checklist is automatically prefilled; and

wherein at least a portion of the checklist is completed by the one or more users through a communication interface associated with the user application of the mobile devices of the one or more users.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the total quality score comprises a numerical value.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein processing the one or more deliverables comprises utilizing a control management system.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the control management system comprises at least one of a proprietary or a third-party control system.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second threshold value is associated with one of the one or more project phases.

9. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein one or more of the sub-deliverables are associated with a control objective.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the action comprises:

review of the one or more deliverables and review of the one or more project phases.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the message comprises at least one of the total quality score, the overall score, the status of the deliverable quality assurance program and whether the one or more deliverables require action, and/or the one or more project phases require action.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein processing the one or more deliverables is a manual process.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein comparing the total quality score of each of the one or more deliverables to the first threshold value and comparing the overall score of each of the one or more project phases to the second threshold value comprises calculating a difference between each of the scores and the corresponding threshold value.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a color is associated with at least one of the first score, the second score, the associated sub-deliverable or the associated deliverable.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the color indicates at least one of a status, a level of completion, or a level of quality.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 comprises a numerical value that defines a threshold that, when crossed, determines at least one of a color, a status, or a quality score of the sub-deliverable.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first score and the second score comprise at least one of quantitative information and qualitative information.

14. A system for a quality analysis framework for assessing and controlling the quality of a project, wherein the framework comprises:

at least one memory device;

at least one processing device operatively coupled to the at least one memory device;

an application stored in the at least one memory device, comprising instructions executable by the at least one processing device;

a user interface, displayed on mobile devices of one or more users, for managing and reviewing the project, wherein the interface allows the expansion of one or more aspects of the project, including at least a project phase, a deliverable, or a sub-deliverable, wherein the project is received through a network of distributed servers, wherein the project comprises one or more project phases, each of the one or more project phases comprises one or more deliverables and each of the one or more deliverables comprises one or more sub-deliverables, wherein;

the user interface comprises information associated with the project;

wherein the project information comprises a phase level, a deliverable level and a deliverable level artifact, wherein the phase level comprises information associated with one or more project phases, the deliverable level comprises information associated with one or more deliverables and the deliverable level artifact comprises information associated with one or more deliverables and information associated with one or more sub-deliverables;

a deliverable quality assurance program comprising at least one internal quality analysis checklist;

at least one control management system comprising associated scoring criteria, enterprise change standards and guidelines; and

the application stored in memory, comprising the executable instructions that when executed by the at least one processing device are configured to cause the at least one processing device to;

initiate access to the project information from the mobile devices of the one or more users, wherein initiating access further comprises;

receiving a first set of authentication credentials from a first user via the mobile device;

verifying the first set of authentication credentials;

enabling the first user to view the information presented on the user interface based on at least the verification of the first set of authentication credentials;

receiving a second set of authentication credentials from the first user via the mobile device;

verifying the second set of authentication credentials; and

enabling the first user to modify the information presented on the user interface based on at least the verification of the first set of authentication credentials and the second set of authentication credentials;

process the one or more deliverables, wherein processing the one or more deliverables comprises;

evaluating the one or more sub-deliverables associated with each of the one or more deliverables, wherein evaluating the one or more sub-deliverables further comprises implementing the deliverable quality assurance program to evaluate the quality of the one or more deliverables, wherein implementing the deliverable quality assurance program, for each deliverable of the one or more deliverables, further comprises;

receiving a first score, wherein the first score comprises a first numerical value associated with a first level of quality, wherein the first level of quality is associated with a sub-deliverable associated with the deliverable;

receiving a second score, wherein the second score comprises a second numerical value associated with a second level of quality, wherein the second level of quality is associated with the sub-deliverable associated with the deliverable;

processing the first score and the second score to generate a third score, wherein the third score is a review score for the sub-deliverable associated with the deliverable; and

receiving a weight corresponding to the sub-deliverable associated with the deliverable;

assigning a total quality score to each of the one or more deliverables using the deliverable quality assurance program based on the review scores and the weights associated with the each of the one or more sub-deliverables; and

determining an overall score for each of the one or more project phases by combining the total quality scores of each of the one or more deliverables;

compare the total quality score value of each of the one or more deliverables to a first threshold value and each of the overall scores to a second threshold value;

determine if one or more deliverables require action in response to comparing each of the total quality scores to the first threshold value;

determine if the one or more project phases require action in response to comparing each of the overall scores to the second threshold value; and

transmit control signals configured to cause the mobile devices of the one or more users to receive a message based on at least determining whether the one or more deliverables and/or the one or more project phases requires action.

15. A computer program product for a quality analysis framework for assessing and controlling the quality of a project, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code causing at least one processing device to:

receive electronic data associated with the project using a network of distributed servers, wherein the project comprises one or more phases, each of the one or more project phases comprises one or more deliverables and each of the one or more deliverables comprises one or more sub-deliverables;

initiate presentation of a user interface for display on mobile devices of one or more users using a user application, the user interface comprising information associated with the project;

wherein the project information comprises a phase level, a deliverable level and a deliverable level artifact, wherein the phase level comprises information associated with one or more project phases, the deliverable level comprises information associated with one or more deliverables and the deliverable level artifact comprises information associated with one or more deliverables and information associated with one or more sub-deliverables;

initiate access to the project information from the mobile devices of the one or more users, wherein initiating access further comprises;

receiving a first set of authentication credentials from a first user via the mobile device;

verifying the first set of authentication credentials;

enabling the first user to view the information presented on the user interface based on at least the verification of the first set of authentication credentials;

receiving a second set of authentication credentials from the first user via the mobile device;

verifying the second set of authentication credentials; and

enabling the first user to modify the information presented on the user interface based on at least the verification of the first set of authentication credentials and the second set of authentication credentials;

process the one or more deliverables, wherein processing the one or more deliverables comprises;

evaluating the one or more sub-deliverables associated with each of the one or more deliverables, wherein evaluating the one or more sub-deliverables further comprises implementing a deliverable quality assurance program to evaluate the quality of the one or more deliverables, wherein implementing the deliverable quality assurance program, for each deliverable of the one or more deliverables, further comprises;

receiving a first score, wherein the first score comprises a first numerical value associated with a first level of quality, wherein the first level of quality is associated with a sub-deliverable associated with the deliverable;

receiving a second score, wherein the second score comprises a second numerical value associated with a second level of quality, wherein the second level of quality is associated with the sub-deliverable associated with the deliverable;

processing the first score and the second score to generate a third score, wherein the third score is a review score for the sub-deliverable associated with the deliverable; and

receiving a weight corresponding to the sub-deliverable associated with the deliverable;

assigning a total quality score to each of the one or more deliverables using the deliverable quality assurance program based on the review scores and the weights associated with the each of the one or more sub-deliverables; and

determining an overall score for each of the one or more project phases by combining the total quality scores of each of the one or more deliverables;

compare the total quality score value of each of the one or more deliverables to a first threshold value and each of the overall scores to a second threshold value;

determine if one or more deliverables require action in response to comparing each of the total quality score values to the first threshold value;

determine if the one or more project phases require action in response to comparing each of the overall scores to the second threshold value; and

transmit control signals configured to cause the mobile devices of the one or more users to receive a message based on at least determining whether the one or more deliverables and/or the one or more project phases requires action.