Why CISQ

Factors for CISQ Formation

There is a growing sense of unease about the quality of software being managed by IT organizations for the benefit of their respective business operations. The following factors, when considered together in the current IT industry context, explain the formation of CISQ:

• IT application quality is critical for all business operations – from the routine to the highly specialized.
• The current quality of IT application software exposes businesses and government agencies to unacceptable levels of risk and loss.
• Customers and providers of IT application software do not have a common basis for measuring, managing, and evaluating the quality of the application software they deliver or maintain.
• IT executives need objective benchmarks of IT application quality based on industry standards and professionally-credentialed assessment services.
• Businesses, government agencies, and their software providers need a forceful, open, and objective voice to establish industry-standard metrics for measuring IT software quality and drive an industry-wide agenda for improving IT application quality.

G2000 IT Executives

CISQ gives IT executives in the Global 2000 standard measures for:

• Controlling the business risk of applications
• Predicting future application ownership costs
• Benchmarking software quality and performance
• Evaluating the quality of outsourced or purchased software

ISV Executives

CISQ gives ISV executives standard measures for:

• Demonstrating the quality of supplied software
• Assessing product liability risk
• Establishing confidence and credibility
• Accurately estimating the cost of customization

Systems Integrators

CISQ gives CTOs and COOs at systems integrator and IT services companies objective measures for:

• Validating quality objectives across customers and contracts
• Communicating software quality objectives in a commonly-shared language
• Monitoring contract performance and results
• Setting benchmarks for contract awards

CISQ Objectives

CISQ provides a forum for the IT industry to come to terms on a consistent system to measure the characteristics of software delivered to business. Specific objectives include:

• Advise, educate and be the voice for business and government leaders on the mission critical importance of IT application quality.
• Develop a consistent quality measurement system that can be used by IT and business leaders to measure and report on the software quality of multi-tier business applications.
• Define methods and processes for using this quality measurement system in negotiating and managing the acquisition, development or maintenance of IT application software.
• Develop and promote professional licensing for those providing services to assess the quality of IT application software.
• Establish an online IT industry forum for addressing IT application quality issues.