Independent Project Oversight (IPO), Independent Verification & Validation (IV&V), Quality Assurance (QA)
The need to mitigate the risk of project failures, schedule delays, and/or or budget over-runs is critical given the size of investment. VIP offers an independent set of eyes and ears to assess and monitor project health. Bringing a focused, proven, results-oriented, and partnership-based approach helps our clients significantly reduce risks and enhance the success of their projects. We have supported numerous client projects from several million and up to $1+ billion in size. Our services are tailored to meet the unique needs of each client and the activities are structured to generally accomplish the following:
Independent Project Oversight (IPO)
VIP monitors risks, issues, schedule, and budget. We establish and report independent earned value metrics to track and monitor project performance. VIP utilizes industry standards and best practices in performing its tasks, leveraging IEEE standards for systems engineering and application development, PMBOK for project management practices. We offer expertise following required IPO Frameworks used to establish a baseline of project management and oversight activities. We understand and appreciate the increased focus on risk categorization, measurement, planning and mitigation. The Framework defines project oversight as “an independent review and analysis…” to determine if the project is on track to be completed within the estimated schedule and cost, and will provide the functionality required by the sponsoring business entity.
Our approach to IPO is Collaborative vs. combative with a focus on project success. We firmly believe in communication and understanding between the Project and the IPO vendor. VIP believes in working with the Project to help establish best practices. VIP provides facts not opinions in our reports and we provide detailed information instead of broad statements.
Independent Verification & Validation (IV&V)
Working with our clients, we determine whether the products expected within the scope of a particular phase in the development process are consistent with the requirements of that phase and the preceding phase (verification). We provide independent assurance (and testing) that the final product satisfies the system requirements (validation).
We believe in communicating to the project and potential vendors what the IV&V will be using to evaluate deliverables or perform our analysis and in providing feedback prior to finalizing deliverables. VIP not only provides the results of our review but also provides our detailed analysis we use to obtain results. Because of our vast experience in performing IV&V activities, we have developed a complete set of checklists, processes, and methods based on various industry standards and best practices that we can quickly tailor to meet the needs of any project. These standards include: IEEE, CMMI, SA-CMM, PMBOK, and various standards associated with particular software platforms. VIP identiifies areas that the IV&V team believes can be improved and provides detailed recommendations on how they can be improved.
Quality Assurance (QA)
Our Quality Assurance approach employs a comprehensive set of practices for planning and control that emphasizes administration of the environment in which software is developed and maintained. Quality Assurance is to ensure the existence and adequacy of prescribed methods for developing software standards and procedures. We help review project deliverables to ensure they meet defined standards. We assess project management office performance against established standards, best practices, plans, policies, and procedures. We help clients identify issues and obstacles to system implementation and recommend changes or adjustments to project plans, including the adequacy of project team organization, communications, processes, reporting, work products, schedule, and budget. We evaluate the approach and methodologies employed by the project team and make recommendations regarding industry best practices.
