What High-Quality Software Feels Like

You don’t need to read beyond the Uptime Institute’s 2024 Outage Analysis to understand that the “most recent significant, serious, or severe outage cost more than $100,000, with some saying that their most recent outage cost more than $1 million.” Due to inconsistency and lack of transparency in reporting, these numbers are surely higher.

All IT professionals agree on the fear associated with software releases. This fear, I suppose, is the underlying driver of the DevOps revolution, specifically unit testing, version control, and code pipelines. While we can dwell on all of this doom and gloom, the majority of software projects go live without a hitch.

During this week’s project portfolio review, as we looked at a predominantly “green” dashboard of On-Time, On-Budget, and High-Quality metrics, I asked our Delivery Managers the question:

“What does good quality feel like?”

It was heartening to hear what they said.

“Excitement and happiness come when delivering high-quality work,” says Lamar. Thorough unit testing and regression testing on all our projects ensure that the final deliverable meets the highest standards. This meticulous approach not only satisfies client expectations but also instills a sense of accomplishment within the team.        

“Our testing cycle is smooth and less stressful,” says Draghe. When enhancements are delivered with zero bugs, it motivates the team and creates a positive feedback loop. Sharing success stories and screenshots of bug-free deliveries in team meetings further boosts morale and encourages continuous improvement.

“Culture is built when there is an ongoing focus on quality,” says Marek. During every team meeting, we discuss lessons learned and look for ways we can improve upon the previous sprint. This self-reinforcing cycle of professional development drives everyone to raise their game.        

“High-quality software is equivalent to ‘boring UAT’ (User Acceptance Testing),” says Hinew. When UAT is uneventful, it’s a clear indicator that the software is robust and well-built. This pride in delivering a flawless product drives teams to maintain high standards.

“It’s a time savings for both development and testing teams,” says Vasam. Because there is less rework, the teams can immediately move on to new projects, feeling confident that nothing will come back to bite them. The quicker delivery and higher project throughput mean increased revenue recognized, leading to a more positive bottom line.        

“The team’s performance and confidence are boosted when they deliver high-quality software,” says Padma. Sharing scorecards and client appreciation in meetings reinforces the importance of quality and motivates teams to strive for excellence. This recognition and feedback loop are crucial for maintaining high standards.

“What gets measured gets managed,” says Micah. The team’s outlook on quality viscerally changed since the introduction of our performance dashboards. By keeping the math simple and transparent, and lighting up Red-Yellow-Green bars, overall quality grew. It also evoked a level of competition that brought everyone’s game up. “You’ll never know you’re competitive until you see your name on a scoreboard!” follows Micah.        

“Slowing down to speed up may seem ironic, but this is what happened,” says Franie. We always start our retrospectives by reviewing the scorecard to guide our focus and priorities. This rigor, combined with the right staffing capacity, allowed us to deliver with higher quality. By achieving this healthy balance, our customers benefit.

“Performing root cause analysis (RCA) on each epic that fails to meet our standards was tough, but it was worth it,” says Trico. Our “seniors” drive the conversation and encourage the juniors to contribute. What’s surprising is that the relationship we had with project managers improved. Better quality equals faster timelines and less customer back-and-forth.        

Delivering high-quality software is more than just meeting technical specifications; it’s about creating a positive and motivating work environment. When teams experience the excitement, pride, and satisfaction of delivering high-quality work, it leads to smoother processes, increased morale, and ultimately, better products. For technology professionals and executives, fostering a culture of quality is essential for achieving long-term success and innovation.