Re: Quality Assurance Software vs. Custom Databases
I guess I'm just venting. I'm just trying to get a feel for how other Quality Managers are addressing and/or struggling with the IT needs in their departments. The companies I have worked for, typically 700-1200 corporate wide employees, who have enterprise wide systems haven't been willing to take on the expense of adding the QA modules. Purchased software doesn't always accommodate specific needs. IT departments don't have the programming talent/time to develop what I need. So out of survival, like Claes, I have had to develop custom databases to handle the information/data that flows through my department (all of which saves tons of man-hours and generates CI from the previous archaic methods). Yet I get scruntinized saying the programming isn't a Quality Manager's job. I would be as effective as a screen door in a submarine without the database tools.
Putting the frustation aside, what other job requires such a variety of skills. QA people have to be database programmer, graphic designer (visual factory), housekeeper (5S), design engineer (designing test fixtures), manufacturing engineer, statistician, project manager, politician, cheerleader, cop, business analyst, accountant, public speaker, teacher, infomercial saleperson, lawyer, author, photographer, ...