Symptom: Product developers don't feel accountable for standards compliance.
The Standards Coordinator cannot monitor everyone else's compliance. Compliance with standards must be factored into every technical decision at every level. It is impossible to inspect and police compliance. Such a policing role violates the principles of quality, and cannot work.
Instead, it must be made clear that integration is part of the definition of quality, and part of everyone's responsibility and performance measures. In that light, Engineers should desire the services of the Standards Coordinator because standards help them achieve their objectives of quality.
Put another way, a Standards Coordinator can only succeed if everyone's job description includes accountability for quality, and that includes standards compliance. People may grant themselves variances, with the permission of their customers (and perhaps bosses). But in general, people would rather comply with standards to make their own jobs easier.
If Engineers do not recognize their responsibility for integration, and hence for standards compliance, their job descriptions and performance metrics should be examined.
Root cause:Structure, work flows (product definitions) copyright 2024 N. Dean Meyer and Associates Inc. All rights reserved.
