Our Quality Assurance:         

Delivering as Promised

Quality Assurance (QA) is important – to our clients and to us. We use three QA instruments to ensure we deliver what the client wants and that is also in line with "best practice" standards: (i) internal QA, (ii) external QA, and (iii) client feed-back.

Internal QA is process focused quality management done by the task team. It is based on check lists that track each step of the task. Focus is on the end deliverable to ensure that both the product and the processes leading up to it have been thorough and in accordance with the agreed terms of reference. Internal QA allows the task team to verify that it is pursuing the task according to "best practice" guidelines.

External QA is provided by a senior partner in Scanteam or an external expert who is not part of the team. This QA person is contracted to assist at particular points in the process: discussing the TOR; clarifying roles; agreeing on methodology and instruments to use; and ensuring the best structure of the end product for the task. The QA will read and comment on the first draft of the report and provide any additional assistance the task team wants.

Client feed-backis received through a standardised Assessment Form. Clients rate our work and provide comments that can help improve our work.

Client QA

Some clients establish Reference Groups or Steering Committees.  These groups constitute important dialogue partners for the task team, and are useful to both the client and Scanteam.

These groups usually represent key resource persons on the client side. While they are important sources of information, views and experience for the task team, they also are important "gateways" for the client's own organisational learning.

Scanteam appreciates this additional client QA component because it provides "win-win" results: better understanding and enhanced learning on both sides of the table – with overall enhanced quality, relevance and thus impact of what Scanteam has been contracted to do.