EXAM PREP: House of Quality Tutorial

Although we joked about being trapped in the basement while the house of quality is burning down, this tool is reported to be referenced on the exam.

Here's an interactive tutorial from Macquarie University Graduate School of Management (MGSM), the longest continuously operating business school in New South Wales, Australia.

They did a nice job on this.

http://www.gsm.mq.edu.au/cmit/qfd-hoq-tutorial.swf

This is part of Quality Function Deployment (QFD)

JOURNAL - Status week #10

Two weeks to go.

We just finished the last chapter in the CQI Primer, Configuration Management. Much of the information was repeated within the chapter. This seems to be one of the easier chapters, but it only amounts to 10% of the exam.

In our class discussion, Gail said that the exam will often refer to acronyms. Now I'll need to create another cross reference sheet. I don't want to "draw a blank" during the exam.

Despite my good intentions, I blew off the entire weekend. This other, unrelated class I'm taking has created a bit of an overload and I used the weekend for recovery. Bad timing, but probably worthwhile before the final push.

Bruce suggested that we visit the test site during lunch one day, so we will know exactly where we're going on exam day. What a great idea.

I'm still thinking 40% chance of passing, but I need to hit it hard this weekend. It's memorial weekend, so we get another day to prepare.

EXAM PREP - Tutoring

I found this out way too late.

Some local chapters of ASQ (called "Sections") offer free exam prep tutoring after their monthly meeting.

To find the chapter closest to you go to the ASQ.org link here

Check their schedule for the next monthly meeting, and I would just verify that the section provides this kind of service before you show up.

EXAM PREP - Questions Forums

I've found two potential forums for asking questions and getting help. I don't know how effective these will be, but if you're stuck on something it seems like a reasonable place to start:

(1) Software Quality Assurance Forum is a pretty large, active forum relating to many aspects of SQA. Registration is required (free) to post. The link is:

http://www.sqaforums.com/ubbthreads.php


(2) The LinkedIn online "social network" has a Quality Management and Standards Question and Answer group.

This may be a decent spot to pose a question as there appears to be a lot of qualified people reviewing the site.

The open question page is [here].

You will need to sign up for a free membership to post a question, but you don't need a membership to view the questions and answers. I've been a member of this for about 4-5 years and there haven't been any negative side effects (like spam) that I know of.

STUDY MATERIAL: Web Audiocasts

Another source of audio files can be found at the Software Process and Metrics (SPaMcasts) audio site with files relating to testing, metrics, quality interviews, estimation, etc.

Link is [here]

These are pretty current and you can subscribe via an RSS feed.

You have to consider that these may, or may not be inline with actual ASQ dogma, but they can reinforce some concepts and help with getting into the right frame of mind. At least this provides some variety.

And "variety is the SPICE of life".

But SPICE is an ISO 15504 standard relating to assessment, assessors and capability determination.

[this is getting to be really sick ...]

JOURNAL - Status week #9

Almost done with the study sessions, one more week to go.

Based on the Metrics topic, where I was unable to attend the study session, I'm downgrading my probability of success to about 30%-40%. I've also had to sign up for an unrelated, unexpected class that is sucking up all my available study time. Unlucky.

My basic plan to close this out:

5/17 Saturday: Take the quizzes at the end of each chapter all at once. Don't do any look-ups or reference, just on what I know. Make educated guesses, but no wild guesses at any answers. This gives me a rough idea on what I need to concentrate on.
- take Stat Trek stats tutorial
- read last chapter on configuration management and record pertinent info
- listen to metrics and configuration management recordings
- Bitch at Bruce to get some more Mnemosyne flash card files posted. If I don't pass the exam, it's all his fault. Yeah.
- Continue accumulating and organizing reference material

5/24 Saturday - Apply mild pressure - take the Brainbench Software Quality Assurance test.
- listen to recordings relating to topics where I need the most work
- Buy some pencils, a good eraser, binder dividers, a couple pads of paper and two calculators.

6/1 Saturday - take the practice exam (CD) from the Quality Council of Indiana I will use my reference material here. It will give me an idea on how to better organize for fast access.
- Get all reference material finalized and ready to go this weekend
- Continue focus on weak areas based on practice exam results.
- Review entire study primer front to back twice.

6/5 Wednesday - Practice exam with Study group

6/7 Friday - Take the day off. Study last minute topics. Study 2-3 hours with Bruce and Jim

After the exam, I'll take a week or so off from studying, then start working my contingency plan targeting the next exam in Maryland in September.

EXAM PREP - Stats Tutorial

It's been several years since my last stats class so I located this to help with the basic metrics stuff:

This Stat Trek site is free to use.

It appears to be a pretty good reference with both intro and advanced topics.