One of the strategies introduced within Pasminco Mining to survive low
commodity prices is to formally implement a `Quality Education System'. The net result has been a consistent approach to quality within and
across mine sites. This `quality system' has been adopted in the technical computing
environment and the immediate benefits have been: A clearer understanding of the systems, processes and
relationships that involve technical computing. A re-focussing on customer (user) requirements. Inclusion of managers as customers with their own requirements
of performance and quality, in addition to access to Executive
Information. New ways to measure the `performance' of a technical computing
environment which includes using maintenance costs.
Observations are that there is an overlap between `traditional' information technology (IT) methodologies and quality systems being put
in place in the broader workplace. This overlap is most apparent in the
area of analysing customer requirements. In the IT environment
customers are viewed as users, and their requirements determined by
undertaking a requirements analysis. A data flow diagram traditionally used in the IT environment and not
as a tool in quality systems, has been used in a novel manner to help
identify the customers of the technical computing department. It has also
been useful in illustrating the work processes and relationships between
the entities in this diagram and in directing the future initiatives needed to
fulfil the customers' changing requirements.