Software teams deliver in different ways. Some follow Agile and work in short delivery cycles. Others adopt DevOps and optimise for continuous flow across development and operations. Some use more sequential approaches such as traditional SDLC models with defined handoffs. These choices create different feedback loops and different signals about quality.
Step 1: Describe your delivery approach
Think about your current team or a recent project. Describe how your team currently delivers software. Does it most closely follow an Agile, DevOps, SDM or more traditional SDLC approach?
Step 2: Identify three influences on quality
Identify one behaviour, one process and one tool that shape how quality is managed in that context.
Step 3: Rate confidence
For each influence, rate your confidence in how well it currently supports quality as low, medium, or high. For example, you might find that a tool is the main source of information, but it gives low confidence because the signals are unclear or hard to interpret.
Step 4: Reflect on how Quality Engineering could strengthen or accelerate outcomes
Consider where Quality Engineering could improve confidence. For example:
• What is the fastest way you currently find out if you’ve introduced a problem? Could a stronger feedback loop reduce rework?
• If your project “broke” today, how would you know? Would clearer metrics make quality more visible?
• Could better collaboration improve confidence in the release?
• How could QE increase confidence in the behaviour, process or tool you identified?
Step 5: Share your observations
In reply to this post, share your observations. The aim is not to classify the model but to recognise where QE already contributes and where it could have greater influence. Comparing delivery approaches helps us see how teams build confidence in quality and why context matters.