A Project Report On

A STUDY ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF QUALITY CONTROL SYSTEMS AT MAGIC SOFTWARE

By Shalabh Srivastava (Registration No. 521036845)
A project report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Business Administration of Sikkim Manipal University, INDIA

INSOFT, C 2 SECTOR 10, NOIDA 201 301 CENTRE CODE 1822

Sikkim Manipal University of health, Medical and technological science Distance Education wing Syndicate House, Manipal 576104

DECLARATION I hereby declare that the project report entitled: A Project Report on A Study on the Effectiveness of Quality Control Systems at Magic Software submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Masters of Business Administration to Sikkim Manipal University, India, is my original work and not submitted for the award of any other degree, diploma, fellowship, or any other similar title or prizes. Place: Noida Date: _________ (Shalabh Srivastava) Registration No. 521036845

Certificate

The project report of Shalabh Srivastava (Registration No. 521036845) A Project Report on A Study on the Effectiveness of Quality Control Systems at Magic Software is approved and is acceptable in quality and form.

Internal Examiner

External Examiners (Mr. _________)

TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No Executive Summary Introduction Problem of the Study Objective Research Methodology Analysis Conclusions Recommendation 5 16 30 33 35 44 51 58

Bibliography Appendix

68

70

Executive Summary

History

Magic has been in existence since 1990, for almost 20 years now. For our first decade it was a product development company. In the first ten years Magic developed a catalogue of award winning interactive CD-ROM titles on language learning, reference and cultural aspects. Creator of the acclaimed cricket portal, magiccricket.com, with liveaction animated webcast of World Cup 1996 and 1999, Magic won several awards for innovative use of technology and creativity.

As magic evolved into a provider of global services, it has carried that focus on the product and the end-user along with organization. In the last decade, this cumulative learning has translated into a stable model that has demonstrated repeated excellence in delivery in offshore projects for best-in-class global organizations.

About Magic

Magic will work as an extended arm of your enterprise, transcending geographical and cultural boundaries, to forge a long-term association that is productive and fulfilling beyond the obvious benefits of cost and time efficiencies. With proven offshore delivery excellence and product development expertise in the eLearning domain, Magic supports global businesses in all phases of their product development. Magic delivery excellence and product development expertise will not only your time and money but also support the quality of your products or services. Magic provide a sharply focused client orientation
6

and a proven offshore delivery model that incorporates best practices in

Program management Process transitioning and maturity Risk mitigation Quality management and quality assurance Scalable operations

Alliance

When you partner with Magic, you get to leverage the power of our alliances. We have forged strategic alliances with organizations that share our vision that of providing state-of-the-art eLearning services and products and world-class know-how and support.

Adobe Solution Partner Program

Magic's extensive industry experience and skilled resources had made Magic one of the select few companies to achieve the Macromedia Alliance Partner status. Today the Macromedia partnership is continued with Adobe - a company that has redefined business, entertainment and personal communications by setting new standards for producing and delivering content.

The Adobe Solution Partner Program focuses on providing high-quality tools, information and services, as well as technical and developer support to partners. These benefits are extended to our partners in the course of the content and technology development we undertake for them.

Promethean Development Partner Magic is a Promethean Development Partner. Promethean is the global leader in interactive whiteboards and assessment technologies that revolutionize and empower educators to engage, educate, assess and motivate students and learners. Promethean Planet is a unique teaching, sharing and support community and also the world's largest Interactive Whiteboard Community.

Magic has invested in building capability to develop material for interactive whiteboards. Several leading educational publishers access Magic's team to support them in their cost-effective offshore active software development plans.

National Association of Software and Services Companies Membership

NASSCOM is an apex Indian body that formulates national IT policies in close interaction with the government and plays an active role in the international software community. Through its association with NASSCOM, Magic offers you higher value-added services and the benefit of research in various markets around the globe. Magic is also a member of the Data Security Council of India (DSCI) promoted by NASSCOM.

Quality

It is the philosophy of Magic Software Pvt. Ltd., and its associates to achieve complete customer satisfaction by providing products and services that consistently meet or exceed the customer needs and expectations, pursuant to agreed specifications, delivery schedules and competitive prices.

It is the philosophy of the company to systematically operate its manufacturing facilities by inculcating commitment to total quality management at all levels and on a continuous basis with a view to achieving First Time Right results in manufacture, services and other operations.

In continuation of their efforts to achieve highest Quality standards they the Magic Software Pvt. Ltd. have successfully implemented various Quality Managements Systems in their organization.

Quality Policy

They are

committed

to provide total customer

satisfaction by

deploying all the essential required functionalities and user friendly interface and Quality products and services to meet or exceed customer requirements.

Safety

The Company takes the greatest possible care to ensure the safety, health and welfare of its staff and the communities living around its facilities. All manufacturing locations are OHSAS-18001 certified. Safety is given paramount importance across the organization. Safety and occupational health program are in place to ensure the wellbeing of employees and facilities at all locations. The safety management system is in line with guidelines set by the British Safety Council.

The Software Development industry is moving ahead by leaps and bounds, and setting the momentum is Magic Software.

Magic Software develops and supplies cost effective software systems used on the finishing lines of major colleges, educational institutions,
10

banks, securities and schools. Besides this they also provide systems conforming to I.S. & Defense specifications.

They pride themselves in the quality and consistency of their coatings and have helped companies, who serve diverse markets. They have the experience to help businesses excel in coatings and application processes. They believe in the power of innovation, and are committed to the exploration of new techniques that help them exceed the needs and expectations of their customers. With a comprehensive range of products meant for industrial

application they have specialized in providing:

e-books, Desktop Application Flash and Flex Applications Web Developing Web Designing Content Development Software Testing Illustrations Animations Flash players Games and Applications And many other applications

11

They take great pride in achieving long term customer satisfaction through user oriented products & services. Energy & time saving along with user-friendly products & processes help their customers to work economically.

Dedicated Client Teams

We build each team to meet our clients needs. The Program Manager is in charge of the dedicated client team, and we select the right resources for each project from our verticalsTechnology, User Experience, Instructional Design, and Project Management. We also assign resources from our Quality Assurance team. Everyone is a professional specialized in the nuances of product development for an international e-learning audience.

Align Expectations

Once formed, the team carefully reviews all documentation to align their expectations with our partner. Every team member is educated and empowered to meet these expectations, so that we may operate as an extended arm of your enterprise rather than as a traditional vendor.

Build Creatively
12

Whether a team is involved in product development, technology, quality control, research and development, or maintenance, all Magicians employ a methodical approach to creativity, and do not miss even the minutest detail.

Communicate Constantly

Our emphasis on communication makes you an integral part of any offshore initiative with Magic, reducing the impact of geographical distances.

Communication is a mantra for the Magic Vantage. By ensuring that we are in touch with our partners all the time, we ensure that they are part of every phase. Every time our partners engage with us, they enjoy being a part of a strong team.

Deliver Efficiently

We take a simple approach to delivery excellence. We deliver on time and within costs, while adhering to your standards for quality. We do it well the first time, but look it twice over to be sure.

13

Offshore Delivery Off shoring poses its fair share of challenges. The causes for failure in most cases have been communication gaps, cultural differences, mismatched expectations, questionable knowledge and competencies, operational complexities and loss of control. To ensure that your decision to offshore was the best that you ever took, you need to collaborate with a partner who knows what it takes to offshore, a partner who understands the softer as well as the mission-critical aspects that will ensure the success of your offshore enterprise!
14

When you collaborate with Magic you overcome the challenges of off shoring and benefit from an experience that enables you to maintain strategic and innovation focus and gain enhanced operational efficiencies.

HR Department Various aspects to motivate the people are taken care by the HR department which includes:

Salary Incentives Monthly attendance incentives Quarterly attendance incentives Half Yearly attendance incentives Yearly attendance incentives Diwali or Festival Gifts Cash Rewards Job Performance: Internal Training, Brain Storming session,

Workshops. Job Rotation: Motivation without Monetary Increase.

15

Introduction

16

Total quality management is a philosophy / process aimed at continuously improving the performance of products, processes and services to achieve and surpass customer satisfaction. It is an approach to improving the competitiveness, effectiveness and flexibility of an organization for the benefit of all stakeholders. It is a way of planning, organizing and understanding each activity and of removing all the wasted effort and energy that is routinely spent in organizations. It ensures the leaders to adopt a strategic overview of quality and focus on prevention not detection of problems.

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the extent of TQM implementation in Government and Private sectors and to find out the relationship between organizational commitment of employees and TQM (Total Quality Management) implementation in respective organization.

Business leaders often view software quality as a luxury something that can be sacrificed, if necessary, for more functionality, faster development, or lower costs. However, in practice, software development organizations that have a firm commitment to quality can actually speed development, reduce costs, and add new features with greater ease. Organizations that develop low-quality software, whether for internal use or for sale, are always looking backward, spending time and money on fixing defects in "finished" products.

In contrast, an organization that builds in product quality from the beginning can be forward-looking and innovative; it can spend its resources on pursuing new opportunities. Delivering quality is also a
17

powerful differentiator in a marketplace where high-quality software is now the exception rather than the rule.

When you step back to assess the health of software development efforts in your organization, what do you see? Is there a focus on quality? Where is that focus built in, and where does it fall out? The fact is, quality is not a thing; it is -- well, a quality. Which means it should be a concern at every step in your process. Understanding this is the key to creating a truly successful process for application delivery. But where do you start? Although the knee-jerk reaction to a demand for better quality is to expand the testing team, that is probably not the best approach. Instead, you can begin working to change the mindset within your organization to focus on quality, an effort that requires leadership from top management. This article will discuss the benefits of infusing concern for quality into an organization, as well as steps you can take and IBM tools you can use to support this key change.

For any organization, defining what you mean by quality is an important first step. Too often, software development organizations operate with a loose, general notion of quality and tolerate defects that most engineering disciplines would not allow. In contrast, a solid definition of quality that all team members understand and accept promotes thoroughness and attention to detail.

In the domain of business applications, we can best define quality in terms of the target audience: the software users. Development organizations with a quality focus know that a "quality" application
18

must do more than simply provide correct results without crashing. Does the application meet stakeholder requirements? Is it usable? Secure? Scalable? Reliable? Easily maintained? Easily extended? Simple to monitor?

James Juran's definition provides a good starting point: quality is "fitness for use." 1 Juran goes on to say that a product is not high quality unless it adds value for both the consumer and the manufacturer.

Put slightly differently, quality encompasses added value plus attention to detail. Both a luxury car and an entry-level car will get you from point A to point B. But the luxury car offers features and capabilities that go beyond the essentials of transportation: usability, safety, comforts, reliability, and so on. Product quality also reflects the process behind the product. In the software world, a high-quality process can keep development organizations from losing time reworking, re-factoring, and rewriting software.

These organizations can produce more innovative and creative products because they have more time to think about adding value and quality details.

Achieving quality results requires applying a high-quality process throughout development, integration, and testing. This applies equally well to projects involving packaged or homegrown applications,

19

upgrades or Greenfield development work, and extending, integrating, and modernizing legacy applications.

At its core, Total Quality Management (TQM) is a management approach to long-term success through customer satisfaction. In a TQM effort, all members of an organization participate in improving processes, products, services and the culture in which they work. The methods for implementing this approach come from the teachings of such quality leaders as Philip B. Crosby, W. Edwards Deming, Armand V. Feigenbaum, Kaoru Ishikawa and Joseph M. Juran.

A core concept in implementing TQM is Demings 14 points, a set of management practices to help companies increase their quality and productivity:

1. Create constancy of purpose for improving products and services. 2. Adopt the new philosophy. 3. Cease dependence on inspection to achieve quality. 4. End the practice of awarding business on price alone; instead, minimize total cost by working with a single supplier. 5. Improve constantly and forever every process for planning, production and service. 6. Institute training on the job.
20

7. Adopt and institute leadership. 8. Drive out fear. 9. Break down barriers between staff areas. 10. Eliminate slogans, exhortations and targets for the workforce. 11. Eliminate numerical quotas for the workforce and numerical goals for management. 12. Remove barriers that rob people of pride of workmanship, and eliminate the annual rating or merit system. 13. Institute a vigorous program of education and self-improvement for everyone. 14. Put everybody in the company to work accomplishing the transformation.

The term Total Quality Management has lost favor in the United States in recent years: Quality management is commonly substituted. Total Quality Management, however, is still used extensively in Europe.

The term Quality management has a specific meaning within many business sectors. This specific definition, which does not aim to assure 'good quality' by the more general definition (but rather to ensure that an organization or product is consistent), can be considered to have

21

four main components: quality planning, quality control, quality assurance and quality improvement.[1] Quality management is focused not only on product/service quality, but also the means to achieve it. Quality management therefore uses quality assurance and control of processes as well as products to achieve more consistent quality.

Main Principle of TQM (Total Quality Management):

Quality management adopts a number of management principles that can be used by top management to guide their organizations towards improved performance. The principles include:

Customer focus:

Since the organizations depend on their customers, therefore they should understand current and future customer needs, should meet customer requirements and try to exceed the expectations of customers. An organization attains customer focus when all people in the organization know both the internal and external customers and also what customer requirements must be met to ensure that both the internal and external customers are satisfied.

22

Leadership:

Leaders of an organization establish unity of purpose and direction of it. They should go for creation and maintenance of such an internal environment, in which people can become fully involved in achieving the organization's quality objective.

Involvement of people:

People at all levels of an organization are the essence of it. Their complete involvement enables their abilities to be used for the benefit of the organization.

Process approach:

The desired result can be achieved when activities and related resources are managed in an organization as process.

System approach to management:

An organization's effectiveness and efficiency in achieving its quality objectives are contributed by identifying, understanding and managing all interrelated processes as a system.

Continual improvement:
23

One of the permanent quality objectives of an organization should be the continual improvement of its overall performance.

Factual approach to decision making:

Effective decisions are always based on the data analysis and information.

Mutually beneficial supplier relationships:

Since an organization and its suppliers are interdependent, therefore a mutually beneficial relationship between them increases the ability of both to add value. These eight principles form the basis for the quality management system standard ISO 9001:2008

Theoretical Framework

Definition of Quality

W. Edwards Deming defines quality as: "Pride in Workmanship" Dr. J. Juran defines quality as: "those product features which meet the needs of customers and thereby provide product satisfaction." or "freedom from deficiencies."
24

Kaoru Ishikawa defines quality as: "total quality control, Japanese style, is a thought revolution in management." Gary Griffith, in his book "The Quality Technician's Handbook," defines quality as: "the totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bear on its ability to satisfy given needs."

Total Quality Management (TQM):

Total Quality Management is a management approach that originated in the 1950's and has steadily become more popular since the early 1980's. Total Quality is a description of the culture, attitude and organization of a company that strives to provide customers with products and services that satisfy their needs. The culture requires quality in all aspects of the company's operations, with processes being done right the first time and defects and waste eradicated from operations.

Total Quality Management, TQM, is a method by which management and employees can become involved in the continuous improvement of the production of goods and services. It is a combination of quality and management tools aimed at increasing business and reducing losses due to wasteful practices.

Some of the companies, which have implemented TQM, include Ford Motor Company, Phillips Semiconductor, SGL Carbon, Motorola and Toyota Motor Company.

25

TQM Defined

TQM is a management philosophy that seeks to integrate all organizational functions (marketing, finance, design, and engineering, and production, customer service) to focus on meeting customer needs and organizational objectives.

TQM views an organization as a collection of processes. It maintains that organizations must strive to continuously improve these processes by incorporating the knowledge and experiences of workers. The simple objective of TQM is "Do the right things, right the first time, every time". TQM is infinitely variable and adaptable. Earlier, it was applied to manufacturing operations, and for a number of years were used only used in that area. Now, TQM is becoming recognized as a generic management tool, just as applicable in service and public sector organization. Different sectors created different or their own versions from the common ancestor. TQM is the foundation for activities, which include:

Commitment by senior management and all employees Meeting customer requirements Reducing development cycle times Just In Time/Demand Flow Manufacturing Improvement teams Reducing product and service costs Systems to facilitate improvement
26

Line Management ownership Employee involvement and empowerment Recognition and celebration Challenging quantified goals and benchmarking Focus on processes / improvement plans Specific incorporation in strategic planning

This shows that TQM must be practiced in all activities, by all personnel, in Manufacturing, Marketing, Engineering, R&D, Sales, Purchasing, HR, etc. TQM is a philosophy, which aims at managing a set of business practices that emphasizes continuous improvement in all phases of operations. It focuses of giving 100 percent accuracy in performing activities, involvement and empowerment of employees at all levels, team based work design, benchmarking and fully satisfying customer expectations. Quality improvement processes have now become a globally pervasive part of the fabric of implementing strategies keyed to defect-free manufacture, superior product quality, superior customer service, and total customer satisfaction. TQM entails creating a tool quality culture bent on continuously improving the performance of every task and value chain activity.

In any TQM philosophy, aligning business processes to fulfill business objectives is the major exercise. Functions/activities are performed to achieve business objectives. Departmental objectives are derived from business objectives. Activities are performed in the department to achieve departmental objectives. For each activity there is immediate
27

internal or external customer and supplier. It is necessary for every process owner to think about My Customers and What I provide to them and about My Suppliers and What They Provide to Me. It is necessary to identify major business process in the organization and measurement of process performance.

TQM plays major role in successfully implementing business strategy. When TQM is not a part of wider scale effort to improve strategy execution and business performance, they deteriorate into strategyblind efforts to manage better.

Objectives: 1. To study the difference in the extent of Total Quality Management (TQM) implementation in private and government organization. 2. To find out the difference between the various dimensions of TQM in private and Government organizations. 3. To find the difference between the dimensions of organizational commitment of mangers in Private and Government organization. 4. To find the difference between Total Organizational commitment of mangers in Private and Government organization. 5. To find out the relationship between the successful implementation of TQM and Organizational Commitment in both Private and Government sectors.

28

Hypothesis:

1) There will be a significant difference in the extent of TQM implementation in Private and Government organizations. 2) There will be a significant difference between the implementation of various dimensions of private and government organization. 3) There will be a significant difference between the dimensions of organizational commitment of the managers of the Private and Government organization. 4) There will be significant difference between the total organizational commitment of the managers Private and Government organizations. 5) There will be a significant relationship between the successful implementation between the successful implementation of TQM and organizational commitment in Private and Government organization.

29

Problem of the Study

30

The problem of the study is to understand in a clear cut way that why the effective Total Quality control system is necessary for the success of any of the software products or any independent product. It also provide the view that in the absence of the Quality Control system the developed product lacks to compete and we wont be able to get any fruitful product.

The study will give an elaborate view of the production process and quality control system at Magic Software Pvt. Ltd.

The survey will be limited to a sample of 50 officials of different departments at Magic Software Pvt. Ltd, Noida.

The study will help us to understand the importance of the quality of a product so that on could understand that without the quality a product cannot be a fruitful product.

This is the study about the merits and demerits of the product which we produce for our global customer in the organization

The study will elaborate how could be maintain the quality of our product in the global market so that an organization could survive in this global competitive market.

31

The study also focuses on the points that Total Quality Control system plays one of the Key role for the success of any of the Product lacking to which product could not survive in market.

32

Objective

33

To do an in-depth analysis of Magic Software Pvt. Ltd. with special emphasis on:

1. To map the production system at MSPL and identify the key features of the overall process. 2. To understand the existing Quality Control Procedures as adopted by MSPL. 3. To understand what are the benefits that can be achieved by integrating the Quality Systems with Organizational Goals. 4. To study the following with respect to MSPL: Quality Control System Testing & validation Procedures for EBook Development

The objective is to cover and study the entire process of EBook development and understand the key areas and also why the Quality Control System is necessary for the developed Product.

34

Research Methodology

35

Sources for Data Collection:

Research Approach:

Survey method (Data Collection Method)

Research Method:

1. Questionnaire survey of 10 Officials of KNPL Limited 2. Observation and recording of events at KNPL Limited

Research work was done from two sources:

(1) (2)

Primary data Secondary data

Primary data was collected by questionnaire and interviewing the officials and employees at Magic Software Pvt. Ltd. The interview was structured and open-ended questions based on literature survey, will be asked.

Primary Data For obtaining the primary data for my project, I used Questionnaire.

36

Questionnaire i) ii) Sample Size Sample composition CEO Program Manager Team Lead Team Members 5 10 10 15 15 50

Project Managers / Staff

Secondary Data

Secondary data was collected by reviewing different literatures, from published books, management journals, articles published by the other researchers for a particular company and from Internet.

The information collected through above methods has been tabulated, analysed and interpreted. Finally an overall assessment of the survey findings has been made towards improving the effectiveness of the quality control process of the organization.

Findings of the Study:

Production involves the things which are essential for the manufacture of products.

37

The objective of the production management is to produce goods services of right quality and quantity at the right time and right manufacturing cost.

1. RIGHT QUALITY The quality of product is established based upon the customers needs. The right quality is not necessarily best quality. It is determined by the cost of the product and the technical characteristics as suited to the specific requirements.

2. RIGHT TIME Timeliness of delivery is one of the important parameter to judge the effectiveness of production department. So, the production department has to make the optimal utilization of input resources to achieve its objective. 3. RIGHT MANUFACTURING COST Manufacturing costs are established before the product is actually manufactured. Hence, all attempts should be made to produce the products at pre-established cost, so as to reduce the variation between actual and the standard (pre-established) cost.

38

Elements of Production Operation Operation managers are concerned with planning, organizing, and controlling the activities which affect human behavior through models. Planning Activities that establishes a course of action and guide future decisionmaking is planning. The operations manager defines the objectives for the operations subsystem of the organization, and the policies, and procedures for achieving the objectives. This stage includes clarifying the role and focus of operations in the organizations overall strategy. It also involves product planning, facility designing and using the conversion process. Organizing Activities that establishes a structure of tasks and authority. Operation managers establish a structure of roles and the flow of information within the operations subsystem. They determine the activities required to achieve the goals and assign authority and responsibility for carrying them out. Controlling Activities that assure the actual performance in accordance with planned performance. To ensure that the plans for the operations subsystems are accomplished, the operations manager must exercise control by measuring actual outputs and comparing them to planned

39

operations management. Controlling costs, quality, and schedules are the important functions here. Behavior Operation managers are concerned with how their efforts to plan, organize, and control affect human behavior. They also want to know how the behavior of subordinates can affect managements planning, organizing, and controlling actions. Their interest lies in decisionmaking behavior. Models As operation managers plan, organize, and control the conversion process; they encounter many problems and must make many decisions. They can simplify their difficulties using models like aggregate planning models for examining how best to use existing capacity in short-term, break even analysis to identify break even volumes, linear programming and computer simulation for capacity utilization, decision tree analysis for long-term capacity problem of facility expansion, simple median model for determining best locations of facilities etc.

40

ACTIVITIES OF DEPARTMENT

The Quality Control department operates a central link between the customers and various department of the organization. The various carried operations under this department are:

1. Quality Assurance of the raw materials which are imported while unloading them at the part.

2. Quality Assurance of the raw materials, which enters the unit for processing. This activity is done through sample testing. It is the Quality Control Department, Which sets specification for taking samples. 3. Also, it monitors the fabrication process. 4. Quality Assurance of work in process. 5. Monitoring the safety measures for all electrical testing. 6. Inspection of the process of conversion, by ISO auditor. 7. Co-ordination which control rooms of DCS. 8. Recommendation for improving the process of manufacturing.

41

9. Even, customer complains handling is done by department

42

COST OF REJECTION AT MAGIC SOFTWARE

Cost of Poor Quality from Apr.09 to June.09

0.0008

0.0007
0.0007

0.0006

0.0006 0.0005

% against Sales

0.0005

0.0004

0.0003 Series1 0.0002

0.0001

0.0000 Apr.09 May.09 Months June.09

43

Analysis

44

When we drill down into the process of EBook development it is found that each level of the development few set of steps are involved which are based on the same set of repetitive task which has to be performed.

The development process which is followed for the delivery of end EBook Product is broken down in the below given level or phases:

1. Receiving the Input from the Client 2. Input Auditing 3. Planning Phase 4. Development Phase 5. Query Resolution 6. Involvement of Quality Control System 7. Bug Fixing phase 8. Deployment of the Developed Product to Client

Receiving the Input from the Client

45

During this phase the inputs are received in the form of raw PDF files along with the assets and Book detail sheet which incorporate the instructions on where the provided assests (audio, video, documents, annotation etc.) are to be integrated in the EBook. The medium used for the sharing the input is the FTP Client like Cute FTP etc. Once the intimation is received in the form of mail from the client, Magic downloads all the inputs ported at some defined location on the FTP. If because of some reasons the inputs are not available on the FTP the same is communicated to the client so he/she can check it on his/her end. Once the inputs are downloaded for the FTP client the process moves to the next phase that is the input audit phase.

Input Auditing Once the inputs are downloaded from the FTP the next phase is the verification and validation of the same against Book Detail sheet which is also received as the part of input. This is actually the input audit phase in which we make sure all the assets (audio, video, documents, annotation etc.) are available along with the row PDF as mentioned in the Book Detail Sheet also known as BDS. Once the Input Auditing Phase is complete and it is validated and verified that all the things are in place the process moves into the next

46

phase else the any of the discrepancy is communicated to the client via mail.

Planning Phase During this phase the timelines and deliverables are planned in a way so as to produce the quality EBook product in cost effective manner within the defined deadlines. Any foreseen risk should be given the due weight age so as to develop the risk mitigation plan. If anything seems to be not achievable, it should be raised to senior management to get the solution.

The outcome of the planning phase should be a full proofed plan which should be followed throughout the development process and till the final product is deployed to the client.

Development Phase This is the phase where most of the effort is concentrated and it incorporates the set of steps on task basis which needs to properly followed in order to get the expected output. The actual process of development involve the below given task to be performed:

47

Conversion of raw PDF to the SWF form.

Creation of thumbnail images from the received row PDF.

Creation of hotspot in SWF using the EBook Production Tool.

Creating the Zoom in Zoom out areas using the EBook Production Tool.

Creating the word level highlighting.

Marking of the labels in the audio files.

Marking of the annotation in the EBook.

Creation of the required transition effect.

Embedding the audio/video in EBook Pages were ever mention in BDS.

Once the process which involves the above specified steps is complete. The separate part is integrated using the EBook Production Tool which generates the EBook which is ready for the review cycle. In the review cycle the developed EBook is reviewed against the defined checklist so as to make sure that all the assets are integrated as per the Book detail sheet. If any of the thing is found which is against the checklist that should be addressed and fixed immediately.
48

If it cannot be fixed because of some technical constraints the same needs to be shared to the client to get the resolution. It has the go in the query register mentioned next.

Query Resolution Sometimes the query may arise due to some discrepancy which needs to be addressed, in that situations the queries are shared by the client by the means of Query Register, the client resolves the asked queries by providing the appropriate solution. If there is any delay in the getting the resolution which may impact the delivery deadlines, it should be communicated to the client either on mail or call whichever is feasible.

Involvement of Quality Control System Once the development team is done with all the integration of all the assets along with the incorporation of any addressed query it released the EBook build to the Quality Control System so as to get assurance that the developed EBook is a Quality Product which meets the competitive standards. When the quality control receives the build they start their testing process against the predefined test cases. Anything which is not as per the guidelines is treated as bug and needs to be assigned to the development to so that it can be fixed.

49

This process goes on until the build is considered as bug free. Once the Quality Control System accepts the build it is considered as signed-off and the product is ready to be deployed for the client.

Bug fixing phase Any of the reported bugs by the Quality Control needs to be addressed by development team on priority. Once the bugs logged are addressed the fresh build should be released to the Quality Control to get the sign-off the build so that it can be deployed to the client.

Deployment of the Developed Product to Client Once the product build is signed off from the Quality Control System, it is considered ready to be deployed to the client. The deployment method may very form client to client. Some clients have the got the dedicated sites on which we need to deploy the build which others ask to upload the build on the Specified FTP Location. Once the build is deployed to the client, the intimation of the same is sent to the client.

50

Conclusions

51

After discussing the various technical and practical aspects of Quality Control we see that right from the raw material purchase to the final finishing all the product of a company is well planned and coordinated. Various inter & intra level variables act on the production process and production planning and control helps in balancing or neutralizing the variables and thus benefiting the company and society as a whole.

Objectives of Production Planning and Quality Control at Magic Software:

Quality of the Output: Production Planning and Control ensures safe and economical

manufacture of desired products in required quantity and quality.

Plant Utilization: Production Planning and Control ensures maximum plant utilisation through proper coordination hence productivity of highest degree is achieved.

Maintenance of Inventories:
52

To maintain an adequate but not excessive supply of finished goods and work in process lowing through the plant so that deliveries can be made to the customers who may want the product in less than the manufacturing time. It also helps in maintaining flexibility in

manufacturing operations.

Optimization of Resources: To achieve optimum utilization of resources through maintaining a balanced level of inventory production and employment level.

Effectiveness of Work: Production Planning and Control resources right man on right job, at right place, at right time so that maximum effectiveness is obtained at work. Further, it minimizes labor turnover.

Reduced Supervision: The other objective of Production Planning and Control it to reduce supervision through right instructions in right time.

53

Reduced Waiting time: Production Planning and Control aims at reducing waiting time arising due to want of material, tools, equipment, supervision, deliveries etc.

Ideas of New Methods: Production Planning and Control aims at giving encouragement to the workers for new ideas and new methods.

Reduced Costs: Production Planning and Control ensures minimum wastages and achieve minimum cost per unit.

Functions Software:

of

Production

Planning

and

Control

at

Magic

The function of Production Planning and Control comprise. Materials: Raw materials, spares and components etc must be available in the correct quantities and specifications at the right time. To achieve this, we must have to do right purchasing, standardization, value analysis, etc.
54

Methods: Choosing the best methods from several alternatives. It involves the best sequence of operations and the division of product into

assemblies and sub-assemblies, modified by the limitation of existing layout and work flow.

Machine and Equipment: Methods have a relationship to the production facilities available. It involves equipment replacement policy, maintenance policy,

procedures and schedules, tool management etc.

Routing: Routing prescribes the flow of work in the plant and is related to considerations of layout, of temporary storage locations for raw materials and components and materials handling systems.

Loading and Scheduling: Machines have to handling been loaded according to their capacity. Machine loading is carried out in connection with routing to ensure
55

smooth work flow and with estimating to ensure that the prescribed methods, feeds and speeds of machines are best utilized. Scheduling is the toughest part of the job in the production because it determines the utilization of equipment and man and hence the efficiency of the plant.

Dispatching: This is concerned with the execution of the planning functions. Orders and instructions are released according to the plan, sequences are embodied in route sheets and loading schedule authorization is made for release of materials and methods and trained man are put into action.

Expediting: This means follow up or progressing, process or step after dispatching. Dispatching initiates while expediting maintains the plan. This function keeps a close liaison with scheduling in order to provide are efficient feedback and prompt review of targets and schedules.

Inspection:

56

This function relates to maintenance of quality of production and of evaluating the efficiency of the process, method and man so that improvements can be made.

57

Recommendation

58

Measurement of Effectiveness of Quality Control: The general effectiveness of the department can be measured by the companys success in meeting its sales forecasted and producing quality product. More specifically there are four areas in which the effectiveness of Quality Control can be measured.

Delivery: This can be measured by a statement of deliveries overdue. A chart is prepared to show over a period, say half yearly or annually, the deliveries on time and those delayed. If there is no overdue, Production Planning and Control is effective.

Inventories: The inventory turnover, the value of inventories, obsolete items, nonmoving or surplus items etc are all indicators of efficiency in inventory management.

59

Production Management: Comparison of planned and actual production is an indicator of performance. Overtime hours worked, machine utilization ratio etc, are other indicators for measurement of effectiveness.

Production Planning and Quality Control Department Itself: The object of the Production Planning and Control department should be to operate it with the least total cost.

Importance of Production Planning and Quality Control: Indias Developing Economy Needs Production Planning and Control: India is witnessing an era of industrial planning with an intention of accelerating the production and enhancing the quality to complete in International Market. For this industry needs perfect Production Planning and Control which minimizes the idleness of the man and machines and optimises the number of setups required, keeps in process inventories at a satisfactory level and quality and quality at low unit cost. consequently permits

60

Production Planning and Quality Control is Factorys Nervous System: Production Planning and Control serves as a coordinator to the activities of a plant just like the nervous system of a human body. Moore has also stressed that when simple repetitive operations are performed, production control is accomplished more or less subconsciously in the same manner as the nervous system.

Production

Planning

and

Quality

Control

is

must

for

Intermittent Process Industry: In a Continuous process industry where the raw materials enter at the end of the factory and flow through it in a steady stream, the problem of production control is clearly very simple as the path or route of the material flow is fixed by the natural sequence of processes and the time of operations are fixed largely by the capacity of machines. But in the intermittent process industry, where products are made only to customers orders and where repetition of such orders is unusual, the case is very different. Here each succeeding part produced must follow a new way through the shop. The parts do not move automatically from machine to machine, but must be moved as occasion required thus, it is clear that unless some supervision is

61

given, and confusion may arise in the production time. Some kind of production control under this condition is required and this control is usually attempted through production planning department.

Production Planning and Control as an Instrument of Cost Control: In the absence of any well regulated plan of manufacturing activities, machines and men facilities may not be used to their full capacity. Idle time of men and machines may go unnoticed which get added to the cost of production. Further, poorly organized system of production control may result in inefficiency, wastage of raw materials etc. In this way the concern will fail to maintain its competitive standing on price. Implementation of Production Planning and Control acts as a deterring effect to inefficiency and act an effective instrument of cost control.

Other benefits of Production Planning and Quality Control: The benefits of Production Planning and Quality Control can be further classified as exerting influence on some segments of society.

62

A) The Consumers i) Delivery at proper time ii) Better values in terms of quality.

B) The Producers i) Stable employment ii) iii) Improved work condition. Increased personal satisfaction.

C) The Investors i) Security of investment. ii) Adequacy of return.

63

QUESTIONNAIRE

Name: Designation: Q1) What is the Vision Statement of your company? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

Q2) Is the mission of your company a base for deciding an operations strategy?

Yes

No

Q3) Is supplier selection a major criteria in your company? Yes No

Q4) while deciding the operations strategy, rank the following as the operational priority in your organization:

Cost

Quality

Delivery

Flexibility

64

Q5) In your organization, at which steps is the Quality Control taken up? Before Production Prevention Measures the During / Production Quality Tests. the After / Production Sample Testing. All / above of the

Q6)

Are

your

processes

flexible

i.e.

can

your

process

be

improved/changed with the change in demand? Yes No

Q7)

Do you have different locations within the facility for the

different product lines for each with similar operational strategies? Yes No

Q8) How has your company performed during the last financial year in terms of domestic and export market? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

65

Q.9) How are you positioned globally to cater to domestic as well as International Markets?

______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

Q.10) How has Magic Software Limited placed itself to cater to the global opportunities for auto components? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

Q.11) How to you cater to the global customers? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

Q.12) What are the strategies to cater to the increasing demand for auto components in the current financial year? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Q.13) What are you expansion strategies? ______________________________________________________

66

______________________________________________________

Q.14) How do you improve your operational efficiencies? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

Q.15) How important is Technology and Product Development for success in global markets? How is it implemented at Magic Software? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

THANKS

67

Bibliography

68

Bibliography Books: Learning EBook Production Process Smart Learing

Online References:

http://www.palgrave.com/ebooks/vendors.asp http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-book http://www.goodreads.com/ebooks http://ebook.com/

69

Appendix

70

Appendix Effectiveness of Quality Control System In the competitive word no one can deny the importance and effective role played by the Quality Control System. It helps to product to achieve the competitive edge in the global market. Thinking of the product which does not complaint the process of Quality Control will always lead to failure.

71