ISSUE 182 : Jul/Aug - 2010 - Australian Defence Force Journal

the results produced. For example, in Fast OR studies there will be much less time available forconsultation when setting the scope and nature of the study to be undertaken. It is simply notpossible in such studies to undertake an extensive preliminary phase so as to comprehensivelyexplore the entire problem space. Nor is there sufficient time for as extensive interaction withclients, stakeholders and users as may occur in OR studies undertaken over longer time-scales.This will preclude the used of some OR methodologies, as well as requiring streamlined meansfor both scoping a proposed study and ascertaining the veracity of its findings.There are two basic approaches to ensuring quality. One is to apply a process at the completionof an activity to determine whether its outcome has met a satisfactory level of quality (whichmay be defined according to some prescribed or agreed criteria). This is typically what happensin scientific work where a peer-review process is applied to documented outputs of the work.An alternative approach is to apply quality control measures during the course of an activity (asis often done in manufacturing), monitoring and adjusting the activity to ensure the outputsmeets the expected level of quality. OR studies have tended to rely on post-activity peer reviewof written reports (or papers), which is a thorough but slow process not commensurate withthe time-scales of Fast OR studies. What is then needed is either a streamlined process fordetermining the quality of the documented outputs, a means of controlling quality during thecourse of Fast OR study or some effective combination of these.As processes are yet to be formalised for ascertaining the quality of Fast OR studies, theapproach of quality assurance (QA)—applied in areas such as manufacturing and highereducation—may offer some guidance. 7 A useful and thorough description of QA that links itto ‘fitness-for-purpose’ is: 8• A planned approach for the systematic monitoring and evaluation of the various aspects ofa project, service or facility to ensure that standards of quality are being met.• Being characterised by two key principles: ‘fitness-for-purpose’ (the product should besuitable for the intended purpose) and ‘right first time’ (mistakes should be eliminated).• A set of activities intended to ensure that products (goods and services) satisfy customerrequirements with respect to function and reliability (noting that while QA does notabsolutely guarantee the production of quality products, it makes this more likely).• Being determined by the intended users, clients or customers.If a QA approach were to be applied to Fast OR studies, it could be seen as:A structured, systematic process for establishing confidence that the study undertaken fulfilledclient expectations or measures up to a prescribed (threshold) requirement being both ‘fit-forpurpose’and credible.Another approach, largely used in the manufacturing sector, is that of quality control (QC).This differs from QA mainly in that it is a process applied during the course of an activity(rather than at the end) to ensure that expected or prescribed levels of quality are being met.The question then arises as to whether a QA process is the best approach for ascertaining thequality of Fast OR studies, whether QC applied during the course of the study would be betteror if some effective combination of these would be the best approach?66