Date:27/09/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/09/27/stories/2005092700521900.htm

Back SQC to launch R&D initiative for IT cos

Vinson Kurian

Thiruvananthapuram , Sept. 26

SOFTWARE Quality Centre (SQC), Bangalore-based process improvement consulting and management advisory firm, is rolling out an R&D initiative on best practices for the IT and IT-enabled services industry in the small and medium sector.

Mr Krishnan Puthucode, Director and Chief Executive Officer, told Business Line that the initiative has been named ProSearch and will initially focus on Kerala-based IT companies. It will be gradually extended to other States.

SQC is the wholly owned subsidiary of Software Quality Center, a US-based consulting and management advisory firm, and pioneered the CMMI (capability maturity model integration) product suite in India.

ProSearch aims to leverage the vast majority of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that have realised the benefits of process improvement and best practices. By ensuring quality in their engineering and management processes, even the start-ups will equip themselves to improve on competitiveness, Mr Puthucode said.

SQC will lead a consortium of SMEs from across the country to pilot the initiative. Each member of the team will collaborate in learning, contributing, implementing and amplifying best practices and software and systems engineering practices. Apart from the participating companies, the larger IT industry can also hope to benefit from the process.

SMEs in Kerala can look to gain from the initiative in a number of ways, Mr Puthucode said. ProSearch will help them participate in leading conferences around the world and help them tap networking opportunities. These SMEs will be able to showcase engineering and management best practices before new customers as well.

A learning and sharing process can be initiated industry-wide, with emphasis on intellectual property issues. The SMEs can also learn about how best to implement best practices to catch up with their larger counterparts (tier I and tier II).

ProSearch will also seek to develop and promote newer best practices and minimise the gap between what Mr Puthucode described as "state-of-the-art" and "state-of-the-practice", including research and development.

A yearly award for excellence in best practices will be set up in consultation with State Governments.

A series of seminars will be held in the first and second quarters of the next year in Kerala. The seminars will also be concurrently held in other metros.