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SOFTWARE REVIEWS

Quality Management Training Software
A Strategy for Successful Certification

As the popularity of the American Society for Quality's certification programs for quality auditors and quality managers has grown, a number of software packages have been developed to help prepare for the exams. This review examines quality certification software from the ASQ, Datachem Software Inc., Quality Council of Indiana and Quality Publishing Inc.

ASQ's Certified Quality Manager is based on ASQ's Certified Quality Manager Body of Knowledge and includes software, the Overview book and eight print modules. The ASQ's Certified Quality Auditor program comes with software, the Overview book and seven print modules. The program is based on the ASQ's Quality Auditor Body of Knowledge. Both books are part of the ASQ Foundations in Quality: Self-Directed Learning Series.

Both ASQ programs successfully meet the needs of professionals who desire to increase their expertise in the practices and principles of quality management and quality auditing. Using the print and computer materials, the programs provide an enjoyable and complete preparation method to become a CQM or CQA. Each program starts with a pretest that allows users to evaluate their understanding of quality material and focus their studies. After users answer each question, the programs provide feedback on whether the answer is correct, and identify the module and section in which the tested information can be found. If the answer is incorrect, the correct answer is given. Module and section references are provided in the feedback to support study efforts.

You would need a library of more than 60 well-known books to capture the information contained in the CQM program's eight easy-to-read modules. The program includes more than 425 pages of text reinforced by computer-based testing, practice and exercises. Each module includes a bibliography that references the books used in developing the module. A comprehensive glossary helps clarify terms. After reviewing the modules for the CQM program, users can solve Power Puzzles, a fun way to review the concepts presented in the modules.

After completing the puzzles, users may assess their mastery of the material in a specific module test. The module-specific tests contain 30 items. The program provides feedback similar to the pretest.

After studying all the modules, solving the puzzles and completing the module-specific tests, users are ready to complete the five essay questions. These questions are similar to those that appear on the CQM certification examination. Open-ended questions are based on workplace scenarios and require the use of concepts from a number of modules.

The process is similar for CQA study materials, but rather than answer five essay questions, users must complete five case studies. These case studies are similar to those that appear on the CQA certification examination, and again are based on workplace scenarios. The computer provides hints and feedback to better understand auditing issues. At this point, users have studied all the components of the program and are ready to measure their learning.

The post-test for both the CQM and CQA draws from a different bank of questions than the pretest. After reviewing all questions, either one essay question or a case study is presented, depending on the program. These are similar to those on the certification examinations. Even if users don't pass the test, the program helps redirect study efforts by providing feedback that tells users the module and section in which the tested information can be found. Completing the post-test with a score of at least 80 percent allows users to print a report, send it to ASQ and be awarded Continuing Education Units.

Both packages offer easy installation, a pleasing look and straightforward user interface. ASQ updates these programs annually. They provide a user feedback form to identify problems and garner suggestions for future revisions.

A new engine operates Datachem Software's CQAprep 2.0 and CQMprep 1.0 programs. Each program includes a database of nearly 600 questions, answers and explanations divided into eight subject areas. The CQAprep software prepares users for ASQ's Certified Quality Auditor exam. Subject areas include audit preparation, audit performance, general knowledge, finalizing the audit, and tools and techniques. The CQMprep software prepares users for the Certified Quality Manager exam. Subject areas include quality standards, organizations and their functions, customer satisfaction, quality needs, project management, continuous improvement, human resource management, and training and education. The questions are taken from previously published exams or are authored for Datachem Software by certified professionals actively working in the quality field.

Both packages install easily. To set up a study session, users select which subject areas they want included, specifying random or sequential presentation of questions and optionally narrowing the subset by search criteria.

The Study Session is designed to allow users to answer questions and learn from mistakes in a relaxed dialogue. The study session includes some unique features: bookmarking at a particular question, displaying the explanation for a question at any time or deciding if the program should show explanations.

The Practice Exam simulates the certification exam in the sense that the user specifies a number of questions to be completed within a fixed amount of time. Depending on the certification product, users may be able to select the subject areas that are included. In the practice exam, users cannot see their score until they stop the exam or run out of time.

Two control buttons unique to the Practice Exam stop it immediately and suspend the exam timer. This lets users take time out to handle interruptions. Edit/Add Questions helps users add questions, or change questions and explanations.

Users may also print questions. They select the subject area to be included in the print, set and specify whether the printed questions should be sequential or random. Users may also select how many questions to print, and whether explanations and answers are printed with the questions. If the product includes scenarios and/or graphics, those may be printed as well.

The Quality Council of Indiana's CQM study package includes the CQM Primer, by Glenn Gee, Wesley Richardson and Bill Wortman, which provides quality professionals with a review of fundamental knowledge and skills. Users are encouraged to study the Body of Knowledge content in their primers before using the software. The sections are arranged to align with the subject matter as presented in the ASQ Body of Knowledge. In most cases, the authors have fabricated test questions, although some come from published exams and ASQ brochures. An additional section provides an overview of certification. The CQM Solution Text provides complete solutions to each question in the primer. Additional information provides the source of the question and reference to the appropriate section in the primer.

The CQA Primer by Pam Anderson and Bill Wortman provides quality auditors with a fundamental knowledge of the concepts and conduct of quality auditing. The primer follows the ASQ Body of Knowledge, with several key exceptions: The primer has an overview section explaining the certification process, the primer breaks section I of the Body of Knowledge into two parts, and in some places the primer is more expansive than the Body of Knowledge. Each section ends with test questions. The CQA Solution Text explains in detail how each answer is derived.

The CQA and CQMgr test disks offer a review that can be taken in a variety of ways. The main screen allows users to select topics and exam length. To test: Users read the question, select an answer, and receive immediate feedback on whether their answer is correct. They may then choose to see an explanation or move to the next question. The explanation window gives the correct answer and a reference to the section in the primer where the material is found. Statistics for the average time per question, total elapsed time and the percent correct are shown. Once users complete the test, the exit screen gives the overall performance broken down by individual category as well as all categories. The student should achieve at least 80-percent correct to expect to pass the ASQ exam.

Quality Publishing Inc. provides comprehensive and easy-to-use study tools to prepare for the ASQ certification examinations. Their complete ASQ exam learning systems come with a deluxe hardbound edition of The Complete Guide to the CQA or The Complete Guide to the CQM and the matching Solutions Manuals. The interactive CD-ROM contains the online versions of The Complete Guides and Solutions Manuals. Users can start with the traditional approach, studying the latest body of knowledge using the complete guide text and solutions manual. Next, they can use the CD-ROM to review with hypertext links an electronically searchable copy of the entire Complete Guide text and Solutions Manual. Finally, take scored and timed practice exams.

There are hundreds of questions, and the exams are customizable so users can cover their weak areas. Detailed solutions are provided for each question, including equations and graphics. The main screen offers choices for a customized or simulated exam, the ability to load the last or a previously saved exam, access to the interactive study guide, and help and exit buttons. Selecting either a customized or simulated exam brings users to a screen where they select the categories and length of exam. Read the question, select the response and receive immediate feedback on whether the answer is correct. If incorrect, view the explanation, access the interactive study guide or choose to go to the next question. Information on elapsed time, average time per question and percent correct is provided. The last screen shows overall results. A unique feature of the Quality Publishing software is the ability to keep it up-to-date with an integrated upgrading tool that uses the Internet to provide the latest questions and software upgrades.

All of the packages reviewed serve their purpose well. The most comprehensive packages are those provided by ASQ, but these also are the most expensive. The packages provided by Quality Publishing and Datachem Software are mid-range in cost but are solidly packed with the information needed to successfully meet the challenge of the certification exams. Quality Council of Indiana provides a package that is both complete and cost-effective. Now the only thing left to do is to take the exams!

About the author

Sue Ziegler is quality control manager at INTRACEL Corp. in Rockville, Maryland. E-mail her at sziegler@qualitydigest.com .