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Quality Assurance

Service delivery quality standards and review processes

Overview

Quality assurance framework ensuring consistent, high-quality service delivery across all SBK engagements. This framework applies to all 27 pillar-specific SOPs across Protect, Plan, Operate, and Innovate.

Quality Standards

Deliverable Quality

Standard Requirement Measurement
Accuracy All facts verified, sources cited Peer review checklist
Completeness All scope items addressed Scope verification
Clarity Readable by target audience Readability assessment
Timeliness Delivered per schedule Milestone tracking
Formatting Follows brand guidelines Brand compliance check
Evidence Citations and sources included Citation audit

Engagement Quality

Standard Requirement Measurement
Communication Weekly status updates minimum Communication log
Responsiveness 24-hour response to client queries Response time tracking
Expertise Senior resource on every engagement Resource assignment
Handoff Complete knowledge transfer Handoff checklist
Documentation All deliverables documented Documentation audit

Quality Review Process

Deliverable Review

Draft Complete
    ↓
Self-Review (author)
    ↓
Peer Review (colleague)
    ↓
Technical Review (SME if applicable)
    ↓
Final Review (engagement lead)
    ↓
Client Delivery

Engagement Review

Review Type Timing Participants Checklist
Kickoff review Before kickoff Delivery + Sales Scope, resources, risks
Mid-engagement check 50% complete Delivery team Progress, blockers, quality
Pre-delivery review Before final delivery Delivery + QA Completeness, accuracy
Closeout review Post-completion All stakeholders Lessons learned, feedback

Quality Gates

Engagement Quality Gates

Gate Checkpoint Owner Criteria
G1 Engagement Start Project lead Scope confirmed, resources assigned
G2 Mid-Engagement Delivery manager Progress on track, no blockers
G3 Pre-Delivery Senior consultant Deliverables peer reviewed
G4 Client Delivery Account manager Client review and sign-off
G5 Closeout Project lead Lessons learned captured

SOP-Specific Quality Gates

Each SOP defines additional quality gates specific to the service. Reference individual SOPs for detailed gate criteria:

  • Protect SOPs: Security validation, compliance verification
  • Plan SOPs: Strategy alignment, stakeholder approval
  • Operate SOPs: SLA compliance, performance validation
  • Innovate SOPs: Technical validation, user acceptance

Quality Metrics

Engagement Metrics

Metric Target Measurement Frequency
Client Satisfaction 4.5+/5.0 Post-engagement survey Per engagement
On-time Delivery 95%+ Milestone tracking Monthly
Scope Completion 100% Deliverable checklist Per engagement
Rework Rate <5% Change requests Monthly
Reference Willingness 80%+ Client survey Per engagement

SOP Compliance Metrics

Metric Target Measurement Frequency
SOP Adherence 100% Engagement audit Quarterly
Documentation Completeness 100% Documentation audit Per engagement
Quality Gate Passage 100% Gate tracking Per engagement
First-Time Audit Pass 90%+ Audit outcomes Per audit

Quality Checklists

Pre-Engagement Checklist

  • Scope documented and approved
  • Resources assigned and available
  • Timeline confirmed with client
  • Risk assessment completed
  • Communication plan established
  • Quality gates defined

Deliverable Checklist

  • All scope items addressed
  • Facts verified and sources cited
  • Brand guidelines followed
  • Self-review completed
  • Peer review completed
  • Client-ready formatting

Closeout Checklist

  • All deliverables completed
  • Client sign-off obtained
  • Lessons learned documented
  • Feedback collected
  • Time entries finalized
  • Project documentation archived

Continuous Improvement

Activity Frequency Owner Output
Engagement retrospectives Per engagement Delivery lead Lessons learned
Template updates Quarterly QA Updated templates
Process improvements Quarterly Delivery team Process documentation
SOP updates Quarterly Service leads Updated SOPs
Training updates Semi-annual Leadership Training materials
Quality audits Quarterly QA Audit reports

Quality Improvement Process

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                  CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT CYCLE                    │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                  │
│  PLAN                                                           │
│  ├── Identify improvement opportunities                         │
│  ├── Define improvement objectives                              │
│  └── Plan implementation approach                               │
│                                                                  │
│  DO                                                              │
│  ├── Implement improvements                                     │
│  ├── Update SOPs and templates                                  │
│  └── Train team on changes                                      │
│                                                                  │
│  CHECK                                                          │
│  ├── Measure improvement results                                │
│  ├── Compare against objectives                                 │
│  └── Identify gaps and issues                                   │
│                                                                  │
│  ACT                                                            │
│  ├── Standardize successful improvements                        │
│  ├── Address remaining gaps                                     │
│  └── Plan next improvement cycle                                │
│                                                                  │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Last Updated: February 2026