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The Southern California Quality Assurance Association (SCQAA) San Fernando Chapter presents

******* Wayne Smith & Albert Kinderman, Ph.D. *******

"The Emerging Relationship between Software Quality

and the Free & Open Source Software Environments”

Wednesday, May 5, 2004 Networking @ 5:45; Business @ 6:45; Program @ 7:00 PM

Countrywide, 2900 Madera, Simi Valley, CA 93065

Recently, the free and open-source software movement has garnered a great deal of attention in both public- and private-sector organizations. This talk will provide an overview of major client-side and server-side open source software products and the key processes that are used in their development. This talk will also discuss some possible linkages between the "openness" of software source code and the resulting process quality within an organization and the resulting product quality of software deliverables.

Wayne Smith has been the Director of the Office of Information Technology in the College of Business and Economics at California State University, Northridge since 1994. Wayne has taught Information Systems courses at CSUN, designed and engineered networks, and has supervised a small team of software engineers at a Fortune 125 firm. Wayne is currently completing his Ph.D. in Information Science at Claremont Graduate University.

Al Kinderman is a Professor of Systems and Operations Management at CSUN. He received his BS in Math from Stanford in 1967 and a PhD in Statistics from the University of Minnesota in 1972. He has taught Statistics at Carnegie-Melon University and has been at CSUN since 1977. His early research was in algorithms for the computer generation of non-uniform random variables and more recently has worked with colleagues in the Finance department at CSUN as a statistical consultant. He has enjoyed working with alternative operating systems, starting with OS/2 1.3. Currently, he uses Debian GNU/Linux, FreeBSD, and Windows 2000 and XP.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR! Wednesday, June 2, 2004 June Monthly Meeting in Countrywide, Simi Valley, CA Speaker: Tim Pelland, Topic: Improving Your Processes: the New Reality Show Wednesday, July 7, 2004 July Monthly Meeting in Countrywide, Simi Valley, CA Speaker: Jim Kelton, Topic: Security and Quality

Fee: $10 nonmembers; Free for members Questions? Contact scqaasf_newsletter@sbcglobal.net

Membership: $65/year standard (one year of meetings); $100/year (one year of meetings + training discount)

Quality Assurance Institute Courses

SCQAA- San Fernando Chapter is proud to offer 3 more excellent and nationally recognized courses in software testing and software quality assurance. These classes taught by distinguished QAI instructors have not been offered in the Los Angeles area for a very long time and we are happy to bring these courses back here, in response to several dozens of requests from our local members.

To find out more about the classes and to register online be sure to visit our web site at www.scqaa.us. Take advantage of our membership benefits, become a privileged member if you are not already and get the courses at 50% discount!!

Remember, only those SCQAA-SF full members are eligible for our course discounts. To become a member click here: http://www.scqaa.us/member.php

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** Boot camp for Software QA Analysts **

Thursday & Friday, May 6 & 7, 2004

7:45 AM - 8:30 AM - Continental Breakfast/Registration

8:30 AM - 5:30 PM

This Boot Camp is a foundation course for IT quality concepts. It provides an excellent overview of the entire IT quality professional area. It further provides a macro introduction of the quality assurance area by introducing and reviewing the principles expounded by leading quality experts. This course similarly provides an exceptional review for those planning to pursue IT quality certification for the Certified Software Quality Analyst (CSQA) professional designation.

This seminar also addresses the important aspects to consider for those organizations who desire to properly organize their quality initiative for improved productivity and organizational integrity.

Enroll [Course Fee: Members $400.00 - Non-members $800.00]

***** Prep course for CSQA *****

Thursday & Friday, June 3 & 4, 2004

7:45 AM - 8:30 AM - Continental Breakfast/Registration

8:30 AM - 5:30 PM

The Certified Software Quality Analyst Prep Course has been designed specifically to prepare the quality assurance professional for the CSQA examination. The course provides a thorough background of the Quality fundamentals and also includes the more advanced concepts, which the Certified Software Quality Analyst must understand. The successful completion of this course along with the necessary practical experience and related resource familiarity will well prepare the candidate for the CSQA examination.

Enroll [Course Fee: Members $400.00 - Non-members $800.00]

Message from your President: Judy Cheves

It’s May! The past year has gone by so quickly.

It was just a one year ago that a number of us gathered over dinner to discuss how to set up a new SCQAA chapter.

We continued to meet throughout the summer and set a very aggressive schedule for completing all the initial work to set up the chapter, schedule our first meetings, find a meeting location, book speakers and promote our chapter.

The response to our efforts has been incredible and very gratifying!

This month’s meeting will be the 8th meeting of SCQAA – San Fernando Chapter. We’re proud to have brought you interesting, informative & entertaining speakers. This month we bring you Wayne Smith presenting “The Emerging Relationship Between Software Quality and Free & Open Source Software Environments”.

Late last year we set our strategic goals for 2004. One of our primary goals is to provide training for individuals to improve their value to the market place. Our initial courses focus on preparing for CSTE and CSQA certifications.

In February and March we provided two courses to prepare for the CSTE certification. Our second series of courses will begin this month. The Bootcamp for Software Quality Analysts will be held on May 6th & 7th followed by the Prep Course for CSQA on June 3rd & 4th. Details can be found on our website, www.scqaa.us

A special thanks to our Founding Board members, Julie Borland, Gerry Caruso, Karina Gamble, Bill Hackenberg, Lenni Lara, Suzanne Mullen, Peter Reidy, Elizabeth Runyon, Jim Stoumpos, Ron Winters & Deanna Witrack. It’s been a privilege to work with each of you over the past year. Our success is due to your tireless work and optimism.

And, thank you John Heeg, Shahidul Mannan and Kidra Shadroo for joining our Board and providing support to the chapter.

We have even more to offer this year. Come to the meetings & check our website for exciting news of speakers & events coming to you this year!

Regards,

Judy

Job Opportunity

Short Term Functional Tester at Countrywide in Simi Valley. Immediate opening for a tester with the following background/experience. The contract is through the first week of June, with a possibility of an extension. Individual will work on multiple projects, primarily releases to existing web applications, updates to two speech recognition systems and a new speech recognition project. Experience with customer facing web applications, focus on usability. Experience with speech recognition systems, i.e., Call Flow, back-end data validation, etc. Must have experience with TestDirector for test case documentation, test execution and defect tracking. Experience as a TestDirector Admin, a plus. Capable of leading a small team of business analysts in functional testing. Contact: Judy_Cheves@Countrywide.Com

Quality Meetings Upcoming

April 25 – 28 ISACA Los Angeles Spring Conference: 3 Pre-Conferences and 4 Tracks: Core Competencies, Information Security, Current & Emerging, and Tools & Techniques (Up to 21 CPE). Location: Universal City Hilton & Towers. http://isacala.org/2004SpringConference/2004SpringConferenceHome.html

April 27 9 – 4 Implementing Lean Software Development. Daylong seminar in Lake Forest (Orange County) presented by Frode Odegard of Odegard Laboratories in conjunction with SCQAA-Orange County. http://www.scqaa.com/

May 8 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM An Overview of the CMMI: Capability Maturity Model Integration and its fundamental concepts. Sponsored by LA Chapter of the Project Management Institute at Proud Bird Restaurant (Fireside Room) near LAX. Sign Up by Monday May 3, 2004 at 6:00pm. http://www.pmi-la.org/

May 12 Enterprise Risk Assessment, a joint meeting of IIA-San Fernando and ISACA-LA, features Walter Smiechewicz, Managing Director, Enterprise Risk Assessment, Countrywide Financial Corporation. Location: Odyssey Restaurant in Granada Hills.

May 13 6 – 9 PM Effectively Managing Global Software Development Projects, presented by Reza Madani. PMI-LA Chapter Meeting. Location: Proud Bird Restaurant at LAX. http://www.pmi-la.org/

May 17 6:30 – 9 PM Understanding Visual Communication. Sponsored by Society for Technical Communication at Raddison Hotel in Chatsworth. Jean-luc Doumont explains his simple, yet powerful reference frame to "think and talk" about pictures. http://www.stcsfv.org/meetings.htm

May 17 & 18 All Day Outsourcing IT and Business Processes Conference at Crowne Plaza Beverly Hills in Los Angeles. Program Co-chairs: Robert M. DiGiovanni, Esq. of Shaw Pittman LLP, and George Kimball, Esq. of Arnold & Porter. Current outsourcing issues from a legal and contracts perspective. The faculty at Law Seminars International's "Outsourcing IT and Business Processes Conference," has extensive experience on all sides of the transaction and includes private practitioners representing buyers and sellers in billions of dollars worth of transactions, as well as recognized industry experts, service providers and customers. They will provide key success factors in structuring, scoping, pricing and managing agreements including special consideration relating to offshore outsourcing and opportunities presented by the emerging business process outsourcing marketplace. Details: http://www.clenews.com/LSI/04/04boutca.htm or call LSI at (800) 854-8009

May 19 Noon Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) Los Angeles Chapter holds regular meetings in downtown Los Angeles on the third Wednesday of every month at Les Freres Taix Restaurant in Los Angeles. Online registration: http://www.issa-la.org/

June 25 9 – 5 Payor’s Perspective on Information Technology and 2^nd annual career fair sponsored by Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, Southern California chapter. http://www.himss-socal.org/calendar/calendar.html

Our Corporate Meeting Sponsors

Serena, Corp. at 20920B Warner Center Lane, Woodland Hills, is our very first chapter Corporate Meeting Sponsor. We very much appreciate their sponsorship, which provides the SCQAA San Fernando Board with a fine workspace for our Board meetings.

Countrywide, Corp. in Simi Valley is our second chapter Corporate Meeting Sponsor, as they are providing Membership meeting space, starting with the first monthly meeting on September 17, 2003.

Our Corporate Sponsors

Kaiser Permanente, headquartered in Oakland, is sponsoring SCQAA-SF this year to enable its Southern California employees to take advantage of chapter meetings and instructor-led QAI training.

QAI Certification Programs

To request more information, send email to certify@qaiusa.com.

Earn CPEs

Are you a CSQA or CSTE? Earn some of your Continuing Professional Education (CPE) points by attending SCQAA-SF meetings. Earn even more by helping with our committees!

Southern California Quality Assurance Association San Fernando Chapter (SCQAA-SF)

QAI Certification Programs

To request more information, send email to certify@qaiusa.com.

Meet Your SCQAA

San Fernando Chapter Board

The new Board slate is composed of:

Position	Board Member	Backup Member
Chapter Chair	Judy Cheves	Shahidul Manan
Vice Chair	Shahidul Manan
Treasurer	Deanna Witrack	Judy Cheves
Secretary	John Heeg	TBD
Chapter Advisor	Jim Stoumpos
Events/Promotion	TBD
Food Service Chair	Peter Reidy
Historian/Librarian	TBD
Mail List Chair	Gerry Caruso	Karina Gamble
Meeting Chair	Kidra Shidroo
Membership Chair	Ron Winters
Newsletter Chair	Elizabeth Runyon	Deanna Witrack
PMI Liaison	Bill Hackenberg
Program Chair	Karina Gamble
Sponsor/PR Chair	Bob Tabaka	Bill Hackenberg
Web Team	Shahidul Mannan Kidra Shadroo Leonard Daly
Webmaster	TBD

Would you like to be a speaker and have a topic of interest to the quality community? Contact the Program Chair (karina@qainsight.com) or Chapter Chairperson (Judy.cheves@Countrywide.com) and let us know what you would like to contribute.

Would you like to contribute information to this Newsletter? Contact the Newsletter editor at this address: scqaasf_newsletter@sbcglobal.net.

The SCQAA San Fernando Board holds monthly Board Meetings at Serena Inc. in Woodland Hills. If you would like to attend the Board meeting and would like to help this chapter, please contact Judy Cheeves at E-Mail (Judy.cheves@Countrywide.com ) to obtain the meeting schedule and location.

Subscription Information

"Quality In Blue" e-mails are never sent unsolicited. SCQAA-SF only sends e-mails to registered members. To unsubscribe, send just the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line to: scqaasf_newsletter@sbcglobal.net. If someone forwarded this newsletter to you and you want your own free subscription, e-mail to scqaasf_newsletter@sbcglobal.net

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We'd love to hear from you. Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please help us respond to your requests and input by writing to one of the Board members. See our contact list at http://scqaa.us/contact.php

Privacy policy: We will not distribute your name or e-mail address to anyone, other than for SCQAA or QAI chapter purposes.

Directions to Our Meeting Location in Simi Valley:

You might want to check out driving directions from your starting point on yahoo.com, but here is how you will finish the trip:

Countrywide Financial 2900 Madera Road, Simi Valley, CA 93065 1C Central Lobby Presentation & Video Make your way to CA-118 and go to Simi Valley Exit CA-118 on Madera Road North Go 0.3 miles then turn right on North Madera Road Go 0.3 miles past Countrywide Way to first driveway on the right: 2900 North Madera Road. Follow the driveway up and around the building on your right and park on the other side (which is actually the front). Conference room 1C is right off the main lobby.