Standard : Excellence in engineering practices

Purpose and Strategic Importance

This standard ensures that robust engineering practices form the foundation of product development. By embedding excellence across testing, quality, design, and operations, teams create scalable, resilient solutions that stand the test of time.

It supports our policy "Engineering Excellence First". Without this focus, teams risk fragile products, rising technical debt, and reduced trust in delivery.

Strategic Impact

• Higher product quality and reliability
• Reduced long-term maintenance costs
• Greater confidence from stakeholders in delivery capability

Risks of Not Having This Standard

• Increased defect rates and rework
• Fragile systems that fail under pressure
• Low morale due to firefighting and unstable environments

CMMI Maturity Model

Level 1 – Initial

• Practices are inconsistent and dependent on individuals

Level 2 – Managed

• Some engineering standards exist but are unevenly applied

Level 3 – Defined

• Practices are standardised across teams and embedded in workflows

Level 4 – Quantitatively Managed

• Quality and performance metrics drive engineering improvements

Level 5 – Optimising

• Engineering excellence is continuously improved and shared as a cultural norm

Key Measures

• Defect escape rate (pre-prod vs prod)
• Mean time to recovery (MTTR)
• Adherence to engineering standards
• Team satisfaction with quality practices