Certified to succeed Express Computers (IT People), March 14, 2003 Ajay Batra holds the sole distinction of being the only Asian who is a lead assessor for both software and People-CMM®. He reveals to Punita Jasrotia that success has not come easy for him While most IT professionals feel apprehensive as soon as they hear the word “assessments”, for Ajay Batra, the lead assessor and consulting partner of QAI (a joint venture between QAI, US, and Intecos), it is a way of life. He holds the distinction of being the first and only Asian (and the fifth person in the world), to be authorised as a lead assessor for both software and People Capability Maturity Model (CMM®) by US-based Software Engineering Institute (SEISM). The institute is the only body that certifies lead assessors. In 1997, Batra became the authorised worldwide instructor for Software-CMM®, (SEISM certified), and the next year became the certified quality analyst for software, from QAI Florida in 1998. In 1999 again, he became the authorised lead assessor for Software-CMM®, certified by SEISM and in 2000, the lead assessor for People-CMM®, certified by the same institute. Professionally, he has worked with very few companies, but he holds an extensive worldwide experience in developing and managing state-of-the-art software systems for the financial, insurance and telecommunication industries. Besides this, he also has an in-depth understanding of translating business needs into efficient and high quality software applications, using models like the Software-CMM®. As a consultant, he has been helping software organisations understand critical organisational components like business, technology, process and people. It has however not been an easy career journey. Batra best describes it as an “arduous” one, requiring an equal amount of investments in terms of hardwork and time. “It is persistent efforts, which need to be shown to achieve your goal,” he says. Batra started his career after doing his BE in Computer Engineering (in 1988), from the Delhi Institute of Technology and MS in Computer Science (in 1990), from the Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey, US. During 1989-90, he also worked with Bellcore, New Jersey, as a research associate. He contributed to the research in the area of artificial intelligence for telecommunication systems. He was also involved in analysing inter-operability of various Bellcore hardware and software systems, and setup a Model Working Centre to facilitate cross-application interfacing and reuse. Soon after he joined Citibank, where he worked in the area of Funds Transfer Network (FTN), managing software systems that transferred over $350 billion electronically to its clients worldwide, using a networked and heterogeneous combination of mainframe, mini and micro computers. “After working for a couple of years I soon realised that what really attracted me were the quality and processes of software and that’s when I decided to make a shift in my career,” he says. At this juncture Citibank played a supportive role, and helped him get certified with SEISM, bringing him more closer to his area of interest. Later, he joined John Hancock Mutual Insurance Company, Boston, as a lead software process consultant. The job was to work with the Chief Technology Office to advise, train and implement in the area of software process improvement using the Capability Maturity Model, for client-server and mainframe applications. However, with the scene becoming more positive (in terms of software development) in the Indian market, Batra decided to make a shift. “I was wanting to come back to India and when QAI offered me this position as a partner, I decided to opt for it. It was more of an opportunity of being an entrepreneur, involved in evolving the business strategy for the company. Also, quality was being viewed as a necessary component and that’s where I came in,” he says. In 1997, Batra joined QAI as a consulting partner. He played a critical role in the company’s success, from being just a training player to a global consultant. In Asia, QAI became the first organisation to be authorised by SEISM, US to offer P-CMM® assessments globally and also the first organisation to have undergone P-CMM® assessments. He has been a lead consultant for various software companies (in India, US, Singapore, Europe), in the areas of software engineering, management, quality assurance and risk management. His task has primarily been enabling organisations to align their business strategy with people development and process implementation. Batra has also been involved in leading consulting assignments in the country, for companies like Mastek, Sonata Software, ST Microelectronics, iDLX Technology Partners, HCL Infosystems, etc. Authorised by SEISM to conduct its official introduction to CMM® training. He has been involved in training hundreds of professionals. Batra very often makes presentations at international software conferences and regularly wrBPO technical and business papers for international software engineering journals. The writer can be contacted at punita@expresscomputeronline.com Back