managing quality in software engineering

8/2/2019 Managing Quality in Software Engineering

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Managing Quality inSoftware Engineering



Quality Problem in Software

Engineering

Classical definitions: Failure free operation

Meeting its specifications

Resulting Problems: Different concerns about quality – customer (e.g.

user friendliness, performance) v/s developer(e.g. reliability, reusability)

Ambiguity of requirements specifications

Changing requirements

Customer not satisfied with software process

Component used might not be of good quality



Quality Solution

No miracle solution

IEEE definition:

The degree to which a system, component, orprocess meets specified requirements

The degree to which a system, component, orprocess meets customer or users needs or

expectations Need to put in place procedures to improve

quality continuously/ look at various aspectsof quality



Quality Management

Framework

Quality assurance Establish organisational procedures and standards for

quality

Quality planning Select applicable procedures and standards for a particular

project and modify these as required

Quality control Ensure that procedures and standards are followed by the

software development team

Quality management v/s Project Management – donot compromise on quality due to pressure ondeadlines - only good quality will ensure businessfrom returning customers



Standards

Importance:

Encapsulate best practice

Provide a framework for quality assurance

Helpful for new entrants in project to beoperational

Dangers

Not relevant

Involve too much paperwork

Develop the culture of “just complying with”



Standards

Recommendations:

Involve practitioners

Ensure standards are relevant and uptodate

Provide software tools to minimise paperwork

Try to develop quality culture which is morefocused on real quality improvement as opposed

to pure compliance with procedures



Process and Product Quality

Quality always involves both the process and theproduct

Product is the result of a process => a good process

will result in good product In software engineering, this link is not as

straightforward – other factors to be considered:

Impact of individual skills and experience

Novelty/maturity of technology being used

Pressures on deadlines



Process / Product Quality

Define processDevelop product

Assess productquality

Standardize process

Improve process

QualityOK

No Yes



Quality Plan

Quality Goals – focus on a wide variety ofdesired quality attributes (use taxonomies) – be as explicit and avoid being vague

Planned review activities – different activitieswhich will ensure quality is built into theproduct

Software Testing Process – describe howtesting is going to be done – when test planswill be developed



Reviews

Main technique for validating quality in product andprocess

Different types with different objectives:

Inspections for defect removal (product) – used with achecklist of possible errors

Progress Reviews for progress assessment (product andprocess) – project monitoring

Quality reviews (product and standards) – check againstspecifications or more broad quality attributes [peer review,expert opinion, formal technical review]

managing quality in software engineering

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