by: Er. Manu Bansal Deptt of IT Software Quality Assurance

What is Software Quality Assurance (SQA)? “Set of systematic activities providing evidence of the ability of the software process to produce a software product that is fit to use”

What is SQA? Monitoring processes and products throughout the software development lifecycle to ensure the quality of the delivered product(s) Monitoring the processes –Provides management with objective feedback regarding process compliance to approved plans, procedures, standards, and analyses Monitoring the products –Focus on the quality of product within each phase of the SDLC e.g., requirements, test plan, architecture, etc. –Objective: identify and remove defects throughout the lifecycle, as early as possible

Software Quality Assurance What is “quality”? IEEE Glossary: Degree to which a system, component, or process meets (1)specified requirements (2)customer or user needs or expectations ISO: the totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bear on its ability to satisfy specified or implied needs

Software Quality Assurance An alternate view of Quality: –is not absolute –is multidimensional, can be difficult to quantify –has aspects that are not easy to measure –assessment is subject to constraints (e.g., cost) –is about acceptable compromises –criteria are not independent, can conflict

Software Quality Assurance Quality Criteria include: –correctness –efficiency –flexibility –integrity –interoperability –maintainability –portability –reliability –reusability –testability –usability

Process Assessment Use of standards and process models has a positive impact on the quality of the software product –Disciplined, controlled development process Examples include: –ISO 9001 –CMM CMU SEI, 5 levels –SPICE Developing a standard for software process assessment ISO joint committee, Europe, Australia –IEEE 1074, IEEE 12207

Product Assessment Reviews, inspections, walkthroughs of Plans, reports, models, standards –Project management, quality assurance, training, test plan(s) –Requirements, analysis, architecture, detailed design model, test cases –Issue or problem reports –Metric reports –Traceability reports –Documentation, –Coding standards

Software Reviews They may include managerial reviews, acquirer- supplier reviews, technical reviews, inspections, walkthroughs, and audits. Inspection: –A formal evaluation technique in which an artifact (e.g., software requirements, design, or code) is examined in detail by a person or group other than the originator –detect faults, violations of development standards, and other problems. –review members are peers (equals) of the designer or programmer. –data is collected during inspections for later analysis and to assist in future inspections.

Problem Reporting, Tracking, and Resolving Describe the practices and procedures to be followed for reporting, tracking, and resolving problems –Who can report a problem? –How is it reported? –How is is tracked? –Who determines if it is a problem that going to be resolved? –How is it assigned for resolution? –How does the person indicate it has been corrected? –Who reviews it to determine if it can be closed? Problems can be product or process related –e.g. incorrect requirement, incomplete class definition, code defect, ambiguous description in user documentation, process to review detailed design is not clearly defined, etc.

Metrics Metrics for each artifact e.g., Requirements –Number of requirements –Number of changes per requirement Called “churn” rate –Characterization of defects Not testable, ambiguous, inconsistent, incorrect, incomplete redundant, infeasible, … Major or minor defect Phase defect detected Cost to fix

Tools, techniques, training What tools? E.g., CVS for CM, excel spreadsheet for problem reporting/tracking,... What techniques? E.g. formal peer review for deliverables, checklists for defect detection,... What training is needed on tools, techniques?

Test Plans (SQAP) Software Quality Assurance Plan –Should be complete near end of requirements Standard sections –Purpose –Reference documents –Management –Documentation –Standards, practices, conventions, metrics Quality measures Testing practices

SQAP Standard sections continued –Reviews and Audits Process and specific reviews –Requirements Review (SRR) –Test Plan Review –Code reviews –Post-mortem review –Risk Management Tie-in QA to overall risk mgmt. Plan –Problem Reporting and Corrective Action –Tools, Techniques, Methodologies –Records Collection and Retention

Software Quality Traceability Ability to track relationship between work products Ex: how well do requirements/design/test cases match Formal Reviews Conducted at the end of each lifecycle phase SRR, CDR, etc.

QA Roles QA Manager Hires QA team; creates test plans; selects tools; manages team Salary: $50-80K/yr, $50-100/hr Test Developer/Test Engineer Performs functional tests; develops automated scripts Salary: $35-70K/yr, $40-100/hr System Administrator Supports QA functions but not official QA team member Copy Editor/Documentation Writer Supports QA; also not part of official team

Thank You