Introduction to Quality Imran Hussain

Project Development Costs Around 63% of software projects exceed their cost estimates. The top four reasons for this are: Around 63% of software projects exceed their cost estimates. The top four reasons for this are: Frequent requests for changes from users Frequent requests for changes from users Overlooked tasks Overlooked tasks Users' lack of understanding of their own requirements Users' lack of understanding of their own requirements Insufficient user-analyst communication and understanding Insufficient user-analyst communication and understanding (Communications of the ACM)

Finding Information Users can only find information 42% of the time Users can only find information 42% of the time (Jared Spool)

Finding Items 62% of web shoppers give up looking for the item they want to buy online 62% of web shoppers give up looking for the item they want to buy online (Zona Research)

Lost Sales 50% of the potential sales from a site are lost because people cannot find the item they are looking for 50% of the potential sales from a site are lost because people cannot find the item they are looking for (Forrester Research)

Software Maintenance Costs 80% of software lifecycle costs occur after the product is released, in the maintenance phase - of that work, 80 % is due to unmet or unforeseen user requirements; only 20 % is due to bugs or reliability problems. 80% of software lifecycle costs occur after the product is released, in the maintenance phase - of that work, 80 % is due to unmet or unforeseen user requirements; only 20 % is due to bugs or reliability problems. (IEEE Software)

What is Quality?

Quality is conformance to specifications (British Defense Industries Quality Assurance Panel)

Quality is conformance to requirements (Philip Crosby)

Quality is fitness for purpose or use (Juran)

Quality is a predictable degree of uniformity and dependability, at low cost and suited to the market (Edward Deming)

Quality is synonymous with customer needs and expectations (R J Mortiboys)

Quality is meeting the (stated) requirements of the customer- now and in the future (Mike Robinson)

Quality is the total composite product and service characteristics of marketing, engineering, manufacturing and maintenance through which the product and service in use will meet the expectations by the customer (Armand Feigenbaum)

Totality of characteristics of an entity that bear on its ability to satisfy stated and implied needs (ISO 8402 : 1994)

What is a Product?

Product A generic term that refers to A generic term that refers to Goods Goods Services Services Failure to meet quality requirements in either dimension can have serious negative consequences Failure to meet quality requirements in either dimension can have serious negative consequences

Another definition The extent to which a software product exhibits these characteristics The extent to which a software product exhibits these characteristics Functionality Functionality Reliability Reliability Usability Usability Efficiency Efficiency Maintainability Maintainability Portability Portability

Managing Quality

Project quality management must address both the management of the project and the product of the project PMBOK

… implied needs must be turned into requirements … PMBOK

What is a Grade?

A category or rank given to entities having the same functional use but different technical characteristics

Difference between Quality and Grade Software Scenario 1 Software Scenario 1 High quality (no bugs, readable manual) High quality (no bugs, readable manual) Low grade (limited number of features) Low grade (limited number of features) Software Scenario 2 Software Scenario 2 Low quality (many bugs, poorly organized user documentation) Low quality (many bugs, poorly organized user documentation) High grade (numerous features) High grade (numerous features)

Quality Management Issues Customer satisfaction Customer satisfaction Conformance to requirements Conformance to requirements Fitness for use Fitness for use Prevention over inspection Prevention over inspection Management responsibility Management responsibility

Quality Management Issues The application of a quality management system in managing a process to achieve maximum customer satisfaction at the lowest overall cost to the organization while continuing to improve the process The application of a quality management system in managing a process to achieve maximum customer satisfaction at the lowest overall cost to the organization while continuing to improve the process

Quality Management Includes the processes required to ensure that the project will satisfy the needs for which it was undertaken Includes the processes required to ensure that the project will satisfy the needs for which it was undertaken Includes all activities of the overall management function that determine the quality policy, objectives, and responsibilities Includes all activities of the overall management function that determine the quality policy, objectives, and responsibilities

Quality Management Processes Quality Planning Quality Planning Quality Assurance Quality Assurance Quality Control Quality Control

Quality Planning Quality planning involves identifying which quality standards are relevant to the project and determining how to satisfy them

Quality Assurance Quality Assurance is all the planned and systematic activities implemented within the quality system to provide confidence that the project will satisfy the relevant quality standards. Quality Assurance is all the planned and systematic activities implemented within the quality system to provide confidence that the project will satisfy the relevant quality standards.

Quality Control Quality Control involves monitoring specific project results to determine if they comply with relevant quality standards, and identifying ways to eliminate causes of unsatisfactory results Quality Control involves monitoring specific project results to determine if they comply with relevant quality standards, and identifying ways to eliminate causes of unsatisfactory results

Prevention and Inspection Prevention Prevention Keeping errors out of the process Keeping errors out of the process Inspection Inspection Keeping errors put of the hands of the customer. Keeping errors put of the hands of the customer.

Some Misnomers and Misconceptions QA QA Testing Testing SQA SQA QC QC

References PMBOK PMBOK An Introduction to Software Quality An Introduction to Software Quality