software quality assurance overview

7/29/2019 Software Quality Assurance Overview

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Software Quality Assurance

Activities


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Standard Definition

Software Quality - Conformance to:

1. explicitly stated functional and performance

requirements,2. explicitly documented development

standards, and

3. implicit characteristics that are expected ofall professionally developed software.


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The Big Question

How do we assure quality?


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SQA Activities

1. Pre-Project Activities

2. Development and Maintenance Activities

3. Error Reduction Infrastructure

4. SQ Management Components

5. SQA System Assessment6. Human Components

Software Quality Assurance by Galin


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SQA Activities


1. Contract Review

2. Development Plan

3. Quality Plan


3. Error Reduction Infrastructure


5. SQA System Assessment

6. Human Components


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Contract Review Process

RFP

1st Draft

Revisions

Final Contract

SOW


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Reality Check...

Q: Why should the software geeks worry

about the contract?

A: Because the software team must do thework and assure the product's quality.

loosely defined requirements

unrealistic budgets unrealistic schedules

A: Contract review is required by ISO 9001


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What to look for in 1st Draft customer reqs clarified and documented?

alternative approaches examined?

risks identified? costs and time estimates reasonable?

both customer and creator have capacity?

subcontractor participation clear? proprietary rights?

relationship between customer and creator

specified? Galin section 5.3


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Development Plan

that Includes Quality Assurance

Requirements

Specification

Design

Coding

Unit

Testing

Installation &

Training

IntegrationTesting

Maintenance

Review the SRS

Design Reviews

CodingStandards

Validation

ConfigurationC

ontrol

Test Procedures

and Tolerances

Documentation

DefectTracking


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Components of the

Quality Plan Quality Goals

hopefully the SRS is some help

Review Activities schedule, type of reviews, scope, responsible persons

Software Test Plan

type of unit tests and coverage, integration plan

Acceptance Tests for Sub-contract Software

Configuration Tools and ProceduresGalin section 6.3


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SQA Activities



1. Formal Technical Reviews2. Code Inspections

3. Unit Testing, Integration Test, etc. - earlier lecture

3. Error Reduction Infrastructure4. SQ Management Components


6. Human Components


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Types of Evaluations

Formal Reviews conducted by senior personnel or outside experts

uncover potential problems

Inspections and Walkthroughs done by peers

detect problems, adherence to standards, etc.

Verification Unit Test

Integration Test

Usability Test


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SQA Activities



3. Error Reduction Infrastructure1. work procedures - more details in a later lecture

2. templates and checklists - later lecture

3. staff training - at end of course

4. preventive actions - later lecture

5. configuration control - earlier lecture6. document control



6. Human Components


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Definitions

procedure - general methodology

work instructions - details of how to implementthose procedures for this project

template - a standard Table of Contents

checklist - list of items that are part of an

activity


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Example Types of Work Instructions

audit process for subcontractors

design documentation templates

C++ programming instructions

coordination and cooperation with the customer

follow-up of beta site reporting

monthly progress reporting

etc...

Galin: page 316


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SQA Activities



3. Error Reduction Infrastructure4. QA Management Components

Project Progress schedules, budgets, risk analysis, - earlier lectures

Quality Metrics- earlier lecture Quality Costs


6. Human Components


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Statistical SQA1. Info about defects are collected and categorized.

2. Defects are traced to their root cause.

3. Isolate the vital 20%

4. Move to correct problems that caused defects.

Pareto Principle:

80% of defects can be traced

to 20% of causes.

SSQA is similar to

"Six Sigma"


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How much SQA is cost effective?

Software Quality

CostsInitialCost of SQA

Cost of Failure

SQA

+

Failure

Optimal Quality Level

Eventual

Cost of SQA


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Real NumbersCost of Software Quality for 15 Projects at Raytheons

Equipment Division

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Perce

ntage

oftotalproject

cost

Year

CMM level 3Start of intiative

CMM level 1

TCoSQ

Prevention

ReworkAppraisal

Cost of

Conformance

Rework

87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96

http://www2.umassd.e

du/swpi/costmodeling/p

apers/scoqpap1.doc


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What are the SQA Costs

Contract Reviews

SRS Reviews

Design Reviews Code Walkthrough Checklists

creating the checklists

training people to use the checklists

filling out the checklists

reviewing the checklists data

auditing the checklist process


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even more SQA Costs

Tools o' Plenty progress tracking tool

estimation and scheduling tools

testing tools

Metrics time spent creating forms and gathering the data

time spent analyzing performance data

Yadda yadda yadda etc

etc

etc


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but don't forget to ask

What are the costs of not conducting

SQA?

inaccurate proposal => inaccurate time

estimate => unhappy customer

poor SRS => expensive and time

consuming changes to design

etc etc etc


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SQA Activities





Quality Management Standards

SEI CMM ISO 9001

6. Human Components

Details o'plenty at end of semester


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SQA Activities





6. Human Components

Management

SQA Unit


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The SQA Group Participates in the development of the project's software

process description.

Reviews software engineering activities to verify compliance

with the defined process.

Audits designated software work products to verify compliance

with those defined as part of the software process.

Ensures that deviations in software work and work products are

documented and handled according to a documented

procedure.

Records any noncompliance and reports to senior

management.

Coordinates and controls change.

Helps collect and analyze metrics.


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Summary

"Quality" includes explicit and implied propertiesas well as the development process.

Reviews are a key part of SQA.

An SQA Group is highly recommended.

QA must be part of the plan and the schedule.

SSQA is a commonly used formal approach to

process improvement.

software quality assurance overview

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