Product Quality and Process

Quality.CHAPTER-4

Product-Software Applications(final outcome of SDLC)

Process-Steps followed to create s/w. eg: Analysis, Design… SDLC stages.

Quality is common in attribute and it is different for process and product.

Product Qualiy:

1)Business Req Complex,

So process->complex,literate ,customer demands and more.

1)s/w is not a mass production.eg:cellphone.groupof members develop one

2)s/w will degrade over time(will not wear out).

Windows98-> not in use

Enhanced version is used now

3) s/w is assembled from existing component( component reuse)

h/w characteristics:

1)mass production (in lakhs)

2)h/w will wear out

3)assembling will be done by fresh component but reusability is rare.

3) PRODUCT QUALITY

-good infrastructure is required to create quality.ex:rational rose for UML

-framework/ infrastructure is mainly for process( blackboard->

->attributes are defined in 2 levels

-development

-delivery

1)s/w attributes

-standards and practices must be define d early

1)reliability: s/w should not fail

2)usability: easy to use

3)functionality: words spell check

4)maintenance: to what extent sw can be modified in future

Classification of s/w application attributes

1)performance attribute: execution characteristics how it works in real environment

2)form attribute: appearance( look and feel) how it appears

3)processing attribute: processing characteristic . how system s/w carries out it

4)function attribute: describes the functionality of the s/w that is the action
performed

5)operational integrity:

-describes reliability, system control and operational support

-degree of user requirement support

6)maintainability: the ability to accommodate changing requirements in a simple

1.Mc calls factor- Criteria Metric Model

-this model was originally developed for the US airforce and for evaluating s/w
product quality

Basic Theme:

Any s/w product will have high level quality factors and these factors can be
defined in terms of criteria

Each criteria is measured with metrices(rating or measurement)

Purpose of model:

To define the characteristics of s/w products to be assessed

To suggest methods to capture the characteristics

Ex: high level , usability, modularity

-main focus of the model is on the final product

-this model will identify for quality attributes( key factors) from user point of view

-quality criteria is obtained by decomposing high level quality factors into low
level attributes

-reliability, accuracy, completeness, consistency( uniformity) [refer table pg

2)The ISO 9126 standard quality model

-multiple models for quality existed

-users wanted a single model/ universal (assessment people) model which makes
comparison easier

-Mc call’s model is used as a base to derive a new model basis for international
standard for quality assessment
-this name of model is ‘s/w product evaluation: quality characteristics and
guidelines for their use’

-code-> ISO 9126

-definition for s/w quality: “pg 87”

Quality Factors:

-functionality

-reliability

-attributes are comprehensive

-each factor can be broken into multiple levels

Other models:

Goal – metric model – developed by basiliand rombach basic idea:- metric are
derived from measurement goals and questions –related to quality characteristics .
Define –your – own – model approach–

-developed by gilb and kitchenham

-based on evolutionary software development (evolutionary models are iterative .

- similar to MC calls model – high level factors decomposed into measurable

-as per gilbs approach, a product will be delivered in increments ( ie module wise ).

-prioritization of modules becomes essential to determining incremental sequence.

- a large project may have number of moduels. Modules should

-priority is decided given by priority using the key software attributes.

- eg page 90.

- COQUAMO(constructive quality model)

-based on gilbs model .

-supported by automated tool(ie quality is evaluated using automated tools)

-E SPRIT project

- at times , quality attributes conflict each other.

Requirement collector must be aware of attribute conflicts .

-[efficiency and low cost – both attributes conflict each other]

-quality metric definition by IEEE standard :- a quantitative

5. process quality

Software quality is defined as “totality (sum ) of features and characteristics of a

-process quality – quality of those steps used to create a product

Two models exist to evaluate quality of a process

1.US standard -> ISO 9001

2.UK standard -> process maturity model.

3. Eropian standard -> capability maturity model.

Process has well defined beginning and end.

1 ISO 9000 series – Quality Mangement Standard(9000 to 9004) .

- ISO 9001 refers to a process approach for managing an organization. This

- Sub section are available for management , quality system , internal audit
and corrective actions

- ISO standards will demand the following plans [ISO standard check various
documents of product]
 • Development plan

• Quality plan

• Test plan

• Maintenance plan

- Each plan has a proper format or structure (activities ).

- A set of standards that support ISO 9003

- Each one is a process

• Configuration management

• Documentation control

• Quality record maintanence

• Process and product measurement

• Adoption of rules, practices and conventions

• Use of tools and techniques[eg : CASE tools , debugging tools, testing

• Purchasing hardware or software

• procedure for included software

• Training

- Role of ISO 9001 in the evaluation of a software product :-

• Designed for two parties

• Purchaser

• Supplier

• Also used for independent assessment

• Improve process quality

• It will not develop good quality process just for checking process
quality . process certificate are awarded for product that are
evaluated .

- 2. Matutity model for process quality :-

- Level 1 – Initial

- Level 2 – repeatable

- Level3 – defined

- Level 4- managed

- Level5 – optimal

These are five levels of capability maturity model -> used by organization to
evaluate process quality .

Capability maturity model is based on key process areas – commitment to

-basic assumption of process quality models is that if the quality of the s/w
development process is good then product quality will be good.

-capability maturity model is only for s/w [but ISO 9000-9003 for s/w]

-in general ISO standards are used for s/w company , manufacturing company ,
institutions, govt sector