Lecture 7: Software Quality
41 Questions
0 Views

Choose a study mode

Play Quiz
Study Flashcards
Spaced Repetition
Chat to lesson

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What is the primary purpose of Software Quality Assurance (SQA)?

  • To design and implement the software product.
  • To ensure software products meet customer needs and specified quality standards. (correct)
  • To document all stages of the software development process.
  • To control the budget and schedule of software development.

    • Which of the following is NOT a key component of SQA?

  • Software Quality Metrics
  • Software Quality Control
  • Software Quality Planning
  • Software Quality Testing (correct)

    • What is the main purpose of 'Software Quality Planning' in SQA?

  • To create detailed documentation for the software project.
  • To select and adapt appropriate quality procedures and standards for a specific project. (correct)
  • To monitor the software development process for potential risks.
  • To analyze the performance of the software product after it's released.

    • Which of the following is NOT a benefit of using standards in SQA?

    <p>Reducing development costs by streamlining the software development process. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main purpose of 'Software Quality Metrics' in SQA?

    <p>To collect and analyze quality data to predict and control software quality. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the content, when is it appropriate to tailor standards in SQA?

    <p>When the standards are too extensive for the specific task at hand. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes the role of 'Software Quality Control' in SQA?

    <p>To define and enforce quality procedures and standards within the software development team. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following elements is NOT included in ISO - 9001?

    <p>Software Quality (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the provided content, which of the following is NOT a characteristic of mature organizations?

    <p>ISO is the only source of Software Development Standards (SDS) (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Quality assurance activities primarily focus on ___

    <p>The process used to create the product and its adherence to standards (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is an example of a quality control activity?

    <p>Conducting code reviews to identify potential bugs and inconsistencies (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary goal of Software Quality Control (SQC)?

    <p>To ensure compliance with established standards and procedures throughout the software development process. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a common misconception about the relationship between process and product quality in software development?

    <p>Software development can be seen as a manufacturing process where production line quality directly affects the product quality. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a method of software quality control?

    <p>System Analysis (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main difference between a 'Peer review' and a 'Walkthrough'?

    <p>Peer reviews involve more preparation than walkthroughs. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a similarity between ISO - 9001 elements and Software Quality elements?

    <p>Inspection and test status (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of review is usually associated with tracing a requirement from customer needs to test procedures?

    <p>Walkthrough (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following concepts is NOT mentioned in the content as an element of obtaining quality?

    <p>Defect prevention (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary reason why the 'factory approach' for software quality does not work?

    <p>Software products are highly complex and require creative problem-solving. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is responsible for writing Quality Engineering Records (QERs)?

    <p>Quality Engineers (SQEs) (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of an 'Engineering Dry-run' test?

    <p>To ensure the test procedures are accurate and complete. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following activities is NOT directly related to product identification and traceability in software development?

    <p>Conducting code walkthroughs to identify potential defects (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which method of review involves individuals reviewing products on their own and submitting comments directly to the author(s)?

    <p>Desk inspection (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of form is used to document issues found during 'Engineering Dry-run' tests?

    <p>STR form (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the frequency of 'Quality Audits'?

    <p>Bi-weekly (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who is primarily responsible for conducting 'SQE Dry-run' tests?

    <p>Quality Engineers (SQEs) (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main purpose of the tests mentioned in the first paragraph?

    <p>To identify and document any issues before the product is released to the customer. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary role of SQE in the context of the tests described in the first paragraph?

    <p>To ensure the tests are conducted according to established standards and procedures. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following tests are specifically mentioned as being conducted 'run-for-record'?

    <p>FAT and SAT (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the key difference between SQE Audits and Independent Audits?

    <p>SQE Audits are conducted by internal personnel while Independent Audits are conducted by external parties. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT mentioned as an example of SQE Audits?

    <p>Risk Management (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where are findings from SQE Audits documented?

    <p>QER forms (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    If issues found during an SQE Audit are not resolved, what happens next?

    <p>The findings are escalated to a higher level of management. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who are the recipients of the results from Independent Audits?

    <p>Upper management. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary focus of both SQE and Independent Audits?

    <p>Compliance with established standards and procedures. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding the tests mentioned in the text?

    <p>The results of the tests are used to make improvements to the product before it is released. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of the build freeze in software development?

    <p>To ensure that no changes are introduced during formal testing, maintaining a stable testing environment. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main benefit of having an independent SQA team?

    <p>It provides an objective perspective on the software development process and identifies potential problems. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following activities is NOT typically included in an SQA plan?

    <p>Detailed specifications of the software product being developed. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of the SQA team in relation to the Software Engineers?

    <p>To work alongside the Software Engineers, providing assistance and ensuring quality throughout the development process. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the core idea behind "Quality is FREE, If it’s Everyone’s Responsibility!"?

    <p>Everyone on the team should strive for quality, resulting in a high-quality product without significant additional cost. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Lecture 7: Software Quality

    • The lecture is about software quality, quality assurance, quality control, and reliability concepts.

    Outline

    • Software Quality
    • Quality Assurance
    • Quality Control
    • Reliability Concepts

    What is Software Quality Assurance?

    • (No specific details given)

    What is Quality?

    • Quality is when a developed product meets its specifications.
    • Problems can arise when:
      • Developer requirements exceed customer specifications, increasing development costs.
      • Certain quality characteristics (like maintainability) are difficult or impossible to define precisely.
      • Even if a product meets specifications, users may not consider it high quality if they weren't involved in defining the requirements.

    Quality

    • Quality is defined as "fitness for purpose."
    • The customer decides if a product has quality.
    • Easy-to-observe qualities include ease of interaction, graphical user interface (GUI) design, and freedom from errors.
    • Harder-to-observe qualities include security and future maintainability.

    Quality (cont.)

    • Customers don't always know what they want.
    • Asking customers what they do, instead of what they want, is sometimes more helpful.
    • Customer desires regarding software quality are often not listed as top 10 features. Instead, important quality factors are reliability, usability, consistency, etc.
    • Building quality software hinges on meeting customer needs, not just what they explicitly say they want.

    What is Quality Management?

    • Quality management ensures the required level of product quality is achieved.
    • Procedures and standards are defined and applied in the product and process.
    • Checking the follow-up of procedures is important.
    • Collecting and analyzing quality data is crucial.
    • Intangible aspects of software quality (like elegance and readability) are hard or impossible to standardize.

    Software Quality Assurance (SQA)

    • SQA is more than just testing—it's a collection of practices designed to minimize low-quality product risks.
      • Quality is "fitness for purpose"
      • Assurance is to be assured, be certain, and prevent defects.

    What are SQA, SQP, SQC, and SQM?

    • SQA is a systematic approach to ensuring software products and processes meet quality standards and user needs.
    • SQP involves selecting and adapting appropriate procedures and standards based on specific software project goals & quality objectives.
    • SQC defines and enforces processes to ensure quality procedures and standards are followed by the team.
    • SQM collects and analyzes quality data to predict and control software product quality.

    SQA Cont.

    • SQA encompasses a variety of activities, including assessing products, managing testing, planning and development testing, automation, execution, QA project management, defect management, triage, metrics, and audits.
    • It includes various processes like assessment, improvement, risk management, estimating and scheduling, release criteria, defect reporting, release process, project retrospection, change and peer review, verification and validation.

    The Software Quality Iceberg

    • There are internal and external aspects of software quality, which are visible and invisible.
    • Internal quality aspects include coding practices, testability, maintainability, readability and flexibility; while external quality factors include correctness, efficiency, reliability, and program structure.

    Why are Standards Important?

    • Standards encapsulate best practices.
    • They provide a framework for quality assurance processes.
    • They ensure work continuity regardless of who is doing the work.
    • While standards are important, they should be tailored to the specific project, if they are overly extensive.

    SDS a Simplistic Approach

    • ISO is not the only source of software development standards.
    • Independent process and product standards are established.
    • Product standards are not created by SQA.

    Quality Standards

    • (Specific certification details from document)

    ISO - 9001 Elements

    • Lists many elements for quality system requirements, software quality responsibilities, and more.

    Process and Product Quality

    • The quality of the development process directly impacts the quality of the final products.
    • A factory-style approach doesn’t work for software; software is designed, not manufactured.

    Obtaining Quality

    • Quality control measures the quality of products produced (e.g., integration testing and code reviews).
    • Quality assurance focuses on the process (e.g., ensuring all testing is conducted thoroughly).

    Software Quality Control

    • Methods for overseeing the software development process to ensure standards are met.

    Methods of Software Quality Control

    • Quality reviews—in-process assessments of processes and products to ensure quality. Quality reviews are responsible for writing Quality Engineering Records.
    • Testing—assessments conducted after development, focused on verifying product results.
    • Quality Audits—in-process process verifications to ensure compliance with standards.

    Quality Reviews (cont.)

    • Peer reviews involve groups of people reviewing processes and products. Thorough pre-review preparation is essential.
    • Walkthroughs are reviews of products where participants are usually less formally prepared (e.g., tracing requirements to test procedures).
    • Desk inspections are reviews by individuals where they submit feedback informally and individually.

    Tests (cont.)

    • Engineering dry-runs are performed by engineers and used to vet test procedures and the final product's readiness for release.
    • SQE dry-runs are conducted by the software quality engineer (SQE) to verify the end product before formal customer testing.
    • TFR or (run-for-record) tests are performed with the SQE and the customer to conclude testing the end product before sale.

    Quality Audits (cont.)

    • SQE audits are conducted by the SQE to ensure adherence to process standards (e.g., compliance, control, and management). QER forms document these results which are then escalated to upper management.
    • Independent audits are conducted by independent entities to verify process standards (usually at a divisional or facility level).

    Defect Detection

    • Formal bug identification involves quality reviews and testing.

    A Bug's Life

    • Detailed process flows of how a bug is tracked and resolved.

    Defect Prevention

    • Defect prevention establishes practices to reduce reliance on bug detection, focusing on the broader process, metrics, risk-analysis, and control activities to prevent defects from occurring in the first place.

    Continuity and Independence of SQA

    • SQA teams need independence to provide objective feedback on processes.
    • Processes may need to be tailored based on software specifics.
    • Standards need to consistently apply regardless of task size or type.
    • Quality is the responsibility of everyone.

    Continuity and Independence of SQA (cont.)

    • SQA teams should assist software engineers in their quality assurance and quality control activities.
    • SQA teams do not directly work on projects.
    • Their role is to help software engineers produce high-quality products..

    The SQA Plan

    • An SQA plan is created at the start of the project.
    • Components include evals, reviews of standards, error tracking procedures and reports, and feedback to the project team

    SQA Activities

    • SQA supports selecting the appropriate process, reviews of software engineer activities & work products, ensuring correct deviation reporting, and documentation of any non-compliance. Feedback may be relayed to management.

    What is Reliability?

    • Reliability is a broad concept measured as a key aspect of quality, particularly related to system operation and user experience. If users rarely experience failures, the system is considered more reliable.
      • System reliability is a user-centric quality measurement.
      • Fault-free systems are the most reliable.
      • "Acceptable" failure rates are important aspects of reliability.

    What is Reliability? (cont.)

    • Failure occurs when the observed outcome of a program execution differs from the expected.
    • A fault is the identified cause of a failure, often stemming from a defective code block.
    • Time is a significant concept in evaluating reliability; short time gaps between failures result in lower reliability.
      • Execution time, or Calendar time, contribute to reliability evaluations.

    Definitions of Software Reliability

    • A first definition of software reliability is the probability of failure-free system operation over a specified time and environment. The definition contains key elements of probability, time duration, and operating environment.
    • A second definition of software reliability is the failure intensity; a measure of reliability in a specific operation environment. Measured by frequency of failures over a specific period.

    Factors Influencing Software Reliability

    • A user’s perception of reliability depends on the number of faults and how users interact with the system.
    • Factors influencing fault count include code size and complexity, development process characteristics, developer skills, and the operational environment.

    Q & A, Any Questions?

    Studying That Suits You

    Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

    Quiz Team

    Related Documents

    Lecture 7 Software Quality PDF

    Description

    Explore the essential concepts of software quality, including quality assurance, quality control, and various reliability factors. This lecture examines how quality is defined by customer specifications and the challenges involved in ensuring high-quality products. Gain insights into effective practices for maintaining software standards.

    More Like This

    Use Quizgecko on...
    Browser
    Open
    Browser
    Browser