The book presents a comprehensive discussion on software quality issues and software quality assurance (SQA) principles and practices, and lays special emphasis on implementing and managing SQA. Primarily designed to serve three audiences; universities and college students, vocational training participants, and software engineers and software development managers, the book may be applicable to all personnel engaged in a software projects Features: A broad view of SQA. The book delves into SQA issues, going beyond the classic boundaries of custom-made software development to also cover in-house software development, subcontractors, and readymade software. An up-to-date wide-range coverage of SQA and SQA related topics. Providing comprehensive coverage on multifarious SQA subjects, including topics, hardly explored till in SQA texts. A systematic presentation of the SQA function and its tasks: establishing the SQA processes, planning, coordinating, follow-up, review and evaluation of SQA processes. Focus on SQA implementation issues. Specialized chapter sections, examples, implementation tips, and topics for discussion. Pedagogical support: Each chapter includes a real-life mini case study, examples, a summary, selected bibliography, review questions and topics for discussion. The book is also supported by an Instructor’s Guide.

Table of Contents:
Preface xvii Acknowledgments xxi About the Author xxiii Guides for Special Groups of Readers xxv Part I Introduction 1 1. SQA – Definitions and Concepts 3 1.1 Software quality and software quality assurance – definitions 3 1.2 What is a software product? 5 1.3 The principles of SQA 7 1.4 Software errors, faults, and failures 7 1.5 The causes of software errors 11 1.6 Software quality assurance versus software quality control 16 1.7 Software quality engineering and software engineering 17 Summary 18 Selected bibliography 20 Review questions 20 Topics for discussion 21 2. Software Quality Factors (attributes) 23 2.1 Complaints from the City Computer Club members – an introductory mini case 23 2.2 The need for comprehensive software quality requirements 24 2.3 McCall’s classic model for software quality factors 25 2.4 The ISO/IEC 25010 model and other alternative models of software quality factors 33 2.5 Software compliance with quality factors 38 Summary 41 Selected bibliography 42 Review questions 43 Topics for discussion 44 3. The Software Quality Challenges 45 3.1 Introduction 45 3.2 The uniqueness of software quality assurance 45 3.3 Software development, maintenance, and SQA environment 49 Summary 55 Review questions 56 Topics for discussion 56 4. Organization for Assuring Software Quality 58 4.1 Introduction 58 4.2 Top management’s quality assurance activities 59 4.3 Department managers with direct responsibilities for quality 63 4.4 Project management responsibilities for quality 65 4.5 The SQA unit and its associated players in the SQA system 66 4.6 The associated players in the SQA system 71 Summary 74 Selected bibliography 77 Review questions 77 Topics for discussion 79 5. The SQA World – An Overview 81 5.1 First area: introductory topics (Part I of the book) 81 5.2 Second area: SQA process implementation activities (Part II of the book) 83 5.3 Third area: product assurance activities for conformance (Part III of the book) 87 5.4 Fourth area: process assurance activities for conformance (Part IV of the book) 91 5.5 Fifth area: additional tools and methods supporting software quality (Part V of the book) 96 5.6 Sixth area: Appendices (Part VI of the book) 99 5.7 The SQA Hall of Fame 103 Part II SQA Process Implementation Activities 105 6. Establishing SQA Processes and Their Coordination With Relevant Software Processes 107 6.1 Establishing SQA processes 107 6.2 Coordinating SQA processes with related software processes 108 Summary 109 Selected bibliography 110 Review questions 110 Topics for discussion 110 7. SQA Plan and Project Plan 111 7.1 Introduction 111 7.2 The process of preparing an SQA plan 112 7.3 The SQAP elements 112 7.4 The process of preparing a project plan 116 7.5 Jack thanks his department manager – a mini case 117 7.6 The elements of the project plan 119 7.7 Project plans for small projects and for internal projects 130 Summary 134 Selected bibliography 136 Review questions 136 Topics for discussion 138 Appendix 7.A: Risk management activities and measures 139 8. Preproject Process – Contract Review 141 8.1 The CFV project completion celebration – an introductory mini case 141 8.2 Introduction 142 8.3 The contract review process and its stages 143 8.4 Contract review evaluation subjects 146 8.5 Implementation of a contract review 149 8.6 Contract reviews for internal projects 151 Summary 153 Selected bibliography 154 Review questions 154 Topics for discussion 155 Appendix 8.A: Proposal draft review 157 Appendix 8.B: Contract draft review 161 9. Cost of Software Quality 162 9.1 This time the budget was approved – an introductory mini case 162 9.2 Objectives of cost of software quality measurement 164 9.3 The classic model of cost of software quality 166 9.4 The scope of the cost of software quality – industry figures 170 9.5 An extended model for cost of software quality 171 9.6 Application of a cost of software quality system 175 9.7 Problems in application of CoSQ measurements 179 Summary 181 Selected bibliography 183 Review questions 184 Topics for discussion 186 10. The Effectiveness and Cost of a V&V Plan – the SQA Model 189 10.1 The data required for the SQA model 189 10.2 The SQA model 191 10.3 Application of the SQA model for comparing V&V plans 195 Summary 198 Selected bibliography 199 Review questions 199 Topics for discussion 199 11. SQA Records and Documentation Control 200 11.1 Jeff’s troubles – an introductory mini-case 200 11.2 Introduction 201 11.3 Objectives of documentation control processes 203 11.4 The implementation of documentation control 203 Summary 207 Selected bibliography 208 Review questions 208 Topics for discussion 209 Part III Product Assurance Activities for Conformance 211 12. Evaluation of Products for Conformance 213 12.1 Introduction 213 12.2 The evaluation of project plans for conformance 214 12.3 The evaluation of project’s software products for conformance 215 12.4 Evaluation of project products for acceptability by the customer 216 12.5 The evaluation of project’s operation phase products for conformance 216 12.6 The evaluation of software product by measurements 217 Summary 218 Selected bibliography 219 Review questions 219 Topics for discussion 220 13. Reviews 222 13.1 Introduction 222 13.2 The happy design review – an introductory mini case 224 13.3 Formal design reviews (DRS) 225 13.4 Peer reviews 231 13.5 Expert opinions 244 Summary 247 Selected bibliography 248 Review questions 248 Topics for discussion 250 Appendix 13.A: DR report form 252 Appendix 13.B: Inspection session findings report form 253 Appendix 13.C: Inspection session summary report 254 14. Software Testing 255 14.1 Introduction 255 14.2 Joe decided to skip in-process testing – an introductory mini-case 259 14.3 Software testing strategies 260 14.4 Requirement-driven software testing 272 14.5 Planning of the testing process 280 14.6 Designing the testing process 286 14.7 Implementation of the testing process 287 14.8 Automated testing 289 14.9 Alpha and beta site testing programs 301 14.10 Code review activities for the programming and testing phases 303 Summary 304 Selected bibliography 310 Review questions 312 Topics for discussion 314 15. Assuring Software Quality Conformance for Operation Services 318 15.1 Introduction 318 15.2 HR Software’s success – an introductory mini case 321 15.3 The foundations of high-quality operation services 324 15.4 Software maintenance maturity model – a model for the operation phase 329 15.5 Managerial processes of software operation quality assurance 329 Summary 341 Selected bibliography 342 Review questions 343 Topics for discussion 344 16. Software Product Quality Metrics 346 16.1 What are software quality metrics? – an introduction 346 16.2 Implementation of software quality metrics 349 16.3 Product metrics and their classification 352 16.4 Software product size metrics 353 16.5 Software product attribute metrics 356 Summary 362 Selected bibliography 364 Review questions 366 Topics for discussion 367 Appendix 16.A: FSM method implementation 370 17. Procedures and Work Instructions 375 17.1 Introduction – the need for procedures and work instructions 375 17.2 Superbox pays $9000 in damages due to failing support center – a mini case 376 17.3 Procedures and work instructions and their conceptual hierarchy 378 17.4 Procedures and procedure manuals 378 17.5 Work instructions 382 17.6 Procedures and work instructions: preparation, implementation, and updating 382 Summary 385 Selected bibliography 386 Review questions 386 Topics for discussion 387 Appendix 17.A: Design review procedure 389 Part IV Process Assurance Activities for Conformance 393 18. Evaluation of Processes and Development Environment for Conformance 395 18.1 Introduction 395 18.2 The evaluation of life cycle processes and plans for conformance 396 18.3 The evaluation of the required environment for conformance 397 18.4 The evaluation of subcontractor processes for conformance 398 18.5 The evaluation of software process by measurements 399 18.6 The assessment of staff skills and knowledge 400 Summary 401 Selected bibliography 401 Review questions 402 Topics for discussion 402 19. Improvement Processes – Corrective and Preventive Actions 404 19.1 The “3S” development team – revisited – an introductory mini case 404 19.2 Introduction 406 19.3 The corrective and preventive actions process 407 19.4 Organization for preventive and corrective actions 416 Summary 417 Selected bibliography 418 Review questions 418 Topics for discussion 419 20. Software Process Assurance Activities for External Participants 421 20.1 Introduction 421 20.2 The Pharmax tender – a mini case 424 20.3 Benefits and risks of introducing external performers 427 20.4 Benefits and risks of using readymade software 430 20.5 QA activities for assuring external performers’ process quality 432 20.6 QA activities for assuring quality of readymade software 438 Summary 441 Selected bibliography 444 Review questions 445 Topics for discussion 446 21. Software Process Quality Metrics 448 21.1 Software process metrics – an introduction 448 21.2 North against South – who’ll win this time round? – aminicase 450 21.3 Software development process metrics 452 21.4 Software operation process metrics 460 21.5 Software maintenance process metrics 462 21.6 Management process metrics 466 21.7 Limitations of software metrics 467 Summary 470 Selected bibliography 471 Review questions 472 Topics for discussion 473 22. Software Change Control Processes 476 22.1 Introduction 476 22.2 How a well-planned project lost over half a million dollars – a mini case 477 22.3 The process of handling an SCR 479 22.4 The SCC function in the organization 481 22.5 Software quality assurance activities related to software change control 482 Summary 482 Selected bibliography 483 Review questions 483 Topics for discussion 484 23. Staff Skills and Knowledge – Training and Certification 486 23.1 Introduction 486 23.2 Surprises for the “3S” development team – an introductory mini case 487 23.3 The objectives of training 488 23.4 The staff training process for software development 489 23.5 The training process for the SQA function team 493 23.6 The objectives of certification 495 23.7 The certification process 495 Summary 501 Selected bibliography 503 Review questions 503 Topics for discussion 504 Part V Additional Tools and Methods Supporting Software Quality 507 24. Templates and Checklists 509 24.1 Introduction 509 24.2 Templates 509 24.3 The organizational framework for implementing templates 511 24.4 Checklists 514 24.5 The organizational framework for implementing checklists 516 Summary 518 Selected bibliography 519 Review questions 519 Topics for discussion 520 25. Configuration Management 522 25.1 Introduction 522 25.2 Software configuration items 523 25.3 Release of software configuration versions 526 25.4 Documentation of software configuration versions 531 25.5 Configuration management planning 532 25.6 Provision of SCM information services 534 25.7 Computerized tools for performing configuration management tasks 535 25.8 The software configuration management function in the organization 536 25.9 Software quality assurance activities related to SCM 537 Summary 539 Selected bibliography 541 Review questions 542 Topics for discussion 542 26. CASE TOOLS AND IDEs – IMPACT ON SOFTWARE QUALITY 544 26.1 What is a CASE tool? 544 26.2 The classic CASE tool 546 26.3 IDE CASE tools 548 26.4 Real CASE tools 550 26.5 The contribution of CASE tools to software quality 554 Summary 556 Selected bibliography 557 Review questions 559 Topics for discussion 559 Part VI Appendices 561 Appendix A: Software Development and Quality Assurance Process Standards 563 A. 1 Introduction – standards and their use 563 A. 2 IEEE Std. 730-2014 Standard for software quality assurance 566 A. 3 ISO/IEC Std. 12207-2008: system and software engineering – software life cycle processes 570 A. 4 IEEE Std. 1012-2012 systems and software verification and validation 574 Summary 579 Selected bibliography 581 Review questions 582 Topics for discussion 583 Appendix B: Software Quality Management Standards and Models 585 B. 1 ABC Software Ltd – an unnecessary loss – a mini-case 585 B. 2 The scope of quality management standards 587 B. 3 Software quality management standards as SPI standards 589 B. 4 ISO/IEC90003 590 B. 5 Capability maturity CMMI models – assessment methodology 597 B. 6 The SPICE project and the ISO/IEC 15504 software process assessment standard 602 B. 7 Additional software quality management standards 609 Summary 611 Selected bibliography 613 Review questions 615 Topics for discussion 616 Appendix C: Project Progress Control 617 C. 1 Introduction 617 C. 2 Finally, a successful project – a mini case 619 C. 3 The components of project progress control 621 C. 4 Progress control of distributed and globally distributed software development projects 623 C. 5 Progress control of internal projects and external participants 624 C. 6 Implementation of project progress control 625 C. 7 Computerized tools for software progress control 626 Summary 631 Selected bibliography 632 Review questions 633 Topics for discussion 634 Appendix D: From Sdlc to Agile – Processes and Quality Assurance Activities 635 D.1 The classical software development models 636 D.2 The object-oriented model 645 D.3 The incremental delivery model 649 D.4 The staged model 652 D.5 The Agile methodology models 652 Summary 660 Selected bibliography 662 Review questions 663 Topics for discussion 664 Author Index 667 Subject Index 673