Architecting Software Quality: A Foundation For Software Productivity

Abstract

The unique nature of Software production compared to other industrial products creates the need for different quality approach and tools for software development and maintenance. Although a wide range of Software Quality Assurance (SQA) models are available, six SQA system components which form the foundation for software quality system will be discussed in this paper. These components if implemented properly will minimize the multitude of software errors in pursuing an acceptable level of software quality. The first component known as pre-project component comprises of contract review and the development of project and quality plans. These activities are carried out to ensure project commitments have been adequately defined. The second component is devoted to the assessment and enhancement of project life cycle activities. Error prevention and software improvement which are applied throughout the entire organisation are components to eliminate or reduce the rate of errors. Next component is software quality management which is geared towards several goals. They include the control of development and maintenance tasks. Standardisation, certification and SQA system assessment are the fifth components discussed. Finally, component relating to organising people involved in the software development process will be discussed since all of them contribute significantly to software quality. The model proposed is part of popular software quality models such as the ISO 9001 standards and the Software Engineering Institute’s Capability Maturity Model (CMM) and Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI). In the proposed model the characteristics of the organisation itself which greatly influences the design of an efficient and effective software quality assurance system will be highlighted. Keywords : Software quality; Software Quality Assurance System