Software Quality Assurance:
Delivering Consistent Quality

Introduction to Software Quality Assurance

• Contrasting roles: Software Quality Assurance, Testing, Verification and Validation
• Comparing software development life cycles
• Documenting processes
• Defining the goals of Software Quality Assurance

Software Quality Assurance Components

Analysing the components of quality

• Creating processes
• Choosing the best practices and implementing process improvement initiatives

Implementing a road map

• IEEE
• CMMI
• ISO 9001
• COBIT^®
• ITIL^®
• Selecting and documenting standards
• Conducting training
• Participating in reviews and audits
• Maintaining records

Planning for Software Quality Assurance

Applying verification and validation techniques for error detection

• Evaluating verification and validation techniques
• Analysing life cycle products
• Implementing walk-throughs
• Exploring testing techniques

Detecting defects while applying inspection techniques

• Defining the inspection process
• Planning and conducting an inspection
• Communicating inspection results

Conducting Audits

The types of audits

• Comparing process, product, project, quality-system and configuration audits
• Documenting audit findings in a report

Comparing industry standards

• Complying with industry standards and models: ISO 9001 and CMMI
• Comparing the work products against industry best practices

Verifying product configuration using configuration audits

• Demonstrating the product satisfies the requirements
• Ensuring the as-built product complies with the documentation

Improving productivity using in-process audits

• Assessing internal processes for compliance
• Analysing processes and procedures used during development

Initiating the auditing process

• Planning and preparing for the audit
• Reporting the results
• Monitoring noncompliance

Applying Configuration Management (CM)

Defining the components of a CM system

• Identifying the workflow and work products
• Managing and controlling products for consistency
• Assessing and managing components with release management
• Communicating product status using reports

Ensuring quality by controlling CM components

• Verifying software and hardware components
• Maintaining test data for regression tests
• Tracking change requests

Participating in an SQA and CM audit

• Reviewing documentation against a standard
• Interviewing quality and configuration management personnel
• Documenting and confirming audit findings
• Presenting audit findings

Continuous Process Improvement

Fostering learning through process improvement

• Defining and implementing process improvement
• Planning process improvement initiatives

Achieving excellence through metrics

• Selecting and analysing metrics
• Analysing data through root cause analysis
• Communicating organisational progress

Coordinating the next steps

• Implementing corrective actions
• Focusing on prevention techniques