The Software Quality Star: A conceptual model for the software quality curriculum

1. The Software Quality Star:A conceptual model for the software quality curriculum Ronan Fitzpatrick School of Computing, Dublin Institute of Technology, Kevin Street, Dublin 8, Ireland. Email: ronan.fitzpatrick@comp.dit.ie INTERACT 2003: Closing the Gaps. Ninth IFIP TC International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction 1 - 2 September, 2003 Zurich, Switzerland

2. Overview • Originating philosophy • ISI/IEC 12207 • Software Quality Star • Perspectives of software quality • Perspectives of Producer, Product and Procurer • Closing the Gaps • Strategic Driver Model • Questions The Software Quality Star Ronan Fitzpatrick Closing The Gaps, September 2003, Zurich

3. Software life cycle processesPurpose • An international standard ISO/IEC 12207:1995(E) that • establishes a common framework for software life cycle processes. • uses well-defined terminology • is suitable for all sectors in the software industry The Software Quality Star Ronan Fitzpatrick Closing The Gaps, September 2003, Zurich

4. Software life cycle processes Field of application • Intended for use in a two-party situations • parties from different organisations • parties from same organisation • single party/self imposed tasks • Not intended for off-the-shelf software products unless incorporated into a deliverable product. • Written for the • acquirer, supplier, developers, operators, maintainers • managers, QA managers and end-users The Software Quality Star Ronan Fitzpatrick Closing The Gaps, September 2003, Zurich

5. Software life cycle processesStructure of the international standard ISO/IEC 12207 (1995) The Software Quality Star Ronan Fitzpatrick Closing The Gaps, September 2003, Zurich

6. Software life cycle processesFive Primary life cycle processes ENGINEERING VIEW 5.3 Development process Process implementation Software installation Software acceptance support 5.5 Maintenance process System requirements analysis System architectural design System integration System qualification testing Process implementation Problem & modification analysis Software requirements analysis Software architectural design Software detailed design Software integration Software qualification testing Modification implementation Maintenance review/ acceptance Software coding and testing Migration Software retirement The Software Quality Star Ronan Fitzpatrick Closing The Gaps, September 2003, Zurich

7. Software life cycle processesFive primary life cycle processes (plus Supporting and Organisational) End 5.1 Acquisition process 5.2 Supply process 5.3 Development process 5.4 Operation process 5.5 Maintenance process 6. Supporting life cycle process (documentation, configuration management, Quality assurance and problem resolution) Start 7. Organisational life cycle process (management, infrastructure, improvement and training) The Software Quality Star Ronan Fitzpatrick Closing The Gaps, September 2003, Zurich

8. Quality focus • Provides a common framework and vocabulary. • Written with QA manager in mind. • Addresses need quality planning. • Specifies unit, integration, system and acceptance testing. • Identifies the ongoing need for process improvement. The Software Quality Star Ronan Fitzpatrick Closing The Gaps, September 2003, Zurich

9. The Software Quality Star Contract Producer Procurer Software Quality STAR Project User • Acquirer • operators, • maintainers, • managers, • end-users. • Supplier, • developers, • managers, • QA managers. Process IS Professional Product The Software Quality Star Ronan Fitzpatrick Closing The Gaps, September 2003, Zurich

10. The Producer’s perspective • Producer • Competitive excellence - best in their field • Corporate accreditation - e.g., CMM, ISO • Domain speciality - knowledge and expertise of the procurer organisation’s business processes • Project • Development excellence, i.e., best project management standards and practice (e.g., P-CMM) • Process • Quality management, i.e., building in quality requirements as specified in the contract. The Software Quality Star Ronan Fitzpatrick Closing The Gaps, September 2003, Zurich

11. The Product perspectiveQuality factors The Software Quality Star Ronan Fitzpatrick Closing The Gaps, September 2003, Zurich

12. The Procurer’s perspective • Procurer • Competitive support - support for competitive position • Investment efficient - value for money • Statutory conformance - complies with legal obligations • Corporate alignment - product is in keeping with organisation’s business strategy • User • User acceptance - acceptable and usable by user community • IS professional • Technical excellence - serviceable and maintainable The Software Quality Star Ronan Fitzpatrick Closing The Gaps, September 2003, Zurich

13. Closing the Gap • Software life cycle and Software quality • More than testing, permeates all perspectives • At postgraduate level • Group of mixed primary degree - BSc, BEng, BBS, MBCS, BA, • At undergraduate level • BSc and BBS The Software Quality Star Ronan Fitzpatrick Closing The Gaps, September 2003, Zurich

14. Closing the Gap • Identifies the various stakeholders and their perspectives • Allows stakeholders and students for any discipline to understand the perspectives of stakeholders and students from other disciplines • Provides a common model for all. The Software Quality Star Ronan Fitzpatrick Closing The Gaps, September 2003, Zurich

15. Closing the Gap • Software Engineering – HCI • SE considerations • Development excellence, i.e., best project management standards and practice (e.g., P-CMM): • Quality management, i.e., building in quality requirements as specified in the contract. • HCI considerations (acceptable an usable) • Usability – All 12 external quality factors per slide 11  • Usability evaluation - Usability methods and techniques  • Usability quotient - numerically quantify/metrics • Views of usability – product-centred view, context-of-use view and quality-of-use view which includes effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction. The Software Quality Star Ronan Fitzpatrick Closing The Gaps, September 2003, Zurich

16. Closing the Gap • Originally developed with a Quality focus • Focus of this presentation is HCI • The Software Quality Star can have its focus tailored to suit whatever discipline is being thought, typically, Security. The Software Quality Star Ronan Fitzpatrick Closing The Gaps, September 2003, Zurich

17. The Software Quality Star Ronan Fitzpatrick Closing The Gaps, September 2003, Zurich

18. Conclusion • Originating philosophy • ISI/IEC 12207 • Software Quality Star • Perspectives of software quality • Perspectives of Producer, Product and Procurer • Closing the Gaps • Strategic Driver Model The Software Quality Star Ronan Fitzpatrick Closing The Gaps, September 2003, Zurich

19. Closing the Gap QUESTIONS The Software Quality Star Ronan Fitzpatrick Closing The Gaps, September 2003, Zurich

20. The Product perspectiveQuality factors •  The Software Quality Star Ronan Fitzpatrick Closing The Gaps, September 2003, Zurich

21. Usability methods as named by ISO/TR 16982 •  The Software Quality Star Ronan Fitzpatrick Closing The Gaps, September 2003, Zurich