Software Quality Management
The notion of "quality" is not as simple as it may seem. For any engineered product, there are many desired qualities relevant to a particular project. The section explains software quality fundamentals, including the main SQM processes: quality assurance, verification, validation, review, and audit.
Reviews and Audits
Technical reviews
"The purpose of a technical review is to evaluate a software product to determine its suitability for its intended use. The objective is to identify discrepancies from approved specifications and standards. The results should provide management with evidence confirming (or not) that the product meets the specifications and adheres to standards, and that changes are controlled" (IEEE1028-97).
Specific roles must be established in a technical review: a decision-maker, a review leader, a recorder, and technical staff to support the review activities. A technical review requires that mandatory inputs be in place in order to proceed:
- Statement of objectives
- A specific software product
- The specific project management plan
- The issues list associated with this product
- The technical review procedure
The team follows the review procedure. A technically qualified individual presents an overview of the product, and the examination is conducted during one or more meetings. The technical review is completed once all the activities listed in the examination have been completed.