Importance of Software Quality and methods for assessment - Essay Example

Importance of Software Quality and methods for assessment Introduction In the entire life cycles of system development, the importance of software quality and techniques for assessment cannot be denied. We can definitely consider that the software quality assurance is one of the major research areas in the existing modern technologies. This paper presents a detailed analysis of the significance of software quality and techniques for assessment. In this paper, I would like to highlight some of the key features of the software quality and its application. In this paper, the main areas of interest are the methods of assessment for software quality assurance and establishment. Software Quality Aimin & Wenxiang (2009) described that during the regular growth of computer applications, the software quality areas will directly affect the quality and scope of the application. Currently it seems that PCs cannot be effectively employed without planned and stable working software systems. Consequently, in some responsive industries where software programs need extreme quality of performance and effective working: the fields of concern can be astronautic industry like space science, aeronautical industry for instance air force, and national defense industry. Thus, it is quite necessary for both the developers and the users to check software quality. Since, the assessment of software quality leads software development teams to some important jobs including process evaluation of completed product, product evaluation with evaluation on the comparison of related functionality software. Presently, in the software engineering field, it is extremely complicated to proficiently evaluate the quality of the software to some extent. However, the field of software engineering has provided broad focus in Japan, U.S and Europe from the last few years. In addition, it is observed that numerous effective assessment methods including software quality method have been broadly used in different and complex fields like astronautic industry, aeronautical industry, engineering, communication, as well as bank credit industry where effective measures have been observed. Moreover, the forthcoming trend in the software quality development will definitely play a vital role in the progress of software industry (Aimin & Wenxiang, 2009; Sommerville, 2004; Bawane & Srikrishna, 2008; Sunazuka et al., 1985). Impotence of Software Quality Bawane & Srikrishna (2008) described that the quality of software distinguishes all the attributes which are usually relying upon the quality of computer system such as maintenance, manageability, consistency and stability. From the practical application perspective, the software quality can be efficiently described using three vital points regarding consistency as given below: Consistency achieved through enhanced documented development standard Consistency achieved through well planned function and performance; Consistency achieved through the indirect plausible attributes of the intact software that is going to be specifically developed or engineered. The above stated definitions are preliminary and important from different perspectives; even if they share the related essence. The clear understanding of customer needs by software products by means of operating requirements. No doubt, the software quality directly affects the operation as well as maintenance of software; however the question of how to impartially and scientifically assess software quality is turning out be a hot spot in field of software engineering. Software quality evaluation requires a lot of dedicated tasks which are really essential to be performed during software life cycle and it also provides a standard for evaluating software quality that is generally applied and maintained throughout software development procedures and practices. During the entire process of software quality assurances to get the utmost quality and performance we have to persistently found software quality throughout techniques and measures of software development. In the present situation, we are required to disclose current status of the software, provide effective and best possible means for buyer, developer and evaluator and thereafter foresee follow-up development trend of software quality (Bawane & Srikrishna, 2008; Aimin & Wenxiang, 2009; Mohanty, 1979). Software Quality Importance Views In this section I will highlight some of the main views of the software quality assurance from the perspectives of different industries. So in this analysis we will be determining some of the main characteristics of software quality assurance from the viewpoint of several stakeholders. Given below are the views which are summarized by (Kitchenham & Pfleeger, 1996; Pressman, 2001; Gorton & Liu, 2002): Transcendental view: Considering a transcendental view in which the software quality plays a great role like Plato's depiction of an ideal or Aristotle's notion of form. When experts of software development urge us to develop a quality product that generally pleases users, this happiness also describes the strived-for "recognition" in the transcendental description of quality. User view: This feature of quality assessment is insubstantial; the user view is significantly more substantial, stranded in product features that organize the user's requirements in a best way. The user view considers the product in the context of different tasks and it can generally thought to be an extremely personalized view. In addition, for an efficient performance and reliability modeling, the user view is someway intrinsic in nature, as both the techniques evaluate product performance by offering great importance to the operational profiles (for instance, to expect effective working and performance patterns). Moreover, the user view provides a great deal to the software product usability. In terms of software quality, the usability aspect is about an effective user’s interaction development with the software products (Kitchenham & Pfleeger, 1996). Manufacturing view: The manufacturing view highlights quality of the product throughout the development of a software product and even after the completion of the product. For software quality this view checks whether or not the product was developed "correctly for the very first time," with an intention to avoid costs associated with modification in the development and even after product delivery. The main focus of this technique is to enable direct quality evaluation which is almost independent of the product itself. That is, the development technique which is approved by the capability maturity model (CMM) and ISO 9001 believes correctness and confirmation by giving due importance to the process rather than to the specification. Moreover, this view of software quality assurance and assessment assures good quality products that conform to the process standards. In fact, critics of this vision suggest that these are the procedures or standards that guarantee reliability of the output and also able to standardize the development of useless or ordinary products. On the other hand, this criticism can be unjust or unreasonable. Though process standards are most often foundational on the standard of "documenting what activities we carry out or going to perform,” In this scenario both ISO 9001 and CMM well insist (by means of different degrees of emphasis) that we should develop our entire process well to improve the product quality (Kitchenham & Pfleeger, 1996). Product view: The manufacturing and user views check the product externally; the product view comes into existence for internal checking of the product. The product views look inside, evaluating the product's intrinsic properties. This technique is usually approved through software-metrics advocate, who believe that measuring and controlling product internal properties or characteristics (internal quality indicators) will definitely result in an enhanced external product with good performance (quality in use). Evaluating product quality by determining internal properties is extremely effective because it gives an idea and framework independent vision of quality. On the other hand, extra research is required to authenticate that internal quality, external quality to conclude that which aspects of internal quality have an impact on the product's use (Kitchenham & Pfleeger, 1996). Value-based view: Different views are taken into consideration by different groups involved in software development. The user view normally related to Marketing or Customers groups, the manufacturing view is for production department, and researchers have a product view. These value-based views of software quality are very important. Equalizing product quality according the client’s needs normally encourages everyone to assess the trade-offs among quality and cost. A value-based observation is able to employ procedures to better handle and manage conflicts when requirements get changed (Kitchenham & Pfleeger, 1996). Software Quality Assessment Methods In this section I will highlight some of the key features of software quality assessment techniques. The software quality assessment tools, technology and models have been widely developed and enhanced in the last few years. This happened due to the enhancement of business quality and development of more working quality standards. As Moore (1998) affirmed that there are more than 300 standards maintained and developed by more than 50 different corporations. However, the most popular and widely used model is ISO/IEC 9126, which identifies requirements planned for a quality management system within a corporation. In addition, the metrics described in the ISO/IEC TR 9126-2 are not planned to be a comprehensive set. Users are even able to select or change and apply metrics plus procedures as of ISO/IEC TR 9126-2:2003. While considering these models users can also specify application-specific metrics for their individual application area. Indeed software metrics are the specific automated tools designed for examining the value of internal attributes of the system (Moore, 1998; Fitzpatrick, 1997). Fitzpatrick (1997) described that software metrics are distinct like “standard dimensions or scopes, which are employed to evaluate the attributes of complication or quality in an intended way. In this scenario ISO/IEC 9000:2005 offers directions planned for utilization of the series of universal standards acknowledged as the SQuaRE or Software product Quality Requirements and Evaluation (Moore, 1998) & (Fitzpatrick, 1997). Moore (1998) described that software quality in the development process (SQUID) standard allows the development, requirement, evaluation as well as better control of software quality during the software development process. In addition, the software quality in the development process utilizes both external and internal quality procedures as described in ISO 9126. However, the preparation of the documentation is a basic need of a functional ISO 9001 QMS (quality management system), as it is not enough itself. Moreover, for the development and implementation of fully functional ISO 9001 quality management system, it is very important that a small/medium-sized activity exactly identifies the key state of its QMS in conjunction with the directions it will later on follow to achieve the desired state (Moore, 1998; Fitzpatrick, 1997). Quality Assessment Methods Importance This section is concerned with the evaluation and presents an analysis of some of the key factors about the implementation of software quality assessment technique or practices. Aimin & Wenxiang (2009) depicted some of the main advantages and software development effieiency which are required to make methods of quality assessment very important (Aimin & Wenxiang, 2009; Sommerville, 2004; Pressman, 2001): Functionality Functionality is considered as an insubstantial factor at the back of the implementation of methods of quality assessment. In addition, the functionality in other words is the degree to which the functions are understood by the software to convince user’s demand. Moreover, it demonstrates the quantity to which the completed software product is able to convene the implicit demand or supposed demand of users. Furthermore, it emphasizes that whether the utilities which are necessary for users are fully recognized (Aimin & Wenxiang, 2009). Reliability Reliability is also considered as a vital factor behind the implementation of methods of quality assessment. In this scenario, the reliability can be described as “the degree to which the software is capable of sustaining in its overall functioning and application performance extent in a precise time and circumstances”. In this way, reliability is a considerable quality state for much software. In addition, reliability shows an extent to which the software is capable of functioning properly in case of any failure. Moreover, reliability also shows an extent to which the software can satisfy the standard working operation usually required by users of software (Aimin & Wenxiang, 2009; Pressman, 2001). Facility to use While taking into account the completion of the quality assessment, the facility to efficiently utilize the software is also a key factor and a point of great concern. Facility to use is the degree to which a user endeavors to work, find out, and understand the output and organize input of some definite software. It shows easiness of system usage which can be expressed as the potential of the software in use (Aimin & Wenxiang, 2009). Efficiency Efficiency can be considered as one of an important factor about the deployment of several methods of quality assessment in order to get an effective system performance. Efficiency in terms of computer is the usefulness of computer resources as well as time which are required for numerous tasks recognized by software in definite conditions. In addition, efficiency shows whether there is wastage of computer resources or the required functions are performed efficiently (Aimin & Wenxiang, 2009). Maintainability When developing new software we apply methods of quality assessment to make sure that the resultant developed system will be handled and maintained quite easily. In this scenario, maintainability is the ability of adopting changes when these changes occur in any condition or handling software errors in some working software; with intent to fulfill user’s need. The quality assurance methods are therefore used to make certain that this condition is satisfied (Aimin & Wenxiang, 2009). Portability Portability is the ability of shifting from one computer system or a state to a different computer system or in another atmosphere. The software quality assurance is performed to evaluate and satisfy this important aspect because businesses and organizations grow frequently and need enhanced working facility. The factors mentioned above are of utmost importance from the software quality assurance perspective (Aimin & Wenxiang, 2009). Conclusion It is an admitted fact that software quality is being established significantly in software industry from the last few years. From the beginning to the existing software development, software quality assessment as well as the assurance of the software quality is turning out to be an important and crucial matter in software development. In this research report I have presented a comprehensive analysis of the significance of software quality and techniques for assessment. Software quality assessment is a significant technique to further make quality ahead by following some great steps after software quality management as well as testing software independently. It is quite realistic to describe that evaluation of software quality provides a considerable guarantee planned for quantitative evaluation of software quality, and also plays a vital role in the entire software operations and performance. Bibliography Aimin, Y. & Wenxiang, Z., 2009. Based on Quantification Software Quality Assessment Method. Journal of Software, 4(10), pp.1110-18. Bawane, N. & Srikrishna, C.V., 2008. A Novel Method for Quantitative Assessment of Software Quality. International Journal of Computer Science and Security, 3(6), pp.508-17. Fitzpatrick, R., 1997. Software Quality:Definitions and Strategic Issues. [Online] Available at: http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:ZichKigUXfUJ:www.comp.dit.ie/rfitzpatrick/papers/quality01.pdf+importance+of+Software+Quality&hl=en&gl=pk&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgbyS76jau9Vf0slL9RRScSZJSuUhsm7QR6Wk-CSXZ6dpF38KGPtlgvzuUPi0yDl9MsSpc-D6RcsurgNJAjYJ9c3d [Accessed 08 August 2010]. Gorton, I. & Liu, A., 2002. Software component quality assessment in practice: successes and practical impediments. In International Conference on Software Engineering, Proceedings of the 24th International Conference on Software Engineering. Orlando, Florida, 2002. ACM New York, USA. Kitchenham, B. & Pfleeger, S.L., 1996. Software Quality: The Elusive Target. IEEE Software, 13(1), pp.12-21. Mohanty, S.N., 1979. Models and Measurements for Quality Assessment of Software. 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