Quality Dimensions in Computer Software - Essay Example

The challenge as it is today, goes beyond the classical demand-induced pressure to an entirely new phenomenon—the need to ensure a consistent rhythmic balance between leveling out the unprecedented demand alongside innovative tendencies.

Directly related to the foregoing is the enormity of the challenges posed by bridging the existing efficiency and quality lapses ingrained in the current stream of software products in use. The question being asked is what constitutes the defining paradigms of quality in the phase of conflicting perceptions in the IT industry. It is against this background that the central focus of this paper is tailored towards highlighting the most classical principles that are in tune with best practices in the industry. For obvious reasons, it spares the paper from the drudgery of professing speculative theories.

Quality Dimensions in Computer Software
The conventional structure of software language has always been targeted at making available a system of unambiguous programming patterns based on logical processes that are explicit in their usage. In a related study, Jagdish et al (2002) allude to the fact that the continuous dependence on computer software for the execution of virtually all industrial, commercial, and social activities makes it imperative for the question of quality to be ranked very highly in the process of developing software—a fact that has gained unanimous support from all concerned stakeholders. Notwithstanding the consensus held about the latter, the point of division however, lies in the inability to establish a similar consensus in establishing a standardized definition of what the term “quality” really means when it comes to software technology. Its definition is always crafted to suit a specific purpose, in other words, depending on what the software in question will be used for, then an appropriation of quality is assigned to it (Boehm 1978, Vincent et al 1998, Sefikla et al 1998).

To ease this complication, Jagdish et al (2002) recommend the usage of the object-oriented paradigm to replace the conventional systems of conducting any meaningful software quality assessment (also see Li & Henry 1993). The object-oriented metrics approach is a representation of an entirely innovative system that can handle a comparatively larger aggregate array of tasks than was hitherto possible. Notwithstanding, it is woefully saddled with a limitation of the magnitude and scope of the tasks it can be used to assess. Primarily, the obvious reasons are that all that is known about it and its application is still in its infancy. For instance, it is known to lack the capacity to fully integrate a small quantity of discrete data, which may be terribly below the high expectations placed on quality assessment in a large-scale context (Schmidt et al 2000, Brian et al 1996, Sefikla et al 1996).
In another interesting study, Schmidt (2000) is not particularly enthused about the fact that before the implementation of the object-oriented metrics, no mechanism enables any credible quality assessment check to be conducted on it during the development process. Essentially, any quality alterations that the software might need, would certainly have to be deferred until such a time that user feedback is generated. A significant amount of effort is required to get the object-oriented metrics running effectively during the early stages of the development process. Granted all the working dynamics are systemically synchronized then, much of the testing process will ensure a smooth performance of the software.

The primary emphasis should be concerned with how to make the system more responsive in detecting any likely quality flaw during the early stages of the development process. Also of prime relevance is the need to get an empirical metric system that can provide the needed direction in the quality enhancement process. It must also incorporate an all-inclusive outlook toward the system application process. Read More