Jumpstart to Software Quality Assurance : Volume First

By Moorthy, Vishnuvarthanan

Book Id: WPLBN0002828130
Format Type: PDF eBook:
File Size: 2.03 MB
Reproduction Date: 7/5/2013

Title:	Jumpstart to Software Quality Assurance : Volume First
Author:	Moorthy, Vishnuvarthanan
Volume:	Volume First
Language:	English
Subject:	Non Fiction, Technology, Information Technology
Collections:	Authors Community, Technology
Historic Publication Date:	2013
Publisher:	Vishnuvarthanan Moorthy

Member Page:	vishnuvarthanan moorthy
Citation APA MLA Chicago Moorthy, B. V. (2013). Jumpstart to Software Quality Assurance : Volume First. Retrieved from http://gutenberg.cc/

Description
Software Quality Assurance is a specialized activity and it contributes in building capable processes in organization. This book details the different knowledge areas and provides practical insight which is required for software quality analyst to quickly grasp and start being productive within days, and contributes to build such capable processes. This book details the basics of quality assurance, relevant techniques and methods used in quality assurance. What is in there? • A quick description of various knowledge areas in software quality assurance • Frequently used tools and techniques in Software quality assurance • Sample cases to understand the concepts Why this book? • A simple ready recknor for SQA • Mix of pragmatic and theoretical elaborations • Industry specific and current needs of Industry is taken care • Short book for quick read Who should read? • People who are interested in making a career in software quality assurance • Who are interested in understanding Quality assurance • Who are leading an organization and wants to set up the Quality assurance function

Summary
The book explains the software quality assurance activities in a pragmatic way with relevant examples.

Excerpt
Audit Expectations: An audit is expected to check, does the Quality System meet the requirements of the relevant Quality System Standard/model or Contract? Does the organization do what the Quality System specifies? Is the Quality System, as implemented, effective in ensuring maintenance and improvement of the quality of products and services? Audit is not an alternative to an inspection operation and cannot serve as a crutch to an ineffective inspection or quality system Types of Audit: • First Party Audit (Internal Audits) • Second Party Audit (Customer Audits) • Third Party Audit (Audit Agencies) Horizontal and Vertical Audits: • Horizontal Audit - Assess same aspect in all projects. • Vertical Audit - Assess all aspects in one project • forward tracking • backward tracking • Hybrid Audits - Mixing Horizontal and Vertical Audits Audit Team: One or more auditors conducting an audit, supported if needed by Technical Experts. The auditors are lead by Lead Auditor. One or more auditees represent the function or the organization. Lead Auditor Responsibilities: (Second party and Third party audits) • Negotiate scope • Selection of audit team • Planning the audit • Representing & Managing the audit team • Opening & Closing Meeting • Preparation & Submission of Report • Quality Control of audit Audit Responsibilities: • Communicating audit requirements to auditees • Investigating through Interviews • Documenting observations and evidence • Verifying the effectiveness of Quality System • Verifying the implementation of Processes in project • Reporting results to the Lead Auditor/ Project team • Assisting Lead Auditor ( Second and Third party team) Auditees Responsibilities: • Being available for audit as per the schedule • Co-operating with the auditor and providing factual information on the status of implementation of the quality system/Processes • Agreeing on corrective actions / preventive actions and closing the non-conformances as per the target date In Internal Quality Audits we may not have a lead auditor role mandatorily, that’s the reason for mentioning second party and third party as reference on whenever we talk about lead auditor in this book. Objective Evidences: The objective evidences include documentations like plans, specs, code etc. Noting down the statement of what people told and observing auditees reaction and reviewing records. In Internal Quality Audits, some organizations may only use documents and records as objective evidence. Interviewing Expectations from Auditor: • Listen attentively • Don’t disagree, criticize or interrupt • Get agreement on your summary of what has been said • Ask open ended questions • Be polite and considerate for others feelings Interview Questioning: Open-ended questions • do not presuppose the answer • provide the opportunity for the interviewees to express their ideas and concerns • allow for a spontaneous, unstructured response Example: Please describe your role and responsibilities. Direct questions • may presuppose the answer (assumes something already exists) • ask the interviewee for specific information Example: Please tell us what criteria you use to perform your technical review evaluations. Transition questions • questions about questions • used to guide the interview process Example: Did we miss anything? Did you expect us to ask about anything else? Closed end questions • Providing the expected answer and understanding it happens are not? Example: You are conducting monthly Reviews isn’t it? Terms to be clear in Audits: Objective Evidence: • Data supporting the existence or variance of something. Non-Conformity: • Non fulfillment of a requirement. • Major nonconformity: The absence or total breakdown of a system to meet QMS requirements. • Minor non-conformity: Systems are in place, but there is lack of evidence to support activities being done/lapse in implementation. Correction: • Action to eliminate a detected nonconformity. Corrective action: • Action to eliminate the cause of a detected nonconformity. Preventive action: • Action to eliminate the cause of a potential nonconformity. Example: An observation, which specifies there is a potential non conformity. Like the technical specifications in a ERP projects is stored in windows file system, however considering the volume of such documents created in projects and versioning is only managed manually, the auditor can give observation, that project may have potential issue in later stage. Here the preventive action is applicable, as the non conformance is still not yet occurred. They can store the documents in a better configuration tool as part of preventive action. Audit Process: • Planning • Audit Team Selection • Audit Notification • Opening Meeting • Conduct of the Audit • Closing Meeting • Audit Report When we do internal quality audit, we may not have opening meeting and closing meeting. Planning an Audit: The audit plan should be designed to be flexible in order to permit changes in emphasis based on information gathered during the audit, and to permit effective use of resources. • Define the scope • Refer the standard/model • Estimate & define the schedule • Identify the Auditees • List the Auditors • Get approval for plan • Distribute to Stakeholders Opening Meeting • Brief the scope, announce the objective of audit and get commitment for audit from the stakeholders. • Brief the audit code of conducts. Conducting Audit • The Audit should be conducted as planned by auditors and full support to be given by the auditees and Management. The audit checklist can be used for performing the audit by the auditor. • Listen carefully for the expected and unexpected words

Table of Contents
Quality Fundamentals Quality Assurance Functions Lifecycle Models Project Management Configuration Management Software Estimation Risk and Issue Management Tailoring and Waivering Software Engineering - Development Service Management Reviews Metrics Core SQA Activities Quality Audits Quality Control Tools and Basic Statistics Standards (ISO 9001, 20000, 27001) and Models (CMMI, PCMM) Agile Scrum Earned Value Analysis Reference Sites