Software Quality Assurence Plan

The SQA Plan provides a road map for instituting software Quality. Developed by the SQA group, the plan serves as a template for SQA activities that are instituted for each software project.

A standard for SQA plans has been recommended by the IEEE. Initial sections describe the purpose and scope of the document and indicate those software process activities that are covered by quality. All documents noted in the SQA Plan are listed and all applicable standards are noted. The management section of the plan describes SQA's place in the organizational structure, SQA tasks and activities and their placement throughout the software process, and the organizational roles and responsibilities relative to product quality.

The documentation section describes (by reference) each of the work products produced as part of the software process. These include

project documents (e.g., project plan)

models (e.g., ERDs, class hierarchies)

technical documents (e.g., specifications, test plans)

user documents (e.g., help files)

In addition, this section defines the minimum set of work products that are acceptable to achieve high quality.

The standards, practices, and conventions section lists all applicable standards and practices that are applied during the software process (e.g., document standards coding standards, and review guidelines). In addition, all project, process, and (in some instances) product metrics that are to be collected as part of software engineering work are listed.

The reviews and audits section of the plan identifies the reviews and audits to be conducted by the software engineering team, the SQA group, and the customer. It provides an overview of the approach for each review and audit.

The test section references the Software test and Procedure. It also defines test record-keeping requirements. Problem reporting and corrective action defines procedures for reporting, tracking, and resolving errors and defects, and identifies the organizational responsibilities for these activities.

The remainder of the SQA Plan identifies the tools and methods that support SQA activities and tasks; references software configuration management procedures for controlling change; defines a contract management approach; establishes methods for assembling, safeguarding, and maintaining all records; identifies training required to meet the needs and defines methods for identifying, assessing, monitoring, and controlling risk.

Software is an umbrella activity that is applied at each step in the software process. SQA encompasses procedures for the effective application of methods and tools, formal technical reviews, testing strategies and techniques, poka-yoke devices, procedures for change control, procedures for assuring compliance to standards, and measurement and reporting mechanisms.

SQA is complicated by the complex nature of software quality—an attribute of computer programs that is defined as "conformance to explicitly and implicitly specified requirements." But when considered more generally, software quality encompasses many different product and process factors and related metrics.

Software reviews are one of the most important SQA activities. Reviews serve as filters throughout all software engineering activities, removing errors while they are relatively inexpensive to find and correct. The formal technical review is a stylized meeting that has been shown to be extremely effective in uncovering errors.

To properly conduct software quality assurance, data about the software engineering process should be collected, evaluated, and disseminated. Statistical SQA helps to improve the quality of the product and the software process itself. Software reliability models extend measurements, enabling collected defect data to be extrapolated into projected failure rates and reliability predictions.

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