Software Quality Assurance Engineering

Hello, tech readers I am back with a new series of articles on the field of software quality assurance engineering. Let’s get started.

When it comes to quality it has two sides.

1. Product Quality

2. Service Quality

Product quality means that, how well a product fulfills industry standards, satisfies client needs, and accomplishes its intended function. Businesses examine a number of important elements when assessing the quality of a product, including whether it solves a problem, functions effectively, or serves the needs of customers.

Service quality means an indicator of how well a company meets the requirements and expectations of its customers. Any firm can expand if it can figure out how to raise the quality of its services and products. A vital part is measuring and enhancing service quality.

There are 6 main product quality dimensions:

Reliablity

Usability

Efficiency

Maintainability

Portability

Functionality

Each main quality dimension got its sub-characteristics. So from this part on wards will discuss the sub-characteristics.

Functionality

Sub-characteristics are:

Suitability:

• This is the essential Functionality characteristic and refers to the appropriateness (to specification) of the functions of the software

Accurateness:

• This refers to the correctness of the functions.

Interoperability:

• A given software component or system does not typically function in isolation. This sub-characteristic concerns the ability of a software component to interact with other components or systems.

Compliance:

• Where appropriate certain industry (or government) laws and guidelines need to have complied with.

Security:

• This sub-characteristic relates to unauthorized access to the software functions.

Reliability

Sub-characteristics are:

Maturity:

• This sub-characteristic concerns the frequency of failure of the software.

Fault tolerance:

• The ability of software to withstand (and recover) from component, or environmental, failure.

Recoverability:

• Ability to bring back a failed system to full operation, including data and network connections.

Usability

Sub-characteristics are:

Understandability:

• Determines the ease with which the functions of the system can be understood, and relates to user mental models in Human-Computer Interaction methods.

Learnability:

• Learning effort for different users, i.e. novice, expert, casual, etc.

Operability:

• The ability of the software to be easily operated by a given user in a given environment.

Efficiency

Sub-characteristics are:

Time behavior:

• Characterizes response times for a given thru put, i.e. transaction rate.

Resource behavior:

• Characterizes resources used, i.e. memory, CPU, disk, and network usage.

Maintainability

Sub-characteristics are:

Analyzability:

• Characterizes the ability to identify the root cause of a failure within the software.

Changeability:

• Characterizes the amount of effort to change a system.

Stability:

• Characterizes the sensitivity to change in a given system which is the negative impact that may be caused by system changes.

Testability:

• Characterizes the effort needed to verify (test) a system change.

Portability

Sub-characteristics are:

Adaptability:

• Characterizes the ability of the system to change to new specifications or operating environments.

Installability:

• Characterizes the effort required to install the software.

Replaceability :

• Characterizes the plug-and-play aspect of software components, that is how easy is it to exchange a given software component within a specified environment.

Then comes the service quality dimensions.

Service Quality Dimension

• Tangibles Appearance of physical facilities, equipment, personnel, and communication materials Reliability Ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately Responsiveness Willingness to help customers and provide prompt service Assurance Knowledge and courtesy of employees and their ability to convey trust and confidence Empathy The caring, individualized attention the firm provides its customers.

So this is the end of this article and hopes to meet you again with another part of this series.