Extreme Inspection

(CSTP #7)

This tutorial counts as training towards the Certified Software Test Professional requirements.

How can you cheaply and objectively measure the quality of systems engineering specifications? I call this discipline Specification Quality Control. It is based on sampling (early and frequently) of ongoing engineering specification on absolutely all requirements, design, contracts, bids, engineering diagrams, test plans and software artifacts. The process is based on counting defects with respect to written official specification standards, and extrapolating to get a truer count of major defects and their consequences. It is based on setting a formal economic limit of major defects per page allowed before exit to other engineering processes. SQC effectively teaches adherence to standards, and is capable of giving clear early warning signals to project management, while there is still time to rectify bad work. The method has been proven and documented to save millions of $ in rework costs in aircraft, electronics and software industries.

Tutorial Outline:

  1. A case study of requirements QC at a major multinational: how to predict project delays at the beginning, correctly.
  2. The notion of rules for specification: an objective standard.
  3. The notion of numeric exit control of specifications
  4. The Spec QC process: simplified Agile method based on sampling, measurement and motivation to reduce defect injection
  5. Extensions to Spec QC process
  6. SQC compared to testing and reviews
  7. (option) a demonstration of SQC on participant materials

Learning Objectives:

  1. Become aware of entirely new ideas.
  2. Be able to evaluate if these apply to their work.
  3. Be aware of how to get more detailed information on the subjects.
  4. Enthuse them with the attractiveness of the ideas presented.

Biography:

Tom Gilb is an international consultant, teacher and author. His 9th book is 'Competitive Engineering' which is a definition of the planning language 'Planguage'. He works with major multinationals such as Symbian, Citigroup, Philips, Shlumberger, HP, IBM, Nokia, Ericsson, Motorola, US DOD, UK MOD, Boeing, British Aerospace, Microsoft and many others. See www.result-planning.com for much more detail and free publications on Gilb's papers books and slides, and case studies of successful projects and organizations using his methods.