Software Quality Assurance Methods and Techniques

(CTM #7) or (CSTP Elective)

This tutorial covers area 7 of the Test Management Body of Knowledge (TMBOK) required for the Certified Test Manager (CTM) certification. This tutorial also covers the Elective area of the Certified Software Test Professional requirements

Concepts

In today's competitive environment, high quality software that can serve both the operational and strategic needs of the organization is a necessity. Information Technology departments are under extreme pressure to create, maintain, purchase and outsource software that can help distinguish the company in the market place. IT departments are more business and customer oriented than ever before but many traditional quality techniques have been abandoned without replacing them, resulting in poor software quality, over-extended budgets and disappointed customers. Learn the basic processes, methods and techniques that assure quality systems. Learn the quality techniques that set industry leaders apart and create world class IT departments. Learn to apply internationally recognized standards, techniques, processes and procedures that get the improved results you need to improve your output and demonstrate your value to the organization.

Learning Objectives

• Implement quality techniques, processes and methods to continuously improve software quality for your customers
• Assess needs to determine quality and improvement priorities
• Apply the international standards and quality principles
• Demonstrate Return on Investment and leverage your value to IT

Outline

• Quality Management Introduction
  • Define Quality
    • Working definitions of quality
    • Applying definitions practically
    • Developing strategic definitions: Quality, Defects, Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Quality Improvement
  • Understand the context for quality
    • Deming, Juran approaches and their application
    • Life Cycles
    • Approaches to implementing QA , QC and QI
• Managing by Process
  How are processes managed?
  • Define your Mission Critical Processes, product, “internal” customer, supplier
  • A systematic approach to process definition and deployment
  • Setting and defining standards
  • Writing procedures
  • Develop the Partnership Model
  • Using principles of Project Management in quality efforts
    • Relationship of Process and Project Management
• Overview for “Software Quality professionals”
  • What do you need to know?
  • Using the CMM © , CMMI © Models
  • Use the “bookend” approach
  • Use best practices
  • Using Models as guides
• Apply other Models, international standards and best practices of IT Quality
  • Six Sigma
  • ISO 9000:2000
  • Cost Of Quality
  • Taguchi Model
  • SEI CMM © , CMMI © Model requirements
  • Testing Maturity Model SM
  • SPICE, TickIT and other models
  • PMBOK
• Using the “Bookend” Approach” for software quality
  • Develop a robust Requirements process
  • Establish Change Control
  • Establish Configuration control
  • Using Life Cycles effectively
• Quality Assurance Best Practices
  • Risk Assessment
  • Life Cycle Implementation
  • Standards and Best Practices
  • Measurement and Analysis
  • Other prevention activities
  • Who's responsible for QA
• Quality Control Best Practices
  • “V” Model: Static and Dynamic Testing
  • Formal Inspections
  • Writing Testable Requirements/Testing Requirements
  • Testing Life Cycles and approaches
  • Using test tools effectively
  • Independent verification and validation
  • Who's responsible for QC?
• Quality Improvement Best Practices
  • Reducing process variation
  • Integrating Quality Control and Quality Assurance
  • Defect Studies/SPC applications
  • Techniques for process improvement
  • Demonstrating ROI, justifying software quality approaches
  • Who's responsible for QI?
• Implementing Quality Assurance, Control and Improvement
  • Organizational considerations
  • Training and preparation
  • Maintaining and improving QA , QC and QI
  • Integrating QA , QC and QI into daily business operations
  • Demonstrating Return on Investment for QA , QC and QI
  • Impact of RAD, Agile and other new approaches
  • Impact of SOX

Biography

“Dr. Rebecca,” as she is known around the world, helps her clients establish successful software quality support processes including project management, customized life cycles, Formal Inspections, requirements gathering, process improvement and full Quality Assurance functions. She enables IT executives to improve alignment with business goals through strategic planning and leadership development. Her informative articles appear regularly and she is a sought-after keynote speaker who provides both content and inspiration to her audiences. Her books include: Success Planning: A ‘How-To' Guide for Strategic Planning , Get Great Requirements , The Hard Job of Making Software Work: Build Quality Assurance Step By Step and the forthcoming; Conventional Wisdom – Eleven Lessons Business Leaders Can Learn From the Founding Fathers.