Software Quality Assurance and Improvement

Software Quality Assurance and Improvement

Software Quality Assurance has been proven effective in reducing software costs and increasing customer satisfaction through prevention of software defects. This course familiarizes participants with the evolving role of Software Quality Assurance in an environment of modern software development and support practices. Emphasis is placed on understanding the fundamentals of software engineering and development and how the principles of Software Quality Assurance can be employed to optimize software quality. The course covers the Software Engineering Institute's Capability Maturity Model Software Quality Assurance key process area topics. Class exercises and discussions are effectively used to allow participants to gain a broad understanding of SQA and to apply the knowledge gained in the course to their own organizational needs. Participants are encouraged to bring questions and to share experiences from their own organization.

LENGTH: 3 days

OBJECTIVES

Participants will learn to implement detailed Software Quality Assurance programs, policies and procedures, including:

• Key SQA concepts, How software is conceived, specified, designed, developed, integrated and tested, Where and how to apply SQA concepts to achieve maximum quality benefit, Quality factors that must be considered on every project, Project and quality metrics, Detailed analysis of the Software Engineering Institute’s concepts for SQA and how to apply.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

This course is designed for software quality assurance engineers and managers and software managers.

COURSE OUTLINE: Software Quality Assurance and Improvement

Overview of Subjects Covered

• General principles of SQA

Why do SQA?

• A too-typical Software Project and What Can Go Wrong; Why do things go wrong; How SQA can help; SQA and SEI; Factors of SQA success

General Principals of SQA

• Customer satisfaction; Good processes yield good products; Defect prevention; Quality is everyone’s responsibility

Applying SQA to a Software Project

• Points where SQA is best applied to a Software Project; The different levels and responsibilities of SQA

How Software is Built –The Process

• Project profiles and project dimension; Project profiles influence project planning
• COCOMO
• Software development life cycle; Life cycle phases; Problems with waterfall model; Incremental development; Evolutionary development; Spiral life cycle model

Proven Factors for Software Project Success

• Software development process; DoD and Industry standards; Standards tailoring; Project scaling; Classification schemes; Project metrics; Software development plan

Proven Factors for SQA Success

• SQA policy; SQA organization; SQA plan; SQA training; Checklists; Reviews, audits, inspections and walkthroughs; SQA tools; SQA metrics; SQA reports; Non-conformance handling; SQA reviews with the customer; Independent review of SQA

SQA Applied to a Software Project – Overview

• Good questions ensuring SW quality to ask the software project

SQA Throughout the Software Lifecycle Phases

• Basic SQA goals; SQA evaluations; Configuration management SQA

SQA During Project Inception Phase

• Concept definition SQA; Standards and procedures; Software development plan

SQA During the Software Requirements Phase

• SQA review or requirements; Requirements review checklist; Methods of requirements evaluation; Typical requirements problems; Prototype SQA

SQA During the Software Design Phase

• QA of preliminary design; QA of detailed design; Criteria for good design

SQA During the Software Code and Test Phase

• QA of Code, QA of Testing

SQA During the Software and System Integration and Testing Phase

• QA of system integration and test; Approaches to integration and test
• Final review and recommendations to top management

SQA During the Sustaining Engineering Phase

• Software maintenance costs; Modifications vs. Fixes; Typical Problems

Advanced Quality Engineering Topics

• Software quality engineering; Software quality factors and criteria; Selecting quality factors for your project
• Information Assurance: Software safety and security

Software Process Improvement

• General concepts; The Software Engineering Institute; ISO 9000

SQA and the Software Engineering Institute Capability Maturity Model

• Detailed review and mapping of SQA key practices

LECTURERS

Mr. David J. Schultz

Mr. Schultz has over 40 years of programming, analysis, and managerial experience on large and medium-sized software systems, including requirements analysis, system planning, software system development, verification and validation (V&V), configuration management (CM), quality assurance (QA), and process improvement (ISO 9001 and CMMI).  He is currently employed by CSC, for whom he has worked for over 30 years.  He has served as a Software Quality Assurance manager on several CSC contracts.  On these contracts, he and his staff conducted quality audits, participated in design reviews and software inspections, developed and maintained project standards and procedures, and monitored CSC conformance to those standards and procedures.

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COURSE LOCATION:        4400 Fair Lakes Court, Fairfax, VA 22033.   Directions to AFCEA Headquarters

HOURS OF COURSE:        8:30AM – 4:30PM

DRESS CODE:  Business Casual

MEALS:  No meals are supplied by AFCEA.  For a listing of local restaurants please see Restaurants Near AFCEA .

PARKING:  AFCEA has parking available on site.  Please do not park in any space that has a reserved sign.  The auditorium entrance is located on the right end of the building.  AFCEA personnel will be available for check-in beginning at 7:30am.  If you need to reach AFCEA personnel on the morning of check-in call 703-631-6142.

AIRPORT & HOTELS:  This information is located at AFCEA Travel Info.  Dulles is the closest airport and there are several local hotels that provide our course attendees with special rates. 

SPECIAL NEEDS:  AFCEA complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.  Please email pdc@AFCEA.org  to make arrangements.

CANCELLATION POLICY

Please cancel by email to pdc@afcea.org

• -          For full refund, AFCEA must receive cancellation seven days prior to start of class
• -          For 50% refund, AFCEA must receive cancellation between seven days and one day prior to start of class
• -          There will be NO REFUNDS for “no shows” or cancellations received after the day prior to start of class.