Mastering Software Quality Assurance: Best Practices, Tools and Techniques for Software Developers

by by Murali Chemuturi

Publisher: J. Ross Publishing
ISBN: 1604270322

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Book Description

Mastering Software Quality Assurance is a comprehensive reference on quality assurance as it pertains to software development that addresses all four dimensions of quality. It explores a process-driven approach to quality and provides the information and guidance needed for implementing a process quality model in your organization.

Key Features:

• Covers every aspect of software quality assurance, quality control, and the measurement of software quality and includes best practices, valuable tools and techniques for software developers
• Details the quality of specifications, design, construction and conformance as applicable to software development organizations from both the micro and macro view
• Offers unique insights into achieving quality at the component level and explores process quality from the standpoint of implementation rather than from the appraiser/assessor point of view
• Provides a strategic view of the ISO and CMMI models and describes necessary steps for attaining conformance to those models
• WAV offers a comprehensive tool for assistance in software testing (TestPal), a tool for increasing personal effectiveness (PET), and templates illustrated within the text that are adaptable to your own needs

Book Reviews

Outstanding! Read this book carefully since a few minutes of consideration may save you or your company millions of dollars and years of struggle in achieving business value from your software development initiatives. - Robert C. Anderson, Director, Process Development & Quality Assurance, Computer Aid, Inc.

Finally, a solid book dedicated to quality within software development. It should be mandatory reading for any software project manager. Every aspect of quality assurance and quality control is covered with topics dedicated to helping an organization succeed in its quality program implementation. The descriptions and benefits of the most valuable activities of software development are detailed and precise. Mastering Software Quality Assurance is a desk reference that experts and amateurs will refer to every day. - Paul Laberge, Continuous Improvement Analyst, Wolters Kluwer

About the Author

Murali Chemuturi is an information technology and software development subject matter expert, hands-on programmer, author, consultant and trainer. He has more than 25 years of information technology and software development experience and several years of academic experience teaching a variety of computer & IT courses. In 2001, he formed his own IT consulting, training and software development firm known as Chemuturi Consultants. His undergraduate degrees and diplomas are in Electrical and Industrial Engineering and he holds an MBA and a Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Methods & Programming. He is a published author in professional journals, a member of IEEE, a senior member of the Computer Society of India and a Fellow at the Indian Institute of Industrial Engineering.

Customer Reviews

"Mastering Software Quality Assurance" is a thorough portrait of the quality assurance landscape. As indicated in its subtitle, the book provides robust insight into software quality assurance "best practices, tools, and techniques." Despite its breadth of coverage, it is an easy read that provides "just enough" coverage of a particular topic before moving on to the next.

Author Murali Chemuturi provides an extensive number of lists throughout the book - everything from aspects of specification quality (6 items), to triggering events for phase end audits (6 items), to the aspects ensured in acceptance test readiness inspections (11 items), and so on. He also provides a number of templates (e.g., Test Plan template, Test Case template, Audit Report template, etc.) that offer an outstanding starting point for organizations or practitioners new to the field.

Chapter 6, Validation, was particularly rich in its discussion of "Testing Different Types of Software Products" (7 product types), "Project Testing" (4 major types of testing), and "Product Testing" (who would have known that there were 22 types of product testing to be considered!) This chapter is an absolute "must read" for any testing professional.

In addition to such lists, templates, and discussions, there are also a number of process diagrams throughout the book, as well as 12 Appendices spanning 100+ pages! I particularly liked Appendix G: Measurement of Quality - but then I AM a metrics guy...

The only downside to the book was that Mr. Chemuturi used some process assurance terminology in ways that differed from my experience.

I just finished reading a new book by Murali Chenmuturi; "Mastering Software Quality Assurance", subtitled "Best Practices, Tools and Techniques for Software Developers". My first reaction is that the audience of the book should be enlarged from Software Developers to `their managers, team leads and anyone else involved in software development'.

I found the book to be a comprehensive look at quality assurance, its history and evolution from quality control to quality assurance and applicability to software development. There are discussions on quality in specifications, design, construction and conformance (which the author describes as `how well an organization conducts the activities that ensure that quality is built into a deliverable'). Other perspectives of quality covered in the book are; the organizational environment needed to foster quality, verification, validation, product quality and process quality. In addition to the discussions there are a number of process flows as well as checklists, templates and guidelines, some within the chapters and others as appendices. The presence of these items makes the book a nice combination of theory and practical help.

Murali Chemuturi also has a couple of interesting proposals, one a composite metric to measure the quality of a software product, that takes into consideration both organizational aspects as well as actual activities on the project. The other is `a new paradigm for software quality assurance' based on the author's disillusion with ISO certifications and CMMI ratings. While there is some truth in the criticism voiced, the proposed new paradigm would have its own set of issues and potential for misuse. Still it is always good to be aware of the negative aspects of current practices.