Proactive System/Software Quality AssuranceTM (SQA) Overview – Creating an Environment that Promotes Quality Products – Fall 2014
15 Middlesex Canal Park Drive
Woburn, MA 01801
USA
Date & Time: Thursday, November 20; 8:30AM – 5:00PM
Location: Crowne Plaza Hotel, 15 Middlesex Canal Park Road, Woburn, MA
Speaker: Robin Goldsmith, President, GoPro Management
By: Nov 6
Members: $415
Non-Members: $430
After: Nov 6
Members: $430
Non-Members: $455
Decision: Tuesday, Nov 11
Course Summary
Proactive SQA™ is a key basis of significant value-enhancing revisions to overcome IEEE SQA Std. 730’s often-resisted “traffic cop” enforcement of procedural compliance. Effective organizations distinguish SQA from tail-end quality control (QC) testing that catches errors right before they go out the door when they are most expensive and risky to fix, if then. Instead Proactive SQA™ performs six functions in ways that help assure the system/software process in fact does the right things well so it truly produces high quality cheaper by catching and preventing errors early. This interactive workshop analyzes why SQA groups so frequently have failed in IS and presents practical approaches for successfully using SQA effectively throughout any life cycle to produce high quality systems. Exercises enhance learning.
Participants will learn:
Nature of system quality and how SQA goes beyond Testing to help deliver higher quality systems.
Reasons for SQA failures and factors critical to success of SQA in IS development
The six functions that Proactive SQA™ should perform vs. traditional reactive views of SQA.
A structured Proactive Testing* model of which testing activities should be performed when and by whom within the life cycle to maximize quality/testing efficiency and effectiveness.
Integrating SQA with development processes and Capability Maturity Models.
Measuring and improving system quality as well as development and QA/Testing effectiveness
WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
This course has been designed for quality specialists, systems and business managers, project leaders, analysts, auditors, and others responsible for the quality of information systems.
QUALITY AND QUALITY ASSURANCE
What system/software quality means to you
Quality in the project manager’s triangle
Costs of poor quality vs. quality is free
Common definitions of quality, confusion
Quality factors and quality dimensions
Needed positive common quality definition
Engineered Deliverable QualityTM
What produces the quality of systems
History of QA, gurus—quality in history
What it means to assure system quality
Product vs. process vs. project perspectives
QA vs. QC/Testing distinctions
Life cycle view, origins of quality problems
SQA as testing intermediate deliverables
“Traffic cop” traditional IEEE Stds. view
SYSTEM/SOFTWARE PROCESSES
REAL vs. Presumed processes
Silos that perpetuate problems
Process capability, control, and variance
SEI Capability Maturity Models
Staged/levels vs. continuous models
Strengths, weaknesses, and issues
Quality key process areas
QUALITY ASSURANCE CONCEPTS
Why SQA groups so often fail
Key to overcoming resistance to quality/QA
Successful SQA agile projects contribution
Preventing busywork
Extracting a core set of agreed importance
Keeping the SQA group vital and valued
Environment that promotes quality
Assuring vs. doing
6 functions of effective software QA
QA Plans, quality reviews of deliverables
Engineering standards, conventions
Defining how to do work well
Addressing training, supervision, rewards
Quality controls at all key points
Reactive testing—out of time, but not tests
Proactive Testing TM Life Cycle model
Requirements and designs reviews, assistance
Developer vs. independent test group testing
V-model and objectives of each test level
Dynamic, passive and active static testing
Configuration and release management
Project management, review, retrospectives
Recordkeeping and auditing
Metrics and analysis for improvement
Measuring testing effectiveness
Promoting awareness and recognition