Western Governors University C 857 / C857 Software
Quality Assurance - Study Guide
•Detect defects.
•Remove defects as close to the point of insertion as possible.
•Determine product progress/status.
•Identify potential improvements.
•Produce technical work of a more uniform and predictable quality.
•Assist employees with cross-training.
•Reduce costs to build and maintain better products.
•Reduce development time.
•Reduce testing cost and time.
•Reduce total system maintenance cost dramatically (as much as 10 to 1 according to
recent statistics).
Why should we conduct reviews?
A buddy check is normally thought of as an informal verification technique in which the
life-cycle work product is examined by the author and one other person. The objectives
of buddy checks include:
•Improve the life-cycle work product;
•Consider alternative implementations;
•Exchange techniques and style variations;
•Point out problems with clarity and understandability;
•Allow the author to look at the life-cycle work product from a different "angle" or point of
view;
•Mentoring of others in the concepts embedded in the life-cycle work product.
What is a buddy check?
Circulation reviews take on attributes of both buddy checks and walkthroughs.
Circulation reviews can be informal or follow strict rules. The life-cycle work product is
circulated to each reviewer who reviews it and either attaches comments, questions,
and recommendations directly on the life-cycle work product or places them into a
separate document. The objectives of circulation reviews include:
•Improve the life-cycle work product;
•Consider alternative implementations;
•Point out problems with clarity and understandability;
•Point out areas of concern and offer comments and suggestions;
•Gain consensus from a large population of reviewers;
•Gain input from valuable contributors who cannot be present for a face-to-face review.
What is a circulation review?
A technical review is a formal team evaluation of a life-cycle work product to identify any
discrepancies from specifications and standards, determine its suitability for use, and
provide recommendations after the examination of various alternatives. The objectives
, of technical reviews are to ensure that:
•The life-cycle work product conforms to its specifications;
•The development or maintenance of the life-cycle work product is being done
according to plans, standards, and guidelines applicable to the project;
•Changes to the life-cycle work product are properly implemented and affect only those
areas of the system identified by the change specification.
What is a technical review?
An inspection is a formal verification technique in which life-cycle work products are
examined in detail by a group of peers for the explicit purpose of detecting and
identifying defects. The process is led by a moderator or facilitator or inspection leader
who is not the author and is impartial to the life-cycle work product under review. The
author is not allowed to act as the moderator. Written action on all major defects is
mandatory. Rework due to corrections of major defects is formally verified. Defect data
is systematically collected and stored in an inspection database. This defect data is
analyzed to improve the product, the process, and the effectiveness of the inspection
process.
The objective of an inspection is to detect and identify life-cycle work product defects in
a rigorous, formal, peer examination that does the following:
•Verifies that the life-cycle work product satisfies both its specification and preceding
intermediate work products.
•Verifies that the life-cycle work product conforms to applicable standards.
•Identifies real or potential deviations from standards and specifications.
•Collects engineering data (i.e., defect and effort data).
•Does not examine alternatives or stylistic issues.
What is an inspection?
Walkthroughs were designed to be a less formal verification technique in which life-
cycle work products are examined by a group of peers for the purpose of finding
defects, omissions, and contradictions. The walkthrough is normally led by the author or
the producer of the material being reviewed. As the walkthrough progresses, errors,
suggested changes, and improvement suggestions are noted and documented. The
consolidated notes are taken by the author for review and revision as the author sees
fit.
The objectives of walkthroughs in addition to detecting defects are to:
•Improve the life-cycle work product;
•Consider alternative implementations;
•Point out efficiency and readability problems, or modularity problems if the life-cycle
work product is code;
•Exchange techniques and style variations;
•Educate the participants.
What is a walkthrough?
Quality Assurance - Study Guide
•Detect defects.
•Remove defects as close to the point of insertion as possible.
•Determine product progress/status.
•Identify potential improvements.
•Produce technical work of a more uniform and predictable quality.
•Assist employees with cross-training.
•Reduce costs to build and maintain better products.
•Reduce development time.
•Reduce testing cost and time.
•Reduce total system maintenance cost dramatically (as much as 10 to 1 according to
recent statistics).
Why should we conduct reviews?
A buddy check is normally thought of as an informal verification technique in which the
life-cycle work product is examined by the author and one other person. The objectives
of buddy checks include:
•Improve the life-cycle work product;
•Consider alternative implementations;
•Exchange techniques and style variations;
•Point out problems with clarity and understandability;
•Allow the author to look at the life-cycle work product from a different "angle" or point of
view;
•Mentoring of others in the concepts embedded in the life-cycle work product.
What is a buddy check?
Circulation reviews take on attributes of both buddy checks and walkthroughs.
Circulation reviews can be informal or follow strict rules. The life-cycle work product is
circulated to each reviewer who reviews it and either attaches comments, questions,
and recommendations directly on the life-cycle work product or places them into a
separate document. The objectives of circulation reviews include:
•Improve the life-cycle work product;
•Consider alternative implementations;
•Point out problems with clarity and understandability;
•Point out areas of concern and offer comments and suggestions;
•Gain consensus from a large population of reviewers;
•Gain input from valuable contributors who cannot be present for a face-to-face review.
What is a circulation review?
A technical review is a formal team evaluation of a life-cycle work product to identify any
discrepancies from specifications and standards, determine its suitability for use, and
provide recommendations after the examination of various alternatives. The objectives
, of technical reviews are to ensure that:
•The life-cycle work product conforms to its specifications;
•The development or maintenance of the life-cycle work product is being done
according to plans, standards, and guidelines applicable to the project;
•Changes to the life-cycle work product are properly implemented and affect only those
areas of the system identified by the change specification.
What is a technical review?
An inspection is a formal verification technique in which life-cycle work products are
examined in detail by a group of peers for the explicit purpose of detecting and
identifying defects. The process is led by a moderator or facilitator or inspection leader
who is not the author and is impartial to the life-cycle work product under review. The
author is not allowed to act as the moderator. Written action on all major defects is
mandatory. Rework due to corrections of major defects is formally verified. Defect data
is systematically collected and stored in an inspection database. This defect data is
analyzed to improve the product, the process, and the effectiveness of the inspection
process.
The objective of an inspection is to detect and identify life-cycle work product defects in
a rigorous, formal, peer examination that does the following:
•Verifies that the life-cycle work product satisfies both its specification and preceding
intermediate work products.
•Verifies that the life-cycle work product conforms to applicable standards.
•Identifies real or potential deviations from standards and specifications.
•Collects engineering data (i.e., defect and effort data).
•Does not examine alternatives or stylistic issues.
What is an inspection?
Walkthroughs were designed to be a less formal verification technique in which life-
cycle work products are examined by a group of peers for the purpose of finding
defects, omissions, and contradictions. The walkthrough is normally led by the author or
the producer of the material being reviewed. As the walkthrough progresses, errors,
suggested changes, and improvement suggestions are noted and documented. The
consolidated notes are taken by the author for review and revision as the author sees
fit.
The objectives of walkthroughs in addition to detecting defects are to:
•Improve the life-cycle work product;
•Consider alternative implementations;
•Point out efficiency and readability problems, or modularity problems if the life-cycle
work product is code;
•Exchange techniques and style variations;
•Educate the participants.
What is a walkthrough?
