SQS improvement

11.7 SQS improvement

One of the goals of the SQS is to find ways in which to improve the development and maintenance processes being applied to the software. Clearly, the SQS and its implementation are also a process. As a process, the SQS is open to review, assessment, and improvement. Several process investigation and evaluation avenues apply to the software quality process. Among the process evaluation approaches are as follows:

• Assessment of the process;

• Certification of the process;

• Recognition of process quality.

The goal of assessments, certifications, and awards should go beyond the single event. The results, winning or not, should serve as starting points for intentional improvement of the quality system or practitioner. It must be remembered that each of these events provides only a single snapshot of the situation at a specific time. Their real value is serving as a benchmark from which improvement can be addressed and measured.

11.7.1 Assessment

The most widely known of the process assessment approaches is that developed by the SEI. Founded to provide software development process evaluation for the DoD, the SEI has conceived the software CMMI. While the CMMI is specifically intended for the assessment of the software development process, it can be applied to the software quality process. By answering a series of questions about the process, an assignment of maturity level is accomplished.

The quality system is an integral part of the level determination, and some of the questions are intended to assess its effectiveness. The answers to the quality system-oriented questions can give an idea of the maturity of the quality process and indicate areas for its potential improvement.

11.7.2 Certification

Two types of certifications directed specifically at the quality system are organizational and personal.

Organizational certification can be based on the ISO 9000 series of standards (see Section 2.2.1). The standards can be used in-house as self-evaluation, or applied through assessments by third-party assessors. An in-house assessment cannot result in a recognized certification as can a third-party assessment. The value of an in-house assessment is that it gives a picture of the effectiveness of the quality system within the needs and resources of the organization. Third-party certification is of value when the outside world needs to be considered or when absolute independence of the assessors is desirable.

Personal certification of quality practitioners is available through the American Society for Quality for most quality applications. The software-oriented Quality Assurance Institute administers certifications for both software quality analysts and software testers. Personal certifications do not guarantee that the SQS will succeed, but they do offer assurance that the software quality practitioners are capable of their tasks.

11.7.3 Quality system awards

A number of awards for organizational quality system excellence are available throughout the world. Many countries now have national quality awards such as the Malcolm Baldrige Award in the United States. In addition, several individual states are also granting quality system excellence awards. One such state award is the New York Excelsior Award. There are also awards for individuals in the quality field such as the Japanese Deming Award that can be presented to either organizations or individuals.