Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
provides measureable value for those who produce it and those who use it''
(Pressman
2010
). Schach would like to point out the fault with most quality defi-
nitions. Quality to a software engineer is merely to release a product that meets
specification. This attribution to quality standards is lacking. It should contain a
pursuit of excellence, excellence in development, delivery and customer satisfaction
(Schach
2007
). This leads to the definition for this text, software quality is the
development, delivery and maintenance of software that meets specifications and
customer needs, while not being restricted to simply conforming to specification.
12.2.1 Garvin's Quality Dimensions
Quality dimensions encompass all fields. It is important to look at software from
the perspective of an outsider to the development process in order to understand
the metrics and measures to use when developing software. David Garvin proposes
such a metric. His metric does not apply to software in particular. There are no
metrics proposed to subjectively derive any of the points of quality he lists, it is
merely a theoretical overview of quality. Garvin lists eight quality dimensions
which are listed below, each with a brief description of how it relates to software
(Pressman
2010
).
• Performance quality, the functionality and feature set that is desirable to the end
user.
• Feature set, an appropriate feature set should encompass the user's needs and
provide intuitive and useful functionality.
• Reliability, correctly engineered and implemented software will provide the user
with the lowest number of faults while functioning to specification.
• Conformance, this is all about the software meeting standards both internally
and externally. Software should function within safety parameters when appli-
cable. Software should also conform to design and documentation standards.
• Durability, the length a software system will last is known as its durability.
Software needs to be maintainable over time with little to no degradation in fault
level.
• Serviceability, relates directly to the ability to modify it and correct faults. The
quicker, easier and least intensive that maintenance is the better the service-
ability of software will be.
• Aesthetics, the correctness of many aspects of code can be analyzed and sys-
tematically scrutinized, but the aesthetic value is much more difficult to com-
pound as a subjective tangible entity. Aesthetics should conform to UI
guidelines, but also more importantly it should be pleasing to view and operate.
• Perception, you reputation or the reputation of a genre of software may influence
customer's and the general public's opinions of your product rather than the
actual product itself. It is necessary to promote the truth about yourself and your
product in order to avoid being stereotyped or the victim of prejudice.
