Tuesday, May 31, 2011

SQA Approaches and Methodologies

A scientific approach should have methods. As a scientific process, a stage or a step should be established or used to ensure the final product is according to the user’s specifications. The method is usually determined through the wishes of the clients, the available manpower and circumstances.

It is not that the clients specify the actual method for a scientific approach but the client’s provider takes into consideration the need of the clients. Using the facts and data provided by the client, the method for developing a product will be established. Using the experience and available data a method is determined and executed.

In SQA, the client’s need for a better application is established. But a good application is not the only need of the client. There are metrics that an application should meet and anything below par is not good for business. The SQA team should ensure the metrics are reached by constantly monitoring the development process while giving feedbacks to the developers. The SQA team is there to ensure that the process is done correctly to reach the needed metrics.

To ensure that a proper SQA is done, the SQA team should select a proper methodology. Selecting the proper methodology is quite a challenge. However if the proper facts is laid out, the SQA team should be able to select a good SQA methodology. On the other hand, the factors are also determined before hand so that the methodology will be known. Since SQA is an evaluating process, it reacts to the available information.

Why Not to Use a Methodology

On the other hand, there are SQA and software engineers who have doubts on the importance and use of an SQA methodology. Their reason comes from the fact that the SQA methodologies and approaches are very specific. Since there are very specific and strict, it does not give any room for additional information.

There are also developers and SQA managers who develop their own type of software quality assurance methodology based on their present situation. Again, the reason for that is that the methodologies are to strict that any creativity ofsoftware development is not allowed.

A waste of time is also a major source of disregard from software developers. Instead of determining the methodology, the developers focus their time on other things. The proof of the usability of the methodology of SQA is almost non-existent. There are a few who have tried to prove that having an SQA methodology makes worth more efficient but they are usually associated with the general information and a small part of the text is dedicated to the methodology.

Last but not the least, the methodology for SQA is just a waste of time. This is true especially when you’re trying out a new methodology forsoftware development. It’s always a gamble to try out something new even though they have been tested in simulated environments. It all goes back to the fact that the SQA methodologies are very specific and the possibility of going out of what is written is not a good thing.


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