SQA Standards in EMI

Introduction

In order to define the SQAP for EMI, a set of standards have been used. In the following sections, we present how SQA Standards have been applied in the EMI project.

Some Definitions

• ISO 8402-94 - Quality Management and Quality Assurance -- Vocabulary
  • Quality: The set of characteristics of an entity that give that entity the ability to satisfy expressed and implicit needs.
  • Quality Assurance: The series of preestablished and systematic activities laid out in the quality system framework that are performed when needed to prove that an entity will meet quality expectations.

ISO/IEC 12207

The Standard ISO/IEC 12207 is about software lifecycle processes. It defines all the tasks required for developing and maintaining software.

ISO/IEC 12207 process mapping in EMI

In the following Matrix, the processes and activities defined in the standard are presented and mapped to what it is currently defined for EMI.

Quality assurance process

The quality assurance process is a process for providing adequate assurance that the software products and processes in the project life cycle conform to their specified requirements and adhere to their established plans. The process consists of the following activities:

• Process implementation
• Product assurance
• Process assurance
• Assurance of quality systems

Process implementation

• A quality assurance process tailored to the project shall be established. The objectives of the process are:
  • Assure that the software products and the processes employed for providing those software products comply with their established requirements and adhere to their established plans.
• The quality assurance process should be coordinated with the following processes:
  • Verification and Validation
  • Joint Review
  • Audit
• A plan for conducting the quality assurance process activities and tasks shall be developed, documented, implemented and maintained. The plan shall include:
  • Quality standards, methodologies, procedures and tools for performing quality assurance activities.
  • Procedures for contract review.
  • Procedures for identification, collection, filing, maintenance and disposition of quality records.
  • Resources, schedule and responsibilities for conducting the quality assurance activities.
• Scheduled and on-going quality assurance activities and tasks shall be executed. When problems or non-conformances with contract requirements are detected, they shall be documented and serve as input to Problem Resolution Process. Records of these activities and tasks, their execution, problems, and problem resolutions shall be prepared and maintained.
• Records of quality assurance activities and tasks shall be made available to the acquirer as specified in the contract.

Product Assurance

• It shall be assured that all the plans required by the contract are documented, comply with the contract, are mutually consistent and are being executed as required.
• It shall be assured that the software products and related documentation comply with the contract and adhere to the plans.
• In preparation for the delivery of the software products, it shall be assured that they have fully satisfied their contractual requirements and are acceptable to the acquirer.

Process Assurance

• It shall be assured that those software life cycle processes (suppy, development, operation, maintenance, and supporting processes including quality assurance) employed for the project comply with the contract and adhere to the plans.
• It shall be assured that the internal software engineering practices, development environment, test environment and libraries, comply with the contract.
• It shall be assured that the acquirer and other parties are provided the required support and cooperation in accordance with the contract, negotiation and plans.
• It should be assured that software product and process measurements are in accordance with established standards and procedures.
• It shall be assured that the staff assigned have the skill and knowledge needed to meet the requirements of the project and receive any necessary training.

Assurance of quality systems

• Additional quality management activities shall be assured in accordance with the clauses of ISO 9001 as specified in the contract.

ISO/IEC 9126

The standard ISO/IEC 9126 is for the evaluation of software quality. The standard is divided into four parts:

• quality model: it helps to define software product quality.
• internal metrics: applicable to non-executable software product during its development stages.
• external metrics: applicable to executable software product during testing and operation stages.
• quality in use metrics: checks whether the software product meets the needs specified by the user to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, productivity, safety and satisfaction. It is measured in terms of using the software rather than the properties of the software itself.

Quality Model

The quality model for external and internal quality categorises the software quality attributes into six characteristics, which are further subdivided into subcharacteristics:

The capabily of the software product...