Free Practice Questions for Software Certifications CSQA Exam

Very few individuals can differentiate between quality control and quality assurance. Most quality assurance groups, in fact, practice quality control. This section differentiates between the two, and describes how to recognize a control practice from an assurance practice.

Quality means meeting requirements and meeting customer needs, which means a defect-free product from both the producer’s and the customer’s viewpoint. Both quality control and quality assurance are used to make quality happen. Of the two, quality assurance is the more important.

Quality is an attribute of a product. A product is something produced, such as a requirement document, test data, source code, load module or terminal screen. Another type of product is a service that is performed, such as meetings with customers, help desk activities and training sessions. Services are a form of products, and therefore, also contain attributes. For example, an agenda might be a quality attribute of a meeting.

A process is the set of activities that is performed to produce a product. Quality is achieved through processes. Processes have the advantage of being able to replicate a product time and time again. Even in data processing, the process is able to replicate similar products with the same quality characteristics.

Quality Assurance (QA) is associated with a process. Once processes are consistent, they can "assure" that the same level of quality will be incorporated into each product produced by that process.

Quality Control (QC) is defined as the processes and methods used to compare product quality to requirements and applicable standards, and the action taken when a nonconformance is detected. QC uses reviews and testing to focus on the detection and correction of defects before shipment of products.

Define the Scope of the Process

Use the Process Inventory, Process Maps, and existing standards and procedures to clarify the scope of the process. This involves developing a high-level process flow (major workbenches and interfaces with other processes), major inputs and outputs (deliverables), and major customers and their requirements.

Develop the Workflow

Brainstorm the tasks and deliverables in the process and then group the tasks. Select the current best practices, adding missing tasks or deliverables and correcting flaws in the workflow. Define the workbenches internal to the process, their sequence, and major interim deliverables. Typically processes contain 3-5 workbenches, with each workbench containing 3-7 process steps or task procedures.

Develop Policies

A policy states why the workbench or deliverable exists, and indicates desired results (desirable attributes of process performance or desirable product quality characteristics). Policies should link to the organization’s strategic goals, and support customer needs or requirements. A policy should be realistic, stating a desire that the organization is currently capable of accomplishing.

Develop Standards

A standard states what must happen to meet the intent of the policy. Standards are more specific than policies in that they convert intentions into specific rules. Workbench standards deal withperformance issues related to time frames, prerequisites, or sequencing of tasks while deliverable standards typically specify content.

Develop Procedures

Procedures describe how work is done, and indicate the "best current way" to meet standards. Ideally, if the procedures are followed, the standards will automatically be followed and the intent of the policy will be met.

A task is a single step in a procedure. Procedures may have many tasks. Task procedures should refer to people, accessible tools, known techniques or methods, and templates for deliverables. If appropriate, tasks can also refer to more detailed work instructions, such as training or user’s manuals.

1 – The major advantages are”

Relinquishment of control -The software is developed by individuals who are not employees of the organization,and thus it is difficult to oversee the development process. The contractingorganization cannot direct the employees of the other organization, nor have controlover the many day-to-day decisions that are made in developing software.

Loss of control over reallocation of resources -If work needs to be done to correct problems and/or speed up development, thecontractor cannot take workers off one project and assign them to another project.

2 – The major disadvantages are:

Cultural differences -There may be a significant difference in the culture and values between the contractorand the offshore organization.

Communication barriers -The language of the offshore organization may be different or difficult to comprehendwhich causes difficulty in communicating the needs and desires of the contractor.

To map processes, executive management (Quality Council) must have identified the organization's mission, long and short-term goals, organizational structure, and deliverables. If formal strategic planning is not regularly performed, identifying an organization's mission and goals is difficult.

Processes should be mapped to mission and goals, to functional units (people), and to deliverables in separate matrices. The following generic process can be used for each mapping:

1. Create a matrix.

2. List processes across the top of the matrix.

3. On the left side of the matrix, list the goals, functional units or roles or deliverables.

4. Identify the linkages between the rows and columns, as follows:

A process may support multiple goals. Put an X in the intersection to acknowledge a linkage only if the stability or quality of the process could influence meeting goals. If all processes contribute to all goals, decompose the mission and goals further. The resulting Manage-by-Process matrix is a process map.

Processes have primary owners, suppliers and customers. Identify a linkage in this matrix by using “O”, “S” or “C” in the intersection to distinguish between the roles.

Deliverables can be internal such as design specifications, or external such as user manuals. In this matrix indicate the usage of the deliverable by placing a “C”, “R”, “U” and/or “D” in the intersection. “C” is used when the deliverable is created, or the service is provided through the process. “R” indicates the deliverable is referenced or used as input to the process. “U” indicates the deliverable is updated or revised in the process. “D” means the deliverable is deleted, or retired, etc.

5. For mission and goal mapping, look for gaps where goals are not supported by processes. Consider removing any processes that do not support goals, as they do not add value. For functional unit mapping, look for gaps where units do not have processes. For deliverable mapping, look for gaps where deliverables do not have processes or vice versa.

6. If the mapping identified any new processes, add them to the inventory.