Sci.Int.(Lahore), 21(1),25-28,2009 ISSN 1013-5316; CODEN: SINTE 8 Improvement of Key Problems of Software Testing in Quality Assurance Nayyar Iqbal, M. Rizwan Jameel Qureshi Department of Computer Science COMSATS Institute of Information Technology Lahore Pakistan [email protected], [email protected] Abstract Quality assurance makes sure the project will be Software quality [2] is gaining much more completed based on the previously approved interest these days as well as much more specifications, standards and functionality. It is importance is being given to the production of required without defects and possible problems. high quality software products. Software It monitors and tries to progress the development development is a intricate process requiring process from the start of the project. Software careful integration of various disciplines, Quality Assurance (SQA) is the combination of technical activities, project management etc. the entire software development process, which Most software are produced by the joint effort of includes software design, coding, source code many designers and programmers working over control, code review, change management, a period of man years. The resulting product configuration management and release can’t be totally understood by any person. No management. In this paper we describe the matter how [2] well-designed methods used to solution for the key problems of software testing test the final product, how complete the in quality assurance. The existing software documentation, how structured the methodology, practices have some problems such as testing the development plans, the project reviews, the practices, attitude of users and culture of walkthroughs, the database management, the organizations. All these tree problems have some configuration control, no matter how advanced combined problems such as shortcuts in testing, the tools and techniques - all will come to reduction in testing time, poor documentation nothing and the project will fail if the quality etc. In this paper we are recommending management system is not effective. strategies to provide solution of the said problems mentioned above. 2. Related Work In this paper the author [1] describe that Keywords: Software Quality Assurance, insecurely tested software system lowers down Testing, planning, documentation. the system reliability that afterward negatively affects ‘Software Quality’. In this paper 1. Introduction ‘Software Reliability Measurement’ has been Developing a [1] good software system is a very discussed and also ISO approach applicable to difficult task. To make a good software product, software quality assurance (SQA). In order to numerous measures for software quality increase the efficiency of testing and to improve attributes need to be taken into explanation. software quality, software houses must make System complication dimension plays a vital role transitions to higher software culture. Testing in controlling and supervision of software quality need to concentrate on maximizing customer because it normally affects the software quality satisfaction rather than just detecting and attributes like software reliability, software correcting errors involved in delivered software. testability and software maintainability. Thus, In this paper, the factors affecting software software quality assurance (SQA) [1] needs to be quality management have been discussed and the addressed keeping in view the new strategies, author suggested possible improvements. The tool, methodologies and techniques applicable to results of this paper may be quite supportive to software development life cycle. the researchers in quantifying the specific Sci.Int.(Lahore), 21(1),25-28,2009 ISSN 1013-5316; CODEN: SINTE 8 measuring tools for these software qualities New information areas such as software safety attributes. and reliability are now being added to the core In their paper [2] J Barrie Thompson and Helem set of required skills. SQA must be independent M Edwards says that given the fact that time is from development organizations to be very limited in the course the authors believe that successful. in the Systems Engineering module they have Massood Towhiddnejad [5] describes an been able to provide an appropriate balance experiment which involved students in the between master’s level research activities and undergraduate computer science senior project those of a more practical nature. However, the capstone design course, and students in the authors believe that they have been able to graduate software testing course. Students present the students with some really helpful entering the senior project class are graduating practical experiences. In particular the positive seniors who have completed all but maximum of features of the approach the authors have two required CS classes. They have already adopted are: The prepared arrangements in completed a one semester software engineering particular with consider to the front-loading of class with major concentration on software formal lectures means that students receive an development life cycle and software processes. early overview of the subject area. They then Students entering the software testing course have sufficient time to explore their chosen have already completed graduate course in research area(s) in depth. The practical side of software engineering, project management, the module provided the students with the requirement engineering, and they may have chance to put into practice some of the aspects other courses in software design and architecture. of software engineering that they had Students in the undergraduates’ classes worked encountered and begun to understand from their as the development team while students in the research activities. graduate classes worked as the software quality In the [3] modern years an increasing number of assurance team, both working on a single software organizations have launched initiatives product. to improve their software process. The majority The authors [6] have addressed a practical of them have been not capable to move beyond drawback of software metrics based quality diagnosis and action planning, turning those classification models based on Boolean plans into real and practical actions. This paper Discriminant Functions. More specifically focuses on two software process areas, Software though BDFs have confirmed excellent ability to Quality Assurance (SQA) and Software predict fault prone modules they do so at a very Configuration Management (SCM), and high inspection cost. However it should be noted proposes a set of basic tools to assist in the that there may be situations in which software implantation of specific practices for them. development organizations are agreeable to deal SQUID (software Quality In the Development with relatively high inspection costs, provided all Process) - for specifying, monitoring and low quality modules are reviewed and enhanced. evaluating the software product quality during This paper applies [7] Lehman’s theory of development is adapted. The authors describe software evolution to analyze the characteristics the results of a application conducted, showing of web-based applications and identifies the how the proposed adaptation helps in essences and incidents that cause difficulties in formalizing and normalizing the implantation developing high quality web-based applications. process, setting tangible goals and evaluating It is argued that they belong to Lehman’s E-type the results more accurately. systems, hence satisfy Lehman’s eight laws of The authors [4] illustrate that software quality software evolution. The doubts underlying the assurance is faced with many challenges starting development of web applications are analyzed with the method of defining quality for software. and their implications are discussed. In order to There must be complete understanding what high support sustainable long term evolution of such quality software is, but the final description is systems, authors proposed a cooperative multi- generally influenced by the environment of the agent system approach to support both software usage. There are many aspects of SQA development and maintenance activities. A from those within the phases of the software prototype system with emphasis on testing and development life cycle to those that span several quality assurance is reported. phases. SQA is a very difficult area that is This paper describes [8] the one of the most serious to the final success of a project; it is also important things that students can learn in a one that requires a rather diverse set of skills. course in software engineering is how to Sci.Int.(Lahore), 21(1),25-28,2009 ISSN 1013-5316; CODEN: SINTE 8 effectively work in a team to develop software quality for different stakeholders, b) how much that is too large for a single individual to effort seems reasonable to spend on creating, produce. It is also essential that students learn maintaining and monitoring the indicators in an the value of assuring software quality at each OSS context; and c) the need for empirical step of the development process. This paper also evaluation of the concept using larger set of OSS illustrates how to include a UML-based team projects. project into an object oriented software engineering course. The project gives students 3. Hypothesis practical experience in software development Hypothesis of our paper is that we provide and quality assurance at each stage of the strategy for improvement