1

Software Quality Management (IF 355)

Sample short Questions and Answers
1. How do you consider ISO-9000 for Software Quality Management
ISO 9000 can be an extremely powerful incentive to
organizations to get their quality procedure right. It concentrates on
all aspects of QMS. So ISO 9000 can be appropriate for QMS.
2. A company by name M/s.FOO Software Service Ltd. is certified
for ISO-9002 It wants to apply for ISO-9001. Enumerate steps to
be taken.
There are 2 steps to be taken.
*design control
*servicing
3. A Company M/s. MICE. Software Development Ltd. is already
certified for SEI-CMM Level 3. It wants to go to level 5. Indicate
steps to be taken by this company to go to level5.
To go to level5 the following steps are to be followed,
Quantitative process management
Software quality management
Defect prevention
Technology change management
Process change management
4. What is Certification?
Validating the authenticity of something or someone.
5. Define Integrity as given by Gilbs?
Glib defines Integrity as the products ability to remain intact
while under threat.
6. What are the Capability levels within SPICE?
Capability levels within SPICE are,
0-Not preferred
1-Performed informally
2-Planned and tracked

NICE

3-Well defined
4-Quantitative controlled
5-Continous improvements
7. Identify the odd one.
ISO, CMM, SPICE, EN29000
Odd one out is ISO
8. Distinguish direct and indirect measure.
Direct measure:
It involves only one level of mapping.
Indirect measure:
It involves more than one level of mapping.
9. Name any five companies that are certified with Quality
Standards.
Infosys
Microsoft
IBM
Satyam
TCS
10.What are Software Quality Standards?
Software Quality standards are specific, measurable
expectations of desired quality of some service or some activity.
They define the level of quality or performance that a organization is
willing to accept as representing quality for their particular services
Example: ISO 9000, CMM, SPICE
11.Name few Software Quality Standards Development by SEI?
1. CMM (Capability maturity model)
2. PSP (Personal Software Process)
3. TSP (Team softwares process)
12.What do software Quality and Software Quality Management
mean?
Software quality means conformance to standards or
specification and fitness for purpose.
Software quality Management means organizing, monitoring the
development process to achieve the required quality.
NICE

13.Classify reliability criteria as given by Dicksons?

Reliability
Logic ware
Fidelity Veracity viability

Dataware
fidelity veracity viability

14.How does ISO define Quality Management System?

Quality Management System is The organizational structure
responsibilities, procedures, processes and resources for implementing
quality management
15.What is Auditing?
Auditing is The process of inspecting, evaluating and
monitoring companies risk management, reporting, control practices
and making suggestions for improvement.
16.What is accreditation? What are the types of Accreditation?
The act of granting credit or recognition especially with
educational institution that maintain suitable standards.
There are 3 types of accreditation. They are
1. First party Internal Monitoring only
2. Second party External monitoring only
3. Third party External monitoring by an independent standard
body
17.What are demerits of Gilbs approach?
1.Developer has to set a quality template
2.Extensive training is required.
18.Match the following with apt one.
Reliability
Error Prediction
Maintainability Complexity
Correctness
Modularity
Usability
Readability

NICE

Answer:
Reliability
Maintainability
Correctness
Usability

Complexity
Modularity
Error Prediction
Readability

19.What is TQM?
A method for ridding peoples lives of wasted effort by
involving everybody in the process of improving the effectiveness of
work, so that results are achieved in less time.
Total quality management is to obtain total quality by involving
everyones daily commitment.
20.What is Quality Improvement Team?
The purpose of quality improvement team is to bring together
specific expertise to solve a particular problem. It contains 5 to 10
experts from a range of disciplines. It is lead by person most
concerned with task success. life time of this team is limited
21.What is Software Quality Assurance?
It is an ongoing process to ensure that the plan is being carried
out according to the procedures laid down. The role of quality
assurance is to ensure that the quality of the procedures and processes
results in a product that fully meets users requirements
22.What are the benefits of Quality System?
a. Cost
b. Timeliness
c. Reliability
d. Functionality
e. Maintainability
23.What are the merits and demerits of team working?
Merits
1. Staff morale may increase
2. The size and scope of the problems to be
tackled may increase
3. The recommendations of the group carry
more Weight than individual

NICE

Demerits
1. Individuals may find Hard to fit in
2. Different Objectives may lead to conflict
between teams
3. Personality clashes may be exaggerated with
in a team
24.You have been appointed a project manager within an
information systems organization. Your job is to build an
application that is quite similar to others your team has built,
although this one is larger and more complex. Requirements have
been thoroughly documented by the customer. What process
model would you choose.?
Linear Sequential model
25.What is process model?
To solve actual problem in industrial setting in engineering or
team of engineering must incorporate the development strategy that
encompasses the process, methods, tool layers and generic Phases
This strategy is often referred to as process model.
26.What is Formal Technical Review?
A formal technical review is a software quality assurance
activity performed by software engineers. The objectives of the FTR
are (1) to uncover errors in function, logic, or implementation for any
representation of the software; (2) to verify that the software under
review meets its requirements. (3) To ensure that the software has
been represented according to predefined standards; (4) to achieve
software that is developed in a uniform manner; and (5) to make
projects more manageable.
27.What is SQA Plan?
SQA plan provide a road map for instituting software quality
assurance the plan serves as a template for SQA activities that are
instituted for each software project.
28.How do you consider ISO-9000 for Software Quality Management
ISO 9000 can be an extremely powerful incentive to
organizations to get their quality procedure right. It concentrates on
all aspects of QMS. So ISO 9000 can be appropriate for QMS.
NICE

29.Define Software Process?

To build a system it is important to go through a series of
predictable steps - a road map that helps you create a timely, high
quality results. The road map that is followed is called software
process.
30.What is TickIT?
The TickIT scheme promotes the use of standards to improve
the
quality
management
of
software
development.
It provides a supporting certification process to enhance intercompany trading confidence. Because it is based on international
standards TickIT is both a ational scheme (BS 5750 Part 1 is identical
with ISO 9001 and EN 29001) and an international one. Its
importance is that it is the only scheme involving certification by
accredited bodies and which has been specifically designed for
software development and delivery
31.What is Statistical Software Quality Assurance?
Statistical quality assurance reflects a growing Trend
throughout industry to become more quantitative about quality for
software.
32.What is Quality Circle?
The purpose of quality circle is to allow workers the chance to
contribute ideas to solve problems occurring. It contains up to 15 front
line workers. It is lead by foreman/line manager. The lifetime is
unlimited.
33.How many spirals does the Spiral Model contain?
Depends upon the projects, It may contain may contain any
number of spirals.
34.Give the demerits of linear sequential model?
Demerits
1. The real projects rarely follow sequential flow the model
proposes. Although the linear model can accommodate
iterations, it does so indirectly, as a result changes can cause
confusion
NICE

2.It is often difficult for the customer to state all requirements

explicitly.
35.Define Software Quality? How is differs from quality?
Software Quality is defined as fitness for purpose and
conformance to standards or requirements.
Quality means degree of excellence. Since software quality
cannot be viewed as the quality of other products. Software quality is
defined as conformance for standard and fitness for purpose.
36.Which has greater life software or hardware. What is the
advantages of reusing software
Software has longer life than hardware because software has no
physical existence; it does not wear out in time and can be reused.
37.What is CMM? Mention the Types?
CMM is the acronym for Capability Maturity Model. CMM is a
five level framework for measuring software engineering practices, as
they relate to process. The 5 levels of the CMM are
1. Initial
2. Repeatable
3. Defined
4. Managed
5. Optimizing
The various types of CMM are:
1. SW-CMM (software CMM)
2. P-CMM (People CMM)
3. SA-CMM (Software Acquisition CMM)
4. SE-CMM (System Engineering CMM)
5. IPD-CMM (Integrated Product Development CMM)
6. CMM-I (CMM Integrated)
38.What are software quality criteria? Name any 6?
A software quality criterion is a feature or characteristics of
quality. Each quality criteria has set of quality metrics or measures
associated with it.
Some quality criteria are:
1. Reliability
2. Maintainability
3. Usability
NICE

4. Adaptability
5. Integrity
6. Portability
39. What are characteristics of software product?
1.Software cannot be manufactured .It has to be developed.
2.Software does not wear out.
3.software is custom-built.
40.Name 5 companies that Associate with quality product or service
WIPRO
IBM
MICROSOFT
Infosys
TCS
41.What are the problems in metrics?
*They cannot be validated
*They are not generally objective.
*Quality is a relative, not an absolute, quantity.
*They depend upon a small set of measurable properties.
*They do not measure the complete set of quality criteria
*The metrics measure more than one quality criterion
42.What is predictive metric?
Predictive metric is used to make prediction about the software
later in the lifecycle. Eg: structured-ness is used to predict
maintainability of the software product.
43.Define Descriptive metric
A descriptive metric describes the state of the software at the
time of measurement. Eg: reliability metric might be based upon the
number of system crashes during a given period.

NICE

44.What is FCM Model?

Factor Criteria Metric (FCM) is a hierarchical model.
Quality Factor

Quality Criteria

Quality Metric

Quality Criteria

Quality Metric

Quality Criteria

Quality Metric

45.What are the relation between Quality criteria?

1.Direct relationship
2.Indirect relationship
3.Neutral relationship
46.What you mean by overall measure of quality?
Overall measure of quality is the way of representing the
complete set of measurable properties in a single method.
Eg : Polarity profile
Simple scoring method
47. What you mean by views of quality?
Views of quality are about how the user or developer perceives
the quality in different aspects.
48.What are the five different views of quality suggested by Garvin?
The five different views of Garvin are,
Transcendent view
Product based view
User based view
Value based view
Manufacturing view
NICE

10

49.What is the role of a project manager?

A project manager has the responsibilities for the project on the
supply side. He is keen to produce a product, which is reliable and
maintainable and will keep the customer satisfied.
50.What is the role of a Quality auditor?
The quality auditor detects departures from a quality solution,
whether it is technical defects or a poor match to requirement.
51.What is QIP?
A special Quality Improvement Program was proposed, evaluated,
approved , and swiftly implemented. The QIP involved five extra
activities:
Blitz testing
Customer evaluation
Code inspections
Design reviews
Extension of system test
52.What is ISO 9001?
ISO 9001 deals with design development, production,
Installation and servicing.
ISO 9001 can be an extremely powerful incentive to
organizations to get their quality procedures right. Te model of a
quality system which forms the heart of ISO 9001 is its emphasis on
quality control procedures. It does not specify any particular tools or
methods at any stage.
53.What is ISO 9002?
The ISO 9002 is a subset of the ISO9001. it deals with
specification of a QMS for production and installation. The standard
is based around a model specification for QMS.
54.What is ISO 9003?
ISO 9003 primarily deals with the final inspection and testing
to assure quality in
the products that the company receives from
other companies.

NICE

11

55.What is ISO 9004?

ISO 9004 gives guidance to organizations that provide services
to customers that may or may not have a product to offer. Some
organizations usually support the products they supply instead of
designing or manufacturing the products.
56.What is ISO 9000-3?
The ISO 9000-3 notes for guidance for applying ISO 9001 in to
software development. It should not be confused with either
ISO90003 or ISO 9004.
ISO 9000-3 has a target audience of the IT community. It is
intended as a complete document in its own right and its structure
therefore differs from ISO 9001.
57.What is management spectrum?
People , process , product , project are called management
spectrum.
58.What is software metrics?
It is the manageable of property, which is the indicator of one or
more quality criteria.
59.What is measurement?
Measurement is the act of determining a measure.
60.What is DRE?
A quality metric that provides benefit at both the project and
process level is defect removal efficiency. DRE is the measure of the
filtering ability of the quality assurance and the control activities as
they are applied through out all process framework activities.
DRE=E/(E+D)
Where E The number of errors found before delivery of
the software to
the enduser.
D Number of defects found after delivery
61.What is Product metrics? Give example?

NICE

12

Product metrics are those that describe the characteristics of the

product.
Eg: size, complexity , design features , performance.
62.What is Process metric? Give example?
Process metrics are those that can be used for improving the
software development and maintenance process.
Examples include the effectiveness of defect removal during
development, the pattern of testing defect arrival, and the response
time to fix the process.
63.What is Project metric? Give example
Project metrics are those that describe the project characteristics
and execution.
Examples include the number of software developers, staffing
pattern over the lifecycle of the software, cost, schedule and
productivity.
64.What are the principal aspects of QMS for software?
There are four principal aspects
1.Development procedures
2.Quality control
3.Quality improvement
4.Quality assurance
65.What is quality control?
Quality control involves the series of inspections, reviews and
tests used throughout the software process to ensure each work
product meets the requirements placed on it. Quality control includes
a feedback loop to the process that created the work product.
66.Define structuredness?
Structuredness is used to predict the maintainability of the
software product in use.
McCalls structuredness metric = n01 /n tot
Where n01 = no of modules containing 1 or 0 exit points only
n tot = total number of modules
67.Name few software Quality models?
NICE

13

1.McCalls model
2.Boehm Model
3.COQUAMO model
68.Name few software Process models?
1.incremental model
2.Spiral model
3.Waterfall model
4.Win-Win model
5. Prototyping model
69.Name few Critical practices in Project?
Critical practices in software Development are,
*Formal risk management
*Empirical cost and schedule estimation
*Metric based project management
*Earned value clinic
*Defect training against quality targets
*People aware program management.
70.What is linear sequential model?
Linear sequential model sometimes called as waterfall or
classical model. It suggests a systematic, sequential approach to
software development that begins at the system level and progresses
through analysis, design, coding, testing and support.
71.What is Prototyping model?
The framework of the end product is initially created this is
called the prototype, which is then further developed to form the
original product.
72.What is WIN-WIN strategy?
The Win -Win Strategy is that the customer wins by getting the
system or product that satisfies the majority of the customers needs
and the developer wins by working to realistic and achievable budgets
and deadlines.
73.Give the merits of linear sequential model?
Merits:

NICE

14

1. It is easy to understand with a single goal to compute required

activities.
2. It is easy to use as development proceeds from one phase to
another.
3. It provides structure to a technically weak or inexperienced
staff.
4. It provides requirement stability.
74.Mention the merits of prototyping model?
Merits:
1. The end user can see the system requirements as they are being
gathered by the project team.
2. Communication issues between customers and developers are
minimized.
3. Quality is built-in with early user involvement.
4. Development costs are saved through less re-work.
75.Mention the demerits of Prototyping model?
Demerits:
1. Customer may expect the exact look and feel of the prototype.
Infact, it may have to be ported to a different platform, with
different tools to accommodate size/ performance issues
resulting in a different user interface.
2. The developer and user do not always understand that when a
prototype is evolved, into a new final product, traditional
documentation is still necessary.
3. Prototype model will not be appropriate one when the
technology changes.
76.Mention the merits of Incremental model?
Merits:
1. An operational product is delivered with each increment.
2. Lessons learnt at the end of each incremental delivery can result
in positive revisions for the next; a customer has a opportunity
to response to each phase.
3. The initial delivery cost is lower.
4. The risk of failure and changing requirements is reduced.

NICE

15

77.What are the demerits of Incremental model?

Demerits:
1. The model does not allow for iterations with each increment.
2. Because some modules will be completed long before others,
well-defined interfaces are required.
78.What are the merits of Rapid Application Development model?
Merits:
1. The cycle time for the full product can be reduced due to the
use of powerful development tools.
2. Time Box approach indicates cost and schedule risk.
3. Re-use existing program components
79.What are the demerits of Rapid Application Development model?
Demerits:
1. The model requires highly skilled and well-trained developers
in the use of chosen development tools to achieve the rapid turn
around time.
2. It requires a system that can be properly modularized.
3. It can fail if reusable components are not available.
4. It requires developers and customers who are committed to
rapid-fire activities in an abbreviated time frame.
80.What is W5hh principle?
W5HH is given by Boehm. He suggested an approach that
addresses
project
objectives, milestones
and
schedules,
responsibilities, management and technical approaches and required
resources.
81.What is RISK management?
Risk management is the procedure that explains the process of
managing risk through analysis. This procedure does not provide
solutions to perceived risks.

NICE

16

82.Draw a typical software team?

Project Leader

Programmer

Designer

Analyst

Tester

83.What is software Engineering?

Software Engineering is defined as establishment and use of
sound engineering principles in order to obtain economical software
that is reliable and works efficiently on real machines.
84.What are the layers of software Engineering?
Layers of software engineering are,
*Tools
*Methods
*Process
*A quality focus
85.What is polarity profile?
Quality profiling is the method for measuring overall measure
of quality. In this scheme, quality is represented by series of ranges
from 3 to +3.The-required quality may be represented and compared
to actual quality achieved.
86. In CMM model, which level includes Software Quality
Management?
In CMM model, Software Quality Management is given in the
fourth level referred as MANAGED
87.Name few software quality criteria?
*Reusability
*Integrity
*Reliability
NICE

17

*Efficiency
*Inter-operability
*Portability
88.Mention the team structures given by Constantine?
1. Open paradigm
2. Closed paradigm
3. Random paradigm
4. Synchronous paradigm
89.What is usability?
Usability is the ease of use of the software.
90.What is Integrity?
Integrity is the protection of the program from unauthorized
access
91.What is efficiency?
Efficiency is concerned with the use of resources
Eg. Processor time, storage. It falls into two categories: Execution
efficiency and storage efficiency.
92.What is correctness?
Correctness is the extent to which a program fulfils its
specification
93.What is reliability?
Reliability is its ability not to fail.
94.What is maintainability?
Maintainability is the effort required to locate and fix a fault inn
the program within its operating environment.
95.What is flexibility?
Flexibility is the ease of making changes required by changes in
the operating environment
96.What is testability?
Testability is the ease of testing the program to ensure that it is
error-free and meets its specification
NICE

18

97.What is portability?
Portability is the effect required to transfer a program from one
environment to another
98. Mention the team structures given by mantei?
1. Democratic Decentralized
2. Controlled Centralized
3. Controlled Decentralized
99.What is Reusability?
Reusability is ease of re-using software in different context.
100. What is Interoperability?
Interoperability is the effort required to couple the system to
another system.

NICE