The quality of a system is determined by the measurement of the systems non-functional attributes, which are not readily visible to the naked eye.

 

What are the quality attributes of a system?

 

• Usability
• Maintainability
• Volume
• Stress
• Performance
• Recovery
• Compatibility

 

The above are just a few of the possible quality attributes of software.

 

There are three quality terms that are often used within testing.

 

They are Quality control, Quality management and Quality assurance.

 

• Quality Control – This is the activity or process performed to ensure that a product is fit for purpose.

 

• Quality Management – This is the selection of the correct process to ensure that a product is fit for purpose.

 

 

• Quality Assurance – This is checking to ensure that the above processes are being followed and a guarantee that the product is fit for purpose.

 

To identify how quality will fit into the system development life cycle, we will therefore say that: -

 

• Quality control must be built into the whole SDLC.

 

• Quality control must begin at the start of the project and not when the code is delivered.

 

 

• Quality control provides information as to where errors occur in the SDLC.

 

• Quality control provides information as to how the process can be improved accordingly.

 

It is important that quality control activities start early in the SDLC such as reviewing the user requirements and the test planning from those requirements. It is not possible just to add quality at the end through test execution.

 

In general, poor quality is a result of poor quality control.