Software Quality Plans

I N T R O D U C T I O N How to Write Software Quality Management Plans is a plain-english, simplified version of IEEE 730 Standard for Software Quality Assurance Plans. This how to guide specifies the format and contents of a quality plan. It identifies the practices and processes to be applied during a project to ensure that the deliverables conform to the agreed requirements. It also identifies the quality objectives of the project, which are statements about measurable aspects of project and quality management. The quality plan includes the: - scope and objectives of the quality aspects of the project - quality deliverables that the project will produce - process by which those deliverables are produced - organisation and staffing which will perform the quality functions - responsibilities of those involved S C O P E How to Write Software Quality Management Plans applies to the medium to large scale software development projects. O B J E C T I V E S How to Write Software Quality Management Plans provides project and quality managers with a guide for the development of the quality plan. It addresses: - quality related aspects of the project to be considered during the planning stage of the project - the project's quality objectives, quality deliverables and how they are to be managed - the need for consistent content and format Contribution to IS Quality. As with the Project Plan, the literature of software quality recognises the importance of comprehensive planning for those aspects of a software development project that bear most closely upon its success. Given that up to 70% of IT development projects fail (in terms of either not being completed, or completed but not used by the client due to it unsuitability), due in part to inadequate planning and execution of the project, this how to guide is an valuable aid for project planners to address the important quality-related activities. It is is an easy to use checklist, as defined by IEEE 730, and template to achieve this end. In the same way as a systematic and comprehensive Statement of User Requirements can capture a more complete set of requirements, a project plan as provided by this how to guide allows the project manager to make sure he/she has considered all relevant quality matters in the planning stage, allowing them to avoid, as far as possible, unpleasant surprizes later.