Quality is meeting the requirements, expectations and needs of the customer, free from defects, shortcomings and substantial variations.

Software quality refers to the qualities that determine its usefulness. That is, the degree to which a software meets the requirements.

Software quality is based on the study of the external and internal characteristics of technological products.

• External quality is defined in terms of how the software performs in the real-time scenario in operational mode and how useful it is to its users.
• Internal quality, on the other hand, focuses on the intrinsic aspects that depend on the quality of the written code.

The user is more focused on how the software works at the external level, but the quality at the external level can only be maintained if the coder has written code of significant good quality.

Standard

ISO 25000 is a series of standards based on ISO/IEC 9126 and ISO/IEC 14598 whose main objective is to guide the development of software products through the specification of requirements and evaluation of quality characteristics.

Methodology

Based on the importance of the software testing process nowadays and making use of good practices on how to approach the testing process, the following is expected:

• Reduce operational errors.
• Avoid cost overruns.
• Improve quality level confidence.
• Automate processes.
• Provide relevant information, allowing decision making and minimizing risks associated with the product.
• Prevent defects.

Agile frameworks imply a permanent communication, collaboration and interaction with all those involved in the construction of Software, in that order, the tester role must be framed within the following objectives:

• Solution oriented within the team.
• Critical thinking focused on quality.
• Implementation of different ways of acquiring information and consolidating it, independently of the written one.
• Assertive evaluation of the progress, quality and results of the test.
• Efficient collaboration in the definition of acceptance criteria and refinement of user stories.
• Empowerment in the team, to work hand in hand with development and/or business units.
• Willingness to constantly change without losing the traceability of objectives and scope.
• Self-organization and constant planning of their activities.

QA vs QC

The difference between QA and QC is described below and a comparison is made.

QA	QC
QA stands for Planning to carry out a process.	QC stands for Action to execute the planned process.
It is a process that deliberates on providing assurance that the quality claim will be achieved.	QC is a process that deliberates on the fulfillment of the quality request.
One objective of QA is to prevent the defect.	One objective of QC is to identify and improve defects.
QA is the technique of quality management.	QC is a method to verify Quality.
El control de calidad no implica la ejecución del programa.	Quality control always involves program execution.
Todos los miembros del equipo son responsables del control de calidad.	The test team is responsible for quality control.
Example of quality control: verification	Example of quality control: validation.
The statistical technique used in QA is known as statistical process control (SPC).	The statistical technique used in QC is known as statistical quality control (SPC).
QA makes sure you are doing the right thing.	QC makes sure that the results of what you have done are what you expected.
QA Defines standards and methodologies to be followed to meet customer requirements.	QC ensures that standards are followed while working on the product.
QA is the process for creating deliverables.	QC is the process for verifying deliverables.
QA is responsible for the complete software development life cycle.	QC is responsible for software testing life cycle.

Quality process in SW development

Indicators

• Compliance, committed dates, development, testing, etc.
• Quality, bugs generated by ticket
• Under construction.

More information

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