THE ELUSIVE QUEST: SOFTWARE PRODUCT QUALITY EVALUATION

Abstract

<p>Quality has many definitions, and even more models and methods for assurance and evaluation associated with it. After an overview of existing concepts, we provide a comprehensive methodology for evaluating the quality of a software product, complete with methods for model structure and parameter elicitation and a way for mapping the quantitative results obtained from the evaluation to qualitative rankings of product characteristics (e.g. Poor, Good, Excellent). This is complemented with a compendium of quality characteristics and metrics associated with them and a generic quality model combining the works of McCall and Boehm with the international standard for software product quality ISO/IEC 9126-1. A discussion of the advantages that the use of Bayesian Belief Networks (BBNs) can provide in this framework is also offered, as well as a method for transforming quality models to a form suited for BBN use. The methodology has been applied to a case study.</p>