Pablo Becker

An integrated strategy to systematically understand and manage quality in use for web applications

The main goal in evaluating software quality is to ultimately improve its quality. In this work, we discuss SIQinU (Strategy for Improving Quality in Use), a six-phased evaluation-driven strategy for understanding and improving software quality requirements in a systematic way. Starting with quality in use (QinU), we design specific user tasks and context of use, and through identifying problems in QinU, we determine external quality (EQ) attributes that could be related to these QinU weakly performing indicators. Then, after deriving EQ attributes related to the QinU problems, we evaluate EQ and derive a benchmark to be used as a basis to make improvements. Once improvement recommendations are made based on poorly performing EQ indicators, a new version of the software application is completed and evaluated again for its EQ to establish a delta from the initial benchmark. Then, we re-evaluate QinU to determine the improvements resulting in QinU from the improvements made at the EQ level, thus leading to a cyclic strategy for improvement and development of relationships. SIQinU is a repeatable and consistent strategy which relies on: a conceptual framework (with ontological base), a process, and specific methods. In order to illustrate SIQinU, a real case study is conducted.

Specifying process views for a measurement, evaluation, and improvement strategy

Any organization that develops software strives to improve the quality of its products. To do this first requires an understanding of the quality of the current product version. Then, by iteratively making changes, the software can be improved with subsequent versions. But this must be done in a systematic and methodical way, and, for this purpose, we have developed a specific strategy called SIQinU (Strategy for understanding and Improving Quality in Use). SIQinU recognizes problems of quality in use through evaluation of a real system-in-use situation and proposes product improvements by understanding and making changes to the products attributes. Then, reevaluating quality in use of the new version, improvement gains can be gauged along with the changes that led to those improvements. SIQinU aligns with GOCAME (Goal-Oriented Context-Aware Measurement and Evaluation), a multipurpose generic strategy previously developed formeasurement and evaluation, which utilizes a conceptual framework (with ontological base), a process, and methods and tools. Since defining SIQinU relies on numerous phase and activity definitions, in this paper, we model different process views, for example, taking into account activities, interdependencies, artifacts, and roles, while illustrating them with excerpts from a real-case study.

Process Ontology Specification for Enhancing the Process Compliance of a Measurement and Evaluation Strategy

In this paper, we specify a generic ontology for the process domain considering the related state-of-the-art research literature. As a result, the recently built process ontology contributes to enrich semantically the terms for the (previously developed) measurement and evaluation domain ontology by means of stereotypes. One of the underlying hypothesis in this research is that the generic ontology for process can be seen as a reusable artifact which can be used to enrich semantically not only the measurement and evaluation domain ontology but also to other domains involved in different organizational endeavors. For instance, for the measurement domain, now is explicit that the measurement term has the semantic of task, the measure term has the meaning of outcome, and the metric term has the semantic of method, from the process terminological base standpoint. The augmented conceptual framework, i.e. measurement and evaluation concepts plus process concepts, has also a positive impact on the GOCAME (Goal-Oriented Context-Aware Measurement and Evaluation) strategy capabilities since ensures terminological uniformity, consistency and verifiability to its process and method specifications. In order to illustrate how the augmented conceptual framework impacts on the verifiability of GOCAME process and method specifications in addition to the consistency and comparability of results in measurement and evaluation projects, an ICT (Information and Communications Technology) security and risk evaluation case study is used.

Strategy to improve quality for software applications: a process view

Each organization devoted to developing software/web applications should have as one of its ultimate goals to improve the quality in use of its products. In order to accomplish this, first it has to understand the quality of the current product version and then make appropriate changes to increase the quality of the new version if improvement actions were needed. For this purpose, we have developed a specific strategy called SIQinU (Strategy for understanding and Improving Quality in Use), which allows recognizing problems of quality in use through evaluation and proposes product improvements by understanding and making changes on product attributes. Hence by re-evaluating quality in use of the new version, improvement gains can be gauged. SIQinU is in alignment with GOCAME (Goal-Oriented Context-Aware Measurement and Evaluation), a multi-purpose generic strategy previously developed for measurement and evaluation which relies on: a conceptual framework (with ontological base), a process, and methods and tools. Since the process aspect is paramount in defining SIQinU - given the amount of phases and activities - in this paper we model the functional and behavioral process views illustrating them with excerpts of a real case study.

Towards support processes for web projects

Measurement, evaluation and analysis are support processes to main engineering processes. In this work we present an integrated strategy whose rationale is supported by a well-defined measurement and evaluation process, a conceptual framework that relies on an ontological base, and quality evaluation methods. Particularly, we discuss some process views for specifying project context, nonfunctional requirements, measurement, evaluation and analysis. Finally, the benefits of having well-established measurement and evaluation processes as quality drivers for web projects are highlighted.

Enhancing the Conceptual Framework Capability for a Measurement and Evaluation Strategy

To provide consistency and repeatability for measurement and evaluation (M&E) projects and programs a well-established M&E strategy is needed. In a previous work, we have discussed the benefits of having an integrated M&E strategy that relies on three capabilities such as an M&E conceptual framework, process and method specifications. Besides, we have developed GOCAME (Goal-Oriented Context-Aware Measurement and Evaluation) as an integrated M&E strategy which supports these capabilities. In the present work, we enhance its former conceptual framework with the recently built process ontology, enriching also the M&E terms with stereotypes stemming from the process conceptual base. The augmented conceptual framework has also a positive impact on the other strategy capabilities since ensures terminological uniformity and testability to process and method specifications. For illustration purposes, excerpts of process specifications regarding the new situation are highlighted.

Assessing integrated measurement and evaluation strategies: A case study

This paper presents a case study aimed at understanding and comparing integrated strategies for software measurement and evaluation, considering a strategy as a resource from the assessed entity standpoint. The evaluation focus is on the quality of the capabilities of a measurement and evaluation strategy taking into account three key aspects: i) the conceptual framework, centered on a terminological base, ii) the explicit specification of the process, and iii) the methodological/technological support. We consider a strategy is integrated if to great extent these three capabilities are met simultaneously. In the illustrated case study two strategies i.e. GQM+Strategies (Goal-Question-Metric), and GOCAME (Goal-Oriented Context-Aware Measurement and Evaluation) are evaluated. The given results allowed us the understanding of strengths and weaknesses for both strategies, and planning improvement actions as well.

Measurement and evaluation as a quality driver

Quality assurance, and particularly, measurement, evaluation and analysis are support processes to the main engineering processes. In this manuscript we present an integrated strategy whose rationale is supported by a well-defined measurement and evaluation process, a conceptual framework that relies on an ontological base, and quality evaluation methods and tools instantiated from both the framework and process. Particularly, we focus on some measurement and evaluation process views for specifying project context, nonfunctional requirements, measurement, evaluation and analysis. Finally, a discussion about the benefits of having an integrated approach as quality driver for software and web projects is drawn.

A Holistic Quality Evaluation, Selection and Improvement Approach driven by Multilevel Goals and Strategies

Organizations should establish business goals and check for their achievement in a systematic and disciplined way. In order to know if a business goal is achieved, it should be necessary to consider information need goals that also can require satisfying measurement and evaluation goals at operational level. Furthermore, if measurement and evaluation goals are not aligned with top-level business goals such as tactical or strategic level goals, the organization could waste its effort and resources. Usually, the different goals established in an organization are operationalized through projects. For a given project, strategies should be used in order to help in the goal achievement. A strategy defines a set of activities and methods to be followed for a specific goal purpose. Ultimately, to engineering all these issues in a systematic way, organizations should adopt a holistic evaluation approach supported by a set of integrated strategies. By means of a systematic literature review as research method, we have observed that very few approaches support integrated strategies and multilevel goals. To bridge this gap, we have developed a holistic quality multilevel and multipurpose evaluation approach that ties together multilevel goals, projects and integrated strategies. As contributions, this paper discusses an enhanced conceptual base (specified by ontologies) for linking business and information need goal concepts with project, strategy and nonfunctional requirements concepts. Then, it defines the step by step of our holistic quality evaluation approach, by listing the necessary activities to establish goals and projects at different organizational levels. Lastly, it specifies and illustrates evaluation scenarios for business/information need goal purposes such as understanding, improving, monitoring and controlling, comparing and selecting entities, which are supported by strategies and strategy patterns.