Chapter 4

lest and Analysis

Activities
Within a Software Process
Dependability and other qualities of software are not ingredients that can be added in
a final step before delivery. Rather, software quality results from a whole set of in-

terdependent activities, among which analysis and testing are necessary but far from
sufficient. And while one often hears of a testing "phase" in software development,
as if testing were a distinct activity that occurred at a particular point in development,
one should not confuse this flurry of test execution with the whole process of software test and analysis any more than one would confuse program compilation with
programming.
Testing and analysis activities occur throughout the development and evolution of
software systems, from early in requirements engineering through delivery and subsequent evolution. Quality depends on every part of the software process, not only on
software analysis and testing; no amount of testing and analysis can make up for poor
quality arising from other activities. On the other hand, an essential feature of software processes that produce high-quality products is that software test and analysis is
thoroughly integrated and not an afterthought.

4.1 The Quality Process

e can identify particular activities and responsibilities in a software development
process that are focused primarily on ensuring adequate dependability of the software
Product, much as one can identify other activities and responsibilities concerned primarily with project schedule or with product usability. It is convenient to group these
quality assurance activities under the rubric "quality process," although we must also
:cognize that quality
On

a fraMework fr
II process, Like otheris intertwined with and inseparable from other facets of the over,

., parts of an overall soh ware process, the quality process provides

ar, conid
it- setecting and arranging activities aimed at a particular goal, while
.'."6
ering interactions and trade offs with other important goals. All software
,N, i Tinent activities reflect
with

and trade- olk and quality activities are no

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