Software Quality Engineering

The one resource needed to create reliable software

This text offers a comprehensive and integrated approach to software quality engineering. By following the author's clear guidance, readers learn how to master the techniques to produce high-quality, reliable software, regardless of the software system's level of complexity.

The first part of the publication introduces major topics in software quality engineering and presents quality planning as an integral part of the process. Providing readers with a solid foundation in key concepts and practices, the book moves on to offer in-depth coverage of software testing as a primary means to ensure software quality; alternatives for quality assurance, including defect prevention, process improvement, inspection, formal verification, fault tolerance, safety assurance, and damage control; and measurement and analysis to close the feedback loop for quality assessment and quantifiable improvement.

The text's approach and style evolved from the author's hands-on experience in the classroom. All the pedagogical tools needed to facilitate quick learning are provided:
* Figures and tables that clarify concepts and provide quick topic summaries
* Examples that illustrate how theory is applied in real-world situations
* Comprehensive bibliography that leads to in-depth discussion of specialized topics
* Problem sets at the end of each chapter that test readers' knowledge

This is a superior textbook for software engineering, computer science, information systems, and electrical engineering students, and a dependable reference for software and computer professionals and engineers.

List of Figures xvii

List of Tables xxi

Preface xxv

Part I Overview And Basics

1 Overview 3

2 What Is Software Quality? 15

3 Quality Assurance 27

4 Quality Assurance in Context 41

5 Quality Engineering 53

Part II Software Testing

6 Testing: Concepts, Issues, and Techniques 67

7 Test Activities, Management, and Automation 85

8 Coverage and Usage Testing Based on Checklists and Partitions 103

9 Input Domain Partitioning and Boundary Testing 127

10 Coverage and Usage Testing Based on Finite-State Machines and Markov Chains 147

11 Control Flow, Data Dependency, and Interaction Testing 175

12 Testing Techniques: Adaptation, Specialization, and Integration 203

Part III Quality Assurance Beyond Testing

13 Defect Prevention and Process lmprovement 223

14 Software Inspection 237

15 Formal Verification 251

16 Fault Tolerance and Failure Containment 267

17 Comparing Quality Assurance Techniques and Activities 285

Part IV Quantifiable Quality Improvement

18 Feedback Loop and Activities for Quantifiable Quality Improvement 303

19 Quality Models and Measurements 323

20 Defect Classification and Analysis 339

21 Risk Identification for Quantifiable Quality Improvement 353

22 Software Reliability Engineering 371

Bibliography 389

Index 403

"... seasoned throughout with practical experience and examples ... these combine to give a well-balanced feel overall which is really quite satisfying." (Software Testing, Verification and Reliability, June 2006)

JEFF TIAN, PHD, is Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. He previously worked at IBM SWS Toronto Lab. He has an MS from Harvard University and a PhD in computer science from the University of Maryland. Dr. Tian was awarded the title of "Asian American Engineer of the Year" at National Engineers Week 2002. The one resource needed to create reliable software

This text offers a comprehensive and integrated approach to software quality engineering. By following the author's clear guidance, readers learn how to master the techniques to produce high-quality, reliable software, regardless of the software system's level of complexity.

The first part of the publication introduces major topics in software quality engineering and presents quality planning as an integral part of the process. Providing readers with a solid foundation in key concepts and practices, the book moves on to offer in-depth coverage of software testing as a primary means to ensure software quality; alternatives for quality assurance, including defect prevention, process improvement, inspection, formal verification, fault tolerance, safety assurance, and damage control; and measurement and analysis to close the feedback loop for quality assessment and quantifiable improvement.

The text's approach and style evolved from the author's hands-on experience in the classroom. All the pedagogical tools needed to facilitate quick learning are provided:

• Figures and tables that clarify concepts and provide quick topic summaries
• Examples that illustrate how theory is applied in real-world situations
• Comprehensive bibliography that leads to in-depth discussion of specialized topics
• Problem sets at the end of each chapter that test readers' knowledge

This is a superior textbook for software engineering, computer science, information systems, and electrical engineering students, and a dependable reference for software and computer professionals and engineers.