Software Process Improvement Laboratory

The American Society for Quality (ASQ) has for some years offered a highly regarded certification programme in software quality called the Certified Software Quality Engineer (CSQE). The course topics cover a broad range of issues including: General Knowledge, Conduct, and Ethics, Software Quality Management, Software Engineering Processes, Program and Project Management, Software Metrics, Measurement, and Analytical Methods, Software Verification and Validation, and Software Configuration Management.

Objectives

This course series introduces delegates to a wide range of issues that affect the quality of software products. The candidate will be equipped to write the annual ASQ CSQE examination.

Benefits

This course series:

• Provides a solid foundation for understanding the issues that need to be addressed to improve the quality of software products.
• Provides a wide ranging exposure to software tools that support the attainment of software quality objectives.
• Provides a framework for determining the appropriate assurance activities to address perceived software development and acquisition risk.

Who should attend?

 This course series will be most helpful to:

• quality managers responsible for assurance of software products and services.
• project managers responsible for the delivery of software products.
• developers and analysts responsible for the technical development of technical outputs.

Course contact time

The course contact time of this module is 5 days. A personal time investment of a further 30 hours is expected offline.

Practical Considerations

Each delegate is required to bring a laptop computer to the course in order to access the course support materials. The Microsoft Windows operating system will be assumed, with MS Office as a standard utility (at least version 2003.)

Pre-requisites to attending

This course assumes that the attendee has already attended CSEQ Module A.

Course topics: Module B

IV. Program and Project Management

• Planning; Tracking and controlling; Risk management

V. Software Metrics, Measurement, and Analytical Methods

• Metrics and measurement theory; Process and product measurement; Analytical techniques

VI. Software Verification and Validation (V&V)

• Theory; Reviews and inspections; Test planning and design;
• Test execution and evaluation;

VII. Software Configuration Management

• Configuration infrastructure; Configuration identification;
• Configuration control; Configuration status accounting;
• Configuration audit

Special topic (Software safety)

• RTCA 178B (Software considerations in airborne systems and equipment certification)
• ISO/IEC 26262 (Road vehicles — Functional safety)
• ISO/IEC 60880 (Nuclear Power Plants – Instrumentation And Control Systems Important To Safety – Software Aspects For Computer-Based Systems Performing Category A Functions)

Course examination

The ASQ CSQE examination is held in early December each year.

In-house CSQE examinations are held on completion of each module.