ICSPI 2008 Monday Tutorials

M1: Software Quality Assurance and Quality Control Methods and Techniques
Dr. Magdy Hanna

This tutorial covers CKA area #7 of the International Software Process Improvement Certification (ISPIC) requirements.

Introduction:

Many software organizations try to achieve software quality by focusing on testing activities that are normally done after the product has been put together by the develop ment team . Every project manager and every QA managers know that this is not a very effective way to assure the quality of the application. The reason is that when the testers execute their tests against the application and find bugs, those bug reports go back to the development team , which in turn tries to fix problems under time pressure. And you know the rest of the story: more bugs get created and the cycle continues. More bugs, more bug reports and more bugs.

For many years, experts and pioneers in software quality have suggested that software organizations focus m ore on the front-end of the software lifecycle to build quality into software rather than trying to test for quality at the end. In addition to providing a good coverage of the test process and test management practices, this course will also cover all quality assurance methods and techniques that aim at achieving this goal of building quality into the software. The course is a must for every project manager, SPI professional, QA manager and test manger.

Outline:

Defining Quality
Quality Assurance Vs Quality Control
Verification and Validation
Establishing and operating a Software Quality Assurance function
Inspections and reviews
Requirement Management Reviews
Levels and types of testing
Dynamic testing techniques
The Test Process: concepts and issues
Effective Test Management practices
Defect Tracking and Reporting

Participants will learn:

the difference between quality assurance and quality control
the difference between Validation and Verification
how to start an effort to implement process improvement even in small projects
how to implement a cost effective inspection process that works with all types of project and all types of artifacts
effective test management practices
effective requirement management practices

Biography:

Today's competitive environment means that yesterday's processes may not be capable of getting the bottom-line results that company's demand. Government and nonprofit organizations are feeling the same pressure to improve efficiency and effectiveness in cost effective ways. Our understanding continues to evolve from Total Quality Management through today's Six Sigma/Lean and tomorrow's new approach. The fundamentals of process improvement have not changed and underlie every successful new approach. Learn to apply these proven principles and techniques to your processes for improved productivity and quality. Learn to use processes improvement as your engine of success.

Your software process is the way you do things that produces your results. To improve your software, you must improve your software process; and first and foremost that requires accurately identifying your REAL software process, which often is not readily apparent. Life cycle and process capability maturity models can provide guidance but frequently by themselves are not sufficient for defining your specific software process. This interactive workshop describes how to identify and use a variety of techniques to document procedural aspects of your software process. Moreover, it addresses the vitally important and seldom-recognized non-procedural aspects of your software process which so influence procedural effectiveness and efficiency. Exercises enhance learning by allowing participants to practice applying practical techniques to realistic examples.

M4: Verification and Validation Methods for Every Phase of Product Development and Deployment
Marnie Hutcheson

This tutorial covers AKA area #6 of the International Software Process Improvement Certification (ISPIC) requirements.

Introduction:

Verification and Validation is not something you do just at the end of development. V and V is part of each phase of development and deployment. --Or at least it should be. This course teaches you test design techniques you can use at each phase of development and test. Static test design techniques are used to design tests starting with the requirements, and moving through scenario development, functional design, detailed design, and into coding. We then explore dynamic test design techniques that take us from unit testing, through module integration, system testing and into User Acceptance and Beta testing. Exercises accompany each technique.

Outline:

The testing lifecycle as a compliment to the development model
Software testing terminology review
- Positive and Negative testing
- Static and Dynamic Testing
- Testing Levels --It all starts with requirements
- Black box, clear box and gray box methods and techniques
Test Design Techniques
- Black box Techniques
  - Turning Requirements into scenarios
    - Decision Tables (How many possible combinations exist?)
    - Modeling: Activity diagrams and Use cases (Introduction only)
  - Data Design techniques for Test Cases:
    - Boundary Value analysis
    - Equivalence class partitioning
    - All Pairs reductions (Introduction only)
    - Matrix data reductions (Introduction only)
- Clear and Gray box techniques
  - Logic flow diagrams and basis paths (Introduction only)
  - Unit and Module Integration testing Statement and Branch coverage

Participants will learn:

How to practice each technique in a series of exercises
- Black Box test design techniques
- Modeling, Inspections and other forms of review
- Clear Box test design techniques
- Gray Box test design

Biography:

M5: Agile Software Development Methods
Alan S. Koch

This tutorial covers AKA area #7 of the International Software Process Improvement Certification (ISPIC) requirements.

Introduction:

As the Agile software development methods are becoming mainstream, more and more organizations are integrating them into their tool sets and adapting them to meet their projects' unique needs. Such adaptation can be difficult without a clear knowledge of what Agility is and is not, a comprehension of the values and principles that underlie them, and an understanding of how those values and principles manifest in Agile practices.

Outline:

The values, principles and philosophies that underpin Agility
- The Agile Manifesto
- The 12 Agile Principles
- The Essence of Agility
Contrasting Agility with other software development methods
- Agile vs. waterfall
- Agile vs. RUP
- Agile vs. Spiral
- Agile vs. traditional incremental approaches
The iterative and incremental lifecycle
- The Agile lifecycle model
- The nature of an Iterative process
- The purpose and value of Incremental development
Progressive requirements elaboration
- Writing Agile “Stories”
- The role of Ambiguity in Requirements
- Elaborating Requirements detail as needed
Iterative planning and adaptation
- The five levels of Agile Planning
- High-Level Agile Planning
- The role of Ambiguity in Plans
- Elaborating Plan detail as needed
Incremental product delivery
- The focus on Customer value
- Rapid Feedback
- Incremental Customer Acceptance
Coaching self-directed teams
- The nature of self-directed teams
- Team ownership of plans
- Individual and collective Commitment and Accountability
- Collaborative Leadership (vs. Command-and-Control Leadership)
Agile project monitoring
- Delivered Software as the primary measure of Progress
- Daily statusing
- Translating team status for other stakeholders
Welcoming project change
- Adapting to changing requirements
- Adapting to changing priorities
- Adapting to technical surprises
- Adapting to reality in the face of planning errors
Interpreting Agile practices relative to reference models
- CMMI
- PMBOK
Tailoring Agile methods
- Suitability of Agile methods in various contexts
- Limitations of Agile methods
- Adapting Agile methods to organizational realities

Participants will learn:

Understand the philosophical underpinnings of Agile practices
Apply an Agile ( iterative and incremental) lifecycle model
Judge the effectiveness of Agile practices at achieving their goals, especially:
- Progressive Requirements Elaboration
- Iterative Planning and Adaptation
- Incremental Product Delivery and Acceptance
Identify key roles on an Agile team (especially the Coach and the Customer)
Apply the Agile approach to project monitoring and adaptation
Adapt Agile practices to organizational realities and limitations

Biography:

Alan S. Koch, PMP/ SCM guides organizations as they learn about and adopt the most effective processes. He consults, trains, speaks and writes on effective Project Management methods, both traditional and Agile. For over nine years, he has been President of ASK Process, Inc.

Mr. Koch is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), a Certified ScrumMaster (SCM), and a published author (Agile Software Development, Evaluating the Methods For Your Organization , Artech House Books, 2005)

Mr. Koch's 30+ years in software development include:

14 years designing, developing and maintaining software
5 years in Quality Assurance (including establishing & managing a QA department)
10+ years in Software Process Improvement
10+ years in Management.

Mr. Koch holds the ITIL Foundations Certification and has trained many other individuals who have successfully achieved their ITIL Foundations Certifications.

Alan S. Koch

M6: Managing and Planning Software Projects
Clyneice Chaney

This tutorial covers AKA area #4 of the International Software Process Improvement Certification (ISPIC) requirements.

Introduction:

Projects and project management operate in an environment broader than that of the project itself. The project management team must understand this broader context; managing the day-to-day activities of the project is necessary for success but not sufficient .

Outline:

Lesson 1: Project Management Concepts
The Project Manager
Lesson 2: The Project Management Process
2-1 Initiation
Stakeholders
Start-up activities
QA
Control procedures
2-2 Planning
Scope
Lifecycle
WBS
Resources
Risk
Quality
Lesson 3: Project Execution & Control
Monitoring progress
Change control
Metrics
Lesson 4: Close-Out

Participants will learn:

What a “project” is and what differentiates it from the activities that are performed every day in operating and maintaining the business,
Some of the reasons why projects fail
Some of the factors that help projects to succeed

Biography:

Clyneice Chaney brings over 20 years of testing, quality assurance and process improvement experience. Clyneice holds certifications from American Society for Quality as a Certified Quality Manager, Quality Assurance Institute's Certified Quality Analyst, and Project Management Institute's Professional Project Manager. She has participated as an examiner for state quality awards for Georgia and Virginia.

Focusing on process improvement and procedure development in the software testing and quality assurance areas, Clyneice has successfully lead process improvement, methodology development, and reengineering projects for organizations wishing to improve their software development, testing processes, and tool implementation.

Clyneice is currently an instructor for the International Institute for Software Testing and has presented technical papers at the Software Engineering Institute: SEPG Conference, American Society for Quality: Quality Manager's conference, Quality Assurance Institute International Testing conference and STAR East Testing and the Quality Assurance Institute conference.

Clyneice Chaney