Quality Assurance of Engineering Software

Abstract

Current implementation of quality assurance criteria to computer codes is based on extensive record keeping and comparison with existing similar software. This is a procedure fraught with danger, as there are no benchmark standards or guidelines that provide an unambiguous basis for quality control and thus quality assurance. It is the thesis of this paper that current quality assurance practices for computer programs are not sufficient to fully assure the major aspects of computer program quality. Also, that methods and computer-based techniques exist or can be developed which will enhance current quality assurance procedures. The paper describes these methods and computer-based techniques that can provide the user of computer programs with a higher level of quality assurance of these programs, and thus, indirectly, a higher overall quality assurance of the final system or component analyzed or designed with the aid of such programs.