SQFD Software Quality Function Deployment - Examples

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SQFDSoftware Quality Function Deployment -
Examples
ref S. Haag, M.K. Raja,and L.L. Schkade
Quality, CACM, Jan. 1996, vol.39,
no.1, pp. 42-49.

• Quality (even more than productivity) is the key
  issue of the 1990s
• Paper examines how QFD (the implementation
  vehicle for TQM - Total Quality Management) is
  being applied by major software vendors (MSV)

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SQFD Software Quality Function Deployment

• What is it?Front-end requirements solicitation
  technique for quantifiably soliciting and
  defining critical customer requirements. Its an
  adaptation A-1 matrix (House of Quality)
  technique used in traditional QFD.

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SQFD a five step process

• SQFD 1. Customer requirements are solicited and
  recorded.

2. The requirements are converted to technical
and measurable statements of the software
product.
3. Customers complete correlation matrix by
identifying the strength of the relationship
between the various customer requirements and
the technical product specifications.
4. Based on surveys, the priorities for the
stated customer requirements are developed.
5. The technical product specification priorities
are developed by summing the results of
multiplying the customer requirements and
technical product specs.
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SQFD Example Assignment 2
Technical Product Specifications
Customer Reqmt Priorities
Customer Reqmts
1. On-line help 2. Merge with valve
catalog 3. Incorporate ASME standards
library 4. Regular well-defined release
strategy
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Table 1. Impact of SQFD on factors necessary for
developing improved computer-based information
systems
Mean SQFD Rating
Factor (by rank)
1. Improved user involvement 2. Improved
management support and involvement 3. Better
trained user and management personnel 4.
Technique to shorten SDLC 5. Methods which
integrate techniques and tools 6. Better
trained systems personnel 7. Increased use of
automated tools 8. Improved project
development technique 9. Improved cost/benefit
analysis techniques 10. Improved computer
hardware technology
4.60 4.40 3.20 4.00 2.80 3.60 2.80 4.40 3.80 3.60
These are the 10 most important factors as
determined by Necco et al. 1 from most
important (Improved user involvement) to least
important (Improved computer hardware technology).
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Table 4. Projects by development type
Development Type
Percentage
New Upgrade Proprietary Enhancement Not
applicable Correction of a deficiency Standard
maintenance
40.0 34.2 14.3 8.6 2.9 0.0 0.0
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Table 5. Comparison of results achieved between
traditional approaches and SQFD
Mean SQFD Rating
Mean Traditional Rating
Result Achieved
Communication satisfactory with technical
personnel Communication satisfactory with
users User requirements met Communication
satisfactory with management Systems developed
within budget Systems easy to maintain Systems
developed on time Systems relatively
error-free Systems easy to modify Programming
time reduced Testing time reduced Documentation
consistent and complete
4.09 4.06 4.00 3.88 3.26 3.42 3.18 3.95 3.58 3.70
3.29 3.87
3.7 3.6 3.6 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.2 3.0 2.7