Course Description:

This course explores the quality concepts in software systems. Topics include verification and validation, metrics and measurements, software quality assurance, standards.

Term:

Fall 2017

Instructor Information

Name: Christian D. Newman

Office: 1525

Office hours: Tuesday, Thursday 3-5pm. Walk-ins welcome if door is open. Appointment by emamil.

Email: cnewman@se.rit.edu -- cdnvse@rit.edu

Course Topics:

The focus of this course will be on software quality engineering, with processes and metrics being viewed as means to assessing and achieving quality. Quality is interpreted broadly to include all project and organizational objectives, including business objectives. For each project area (reliability, product quality, project management, customer satisfaction, etc.), we will Identify the quality objectives Understand the constraints and challenges Discuss techniques for achieving the objectives (processes and practices) Learn about quantitative techniques for analyzing the results and closing the feedback loop, to enable continuous improvement (metrics, assessment, models). Two major themes of the course are the importance of metrics interpretation (how to avoid misleading with numbers), and the need for perspectives arising from common sense, intuition and domain knowledge for effective quality engineering. Additionally, since this a graduate course, we will be reading, critiquing, and citing research.

Textbook(s):

Required:

  • Metrics and Models in Software Quality Engineering. Stephen H. Kan, ISBN-13: 9780201729153

Attendance Policy:

Make up exams will only be granted for very good reasons (job interviews known in advance, documented sickness, family emergencies, etc). Heavy workload in other courses is typically not a very good reason.

If you miss class, you will miss credit for activities that took place during the classes you were absent.

Make up exams will only be granted for very good reasons (job interviews known in advance, documented sickness, family emergencies, etc.) Heavy workload in other (maybe to you more important) courses is typically not a very good reason.

Activities

About 5-6 activities (some short, some long) will be given during the quarter. Students are expected to perform these activities individually (unless otherwise specified).

Mid-Term Exam

One Mid-term exam will be held during the quarter. This exam will cover topics taught till that point. It will be an open-book exam.

Policy on outside help

Plagiarism or cheating will result in a grade of "0" for the assignment or research paper. Egregious cases will result in a grade of "F" for the course.

Policy on lost or corrupted files

You are expected to backup your computer files regularly. If you are unable to turn in an assignment on time because of a lost or corrupted file, then you must turn in the latest (uncorrupted) version that you have.