Achieving Quality in Software

Software quality is a generalised statement difficult to agree or disagree with until a precise definition of the concept of "Software Quality" is reached in terms of measurable quantities. Unfortunately, for the software technology the basic question of: • what to measure; • how to measure; • when to measure; • how to deal with the data obtained are still unanswered and are also closely dependant on the field of application. In the past twenty years or more there have been a number of conferences and debates focusing on the concept of Software Quality, which produced no real industrial impact. Recently, however, the implementation of a few generic standards (ISO 9000, IEEE etc.) has produced and improved application of good practice principles at the industrial level. As a graduate in PhYSiCS, I still believe it is a long way before the concept of Software Quality can be defined exactly and measured, if ever. This is way I think the AQuIS series of conferences is important, its object begin to provide a platform for the transfer of technology and know how between Academic, Industrial and Research Institutions, in the field of Software Quality. Their objects are: • to provide a forum for the introduction and discussion of new research breakthroughs in Software Quality; • to provide professional Software Quality engineers with the necessary exposure to the results of current research; • to expose the research community to the problems of practical application of new results.

Given the concentration of good, relevant papers, for anyone wanting access to current developments in testing, verification and reliability and object technology, this book seems to me to be good value... - Software Testing, Verification and Reliability