Perceptions of software quality: a pilot study

  • Authors:

  • David N. Wilson;Tracy Hall

  • Affiliations:

  • School of Computing Sciences, University of Technology, Sydney, PO Box 123 Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia;School of Computer and Information Systems Engineering, University of Westminster, 115 New Cavendish Street, London W1M 8JS, UK

  • Venue:
  • Software Quality Control
  • Year:
  • 1998

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Abstract

Many software quality initiatives fail because they do not take account of the range of views that people have of quality. New approaches to software quality improvement will not work unless software developers believe in them, no matter how enthusiastic managers may be. This paper reports on a pilot study using the repertory grid technique that found evidence to support these assertions. The study findings justify further work and show that while the repertory grid technique is an appropriate instrument in this area it is resource intensive to apply and may not be practical in a wider study of a representative sample of the IT industry. The paper has practical recommendations for successful introduction of new software quality programmes. These recommendations stress the need for effective communication, leading to a shared understanding of ‘quality’, and for realistic goals that recognize the pressure of development schedules.