Quality Assurance for Information Systems: Methods, Tools, and Techniques [Hardcover]

William E. Perry (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0471588040 | ISBN-13: 978-0471588047 | Publication Date: September 1991 | Edition: 1

Quality Assurance for Information Systems Methods, Tools, and Techniques William E. Perry Here’s the latest information on developing defect-free software. Completely revised and expanded, Quality Assurance for Information Systems: Methods, Tools, and Techniques shows you how to staff, organize, and operate a QA function. You’ll learn how to evaluate systems throughout the project life cycle so that you design, document, and formally test programs before they go on line. New chapters cover reviewing the adequacy of application controls and include a tutorial on metrics—a quantitative tool for measuring quality. As usual, Perry gives you scores of ready-to-use charts, forms, and checklists. Contents: The Quality Assurance Function. Quality Assurance: An Essential Element of Electronic Data Processing. Role of a Quality Assurance Group. Developing the Quality Assurance Function. Systems Review Priorities: Allocating QA Time. Conducting Reviews of Application Systems. Quality Assurance Review of an Application System. Initiating Systems Review. Conducting a Quality Assurance Review. Reviewing the Adequacy of Application Controls. Quality Assurance Review Techniques. Reporting Quality Assurance Results. Quality Assurance Responsibilities and Methods. Verification, Validation, and Testing. Improving Software Maintenance. Reuse of Software. Special Quality Assurance Group Tasks. Quality Assurance and the Personal Computer. Measurements/Metrics. Quantitative Analysis of System Reviews. Metrics—A Tool for Defining and Measuring Quality. Measuring Computer System Reliability. Relationship to Internal Auditing. Sample Quality Assurance Manual. Testing Tools and Techniques.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Presents the latest information on developing defect-free software. Demonstrates how to staff, organize and operate a QA function. Explains how to evaluate systems throughout the project life cycle in order to design, document and test programs before they go online. Includes a copious amount of ready-to-use charts, forms and checklists.

From the Back Cover

Quality Assurance for Information Systems Methods, Tools, and Techniques William E. Perry Here’s the latest information on developing defect-free software. Completely revised and expanded, Quality Assurance for Information Systems: Methods, Tools, and Techniques shows you how to staff, organize, and operate a QA function. You’ll learn how to evaluate systems throughout the project life cycle so that you design, document, and formally test programs before they go on line. New chapters cover reviewing the adequacy of application controls and include a tutorial on metrics—a quantitative tool for measuring quality. As usual, Perry gives you scores of ready-to-use charts, forms, and checklists. Contents: The Quality Assurance Function. Quality Assurance: An Essential Element of Electronic Data Processing. Role of a Quality Assurance Group. Developing the Quality Assurance Function. Systems Review Priorities: Allocating QA Time. Conducting Reviews of Application Systems. Quality Assurance Review of an Application System. Initiating Systems Review. Conducting a Quality Assurance Review. Reviewing the Adequacy of Application Controls. Quality Assurance Review Techniques. Reporting Quality Assurance Results. Quality Assurance Responsibilities and Methods. Verification, Validation, and Testing. Improving Software Maintenance. Reuse of Software. Special Quality Assurance Group Tasks. Quality Assurance and the Personal Computer. Measurements/Metrics. Quantitative Analysis of System Reviews. Metrics—A Tool for Defining and Measuring Quality. Measuring Computer System Reliability. Relationship to Internal Auditing. Sample Quality Assurance Manual. Testing Tools and Techniques.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 848 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (September 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471588040
• ISBN-13: 978-0471588047
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,380,061 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good for starting a new quality assurance department, October 24, 2000

By 

Louis E. Dargin "Louis E. Dargin II" (Detroit, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Quality Assurance for Information Systems: Methods, Tools, and Techniques (Hardcover)

This book would be very useful for those implementing QA groups in their companies. The book displays a deep understanding of the issues involved in that. The sample QA plan, manual, and its forms and charts can be very useful. Unfortunately, some of the material, such as the checklists, is pretty dated. The book takes a fairly scientific approach to QA, and that may appeal to some, but not others. The book doesn't follow the IS0 9000-3 model, per se. Finally, the book assumes the reader works in an internal corporate IT department rather than one which serves outside clients. The book is still very useful, nonetheless.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Aging gracefully with lots of life left - not for SW testing, June 28, 2002

By 

Mike Tarrani "www.tarrani.com" (Deltona, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Quality Assurance for Information Systems: Methods, Tools, and Techniques (Hardcover)

This book represents a pivot point in Perry's prolific published works that date from 1981. What makes it pivotal is the fact that this book synthesizes his approach to IS quality assurance from a production support viewpoint and his future work which focuses on software testing.

Although over 11 years old the QA approach contained in this book is still valid. To get at the gems, though, you have to overlook a few things. For example, terminology common in the mainframe data center of past decades sounds quaint even to those of us who came from that environment. Also, the code examples used to illustrate quality problems are sure to confuse the younger generation of C++ and Java developers and test professionals who probably never heard of PL/I and only vaguely know about FORTRAN.

What I like about this book and the reason why I think it's still an important reference is the fact that application quality from an enterprise perspective is addressed. This goes beyond testing and release processes, as well as beyond project issues surrounding applications delivery and SQA. The focus is on production and maintenance, although testing, SQA and project metrics are addressed.

In addition to the focus, the book contains checklists, questionnaires and sample forms that can be updated to reflect modern computing environments - and you may be surprised to find that much of this 'ancient' material requires very little modification. Another aspect of this book that I like is the material on software maintenance, which seems to be a lost art, although it's as important now as it ever was.

Don't let the age of this book deter you if you're interested in quality assurance from a production support point of view. If you are seeking a book on software testing this will not be useful (I recommend Systematic Software Testing by Rick D. Craig and Stefan P. Jaskiel for that) or SQA metrics (any of Robert B. Grady's books are great starting places). The best recommendation I can give is that this book has served me well in over a decade of consulting, and it probably will for years to come. However, it shouldn't be your only reference either.