Software surveillance: a buyer quality assurance program

Abstract

Since divestiture from AT&T in 1984, sustaining high quality software and services is a major challenge for the former Bell companies. In total these companies now spend over one billion dollars on software purchases annually. Increasing software control ofthe telecommunications network contributes greatly to the high level of software procurement. Poor software qualify could adversely affect not only operations, cost and revenue, but the very effectiveness of the services provided to the public. In 1984, Bellcore Software Quality Assurance Engineering (SQAE) was established to help Bellcore Client Companies (BCCs) ensure that the software they purchase conforms to their requirements. This paper presents the Bellcore SQAE approach particularly the software surveillance program. The specific components of surveillance are analysis of the vendor's quality program; quality measurements; using measurement results to control and improve production; and field site visits to ensure ongoing quality. Several surveillance tools are described, including QualityProgram Specifications, Software Quality Measurements, Reliability and QualityAcceptance Criteria, and fault Density Measurements. The ultimate goal of the Bellcore program is to develop a cooperative relationship between the buyer's software survellance program and the supplier's own quality program. Partnership enhances the supplier's motivation toward continuous improvement thereby increasing the level of quality that customers can expect.