Software qualities

This is an overview of the Quint 2 software qualities. It can be extended with the implications for a specific project

Version 1.0
Created date 02-05-2021

Accurateness

This refers to the correctness of the functions, an ATM may provide a cash dispensing function but is the amount correct?

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Accurateness

Adaptability

Characterizes the ability of the system to change to new specifications or operating environments.

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Adaptability

Analysability

Characterizes the ability to identify the root cause of a failure within the software.

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Analysability

Attractivity

Satisfaction of latent user desires and preferences, through services, behavior and presentation beyond actual
demands.

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Attractivity

Availability

Amount of time the product is available to the user at the time it is needed.

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Availability

Changability

Characterizes the amount of effort to change a system.

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Changability

Clarity

Clarity of making the user aware of the functions the software can perform.

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Clarity

Compliance

Where appropriate certain industry (or government) laws and guidelines need to be complied with, i.e. SOX. This subcharacteristic addresses the compliant capability of software.

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Compliance

Conformance

Similar to compliance for functionality, but this characteristic relates to portability. One example would be Open SQL conformance which relates to portability of database used.

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Conformance

Degradability

Effort needed to reestablish the essential functionality after a breakdown.

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Degradability

Efficiency

This characteristic is concerned with the system resources used when providing the required functionality. The amount of disk space, memory, network etc. provides a good indication of this characteristic. As with a number of these characteristics, there a

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Efficiency

Explicitness

Clarity of the software product’s status (progression bars, etc.).

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Explicitness

Fault tolerance

The ability of software to withstand (and recover) from component, or environmental, failure.

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Fault tolerance

Functionality

Existence of a set of functions and their specified properties. The functions are those that satisfy stated or implied needs.

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Functionality

Helpfullness

Availability of instructions for the user on how to interact with the software

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Helpfullness

Installability

Characterizes the effort required to install the software.

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Installability

Interoperability

A given software component or system does not typically function in isolation. This subcharacteristic concerns the ability of a software component to interact with other components or systems.

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Interoperability

Learnability

Learning effort for different users, i.e. novice, expert, casual etc.

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Learnability

Maintainability

The ability to identify and fix a fault within a software component is what the maintainability characteristic addresses. In other software quality models this characteristic is referenced as supportability. Maintainability is impacted by code readability

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Maintainability

Managability

Effort needed to (re)establish the software’s running status.

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Managability

Maturity

This subcharacteristic concerns frequency of failure of the software.

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Maturity

Operability

Ability of the software to be easily operated by a given user in a given environment.

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Operability

Portability

This characteristic refers to how well the software can adopt to changes in its environment or with its requirements. The subcharacteristics of this characteristic include adaptability. Object oriented design and implementation practices can contribute to

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Portability

Recoverability

Ability to bring back a failed system to full operation, including data and network connections.

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Recoverability

Reliability

Once a software system is functioning, as specified, and delivered the reliability characteristic defines the capability of the system to maintain its service provision under defined conditions for defined periods of time. One aspect of this characteristi

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Reliability

Resource behaviour

Characterizes resources used, i.e. memory, cpu, disk and network usage.

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Resource behaviour

Reusability

Potential for complete or partial reuse in another software product.

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Reusability

Security

This subcharacteristic relates to unauthorized access to the software functions.

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Security

Stability

Characterizes the sensitivity to change of a given system that is the negative impact that may be caused by system changes.

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Stability

Replacability

Characterizes the plug and play aspect of software components, that is how easy is it to exchange a given software component within a specified environment.

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Replacability

Suitability

This is the essential Functionality characteristic and refers to the appropriateness (to specification) of the functions of the software.

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Suitability

Testability

Characterizes the effort needed to verify (test) a system change.

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Testability

Time behaviour

Characterizes response times for a given thru put, i.e. transaction rate.

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Time behaviour

Tracability

Ease of verifying correctness of data processing on required points.

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Tracability

Understandability

Determines the ease of which the systems functions can be understood, relates to user mental models in Human Computer Interaction methods.

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Understandability

Usability

Usability only exists with regard to functionality and refers to the ease of use for a given function. For example a function of an ATM machine is to dispense cash as requested. Placing common amounts on the screen for selection, i.e. $20.00, $40.00, $100

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of Usability

User friendliness

User-friendliness in sytem usage

Author Bert Dingemans
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Stereotypes Requirement
Details of User friendliness