Software quality: can perfect software be perfected?

Why it can be difficult to improve software quality

Software quality is of fundamental importance to any application development team, but in most cases, creating a program which works perfectly without any bugs is quite a complex task.

This is mainly a result of the fact that developers have to work at a frenetic speed in order to satisfy the demands of business, which puts their software at greater risk of errors and inefficiency.

In order to counteract these issues, members of staff tend to adopt an approach which involves excessively complicated and un-manageable modifications: changes which in practice make the programs they have developed less than perfect.

Achieving a good level of software quality means addressing various priorities at the same time: meeting company requirements, guaranteeing an adequate user experience, and above all avoiding inefficiencies which can have a negative effect on productivity and business performance.

Easier said than done however, because even though many companies are already investing in human resources, processes and latest generation tools, what they really need is the right advice.

They need advice for example on how to find financial backing to recoup investment costs and how to avoid a backlash by those who feel overwhelmed by the changes, or how to slow down procedures so that excessive speed does not compromise efficiency.

In addition, to achieve good quality software it is certainly necessary to embrace change, while modifying the company’s internal structures in order to improve procedures involved in application development.

Changes to be made in order to maximise software quality

The first major change regards the ability to realise that the perfect software does not exist: so instead of wasting time on the search for perfection, it is better to prioritise those activities likely to lead to real results.

The second change involves the ability to set up simple measuring systems: to achieve better quality standards it is essential to define clear parameters which are easy to understand, allowing you to identify any remaining defects and what is causing them etc.

The third change involves the ability to establish individual objectives which are at the same time common ones: these objectives should be fixed and achieved gradually and their main purpose must be to maximise software quality.

The fourth change is linked to the option of being more proactive in order to manage necessary requirements better: the most competitive businesses in today’s market are those who are able to show that they are more dynamic and adaptable.

The fifth change includes the ability to optimize and automate the testing phase: just as quicker tests mean less time wasted and a reduction in costs, smarter tests which do not need to be carried out manually ensure a reduction in errors.

The sixth change involves successfully developing a software design which is coherent and functional: this, as well as making the program easier to understand and more intuitive, reduces the possibility of bugs to an absolute minimum.

The seventh change is linked to the optimized use of tool tests:  automation of testing guarantees the greater efficiency and improved quality of the end product.

As clarified above, improving software quality is a rather tortuous and complex process. It is an operation which, if not managed correctly, risks having the opposite effect, thereby putting the business in a worse position than before.

In order to make the strategy used to reach this objective really efficient and effective, it is therefore necessary that inside the company everyone works in parallel to allow the developers to perfect their own software.

Translated by Joanne Beckwith