Quality Models — Revision Questions

Course: Software Quality and Reliability (SQR) Purpose: Self-study and exam preparation Format: Explain in your own words, give brief examples

Question 1: Garvin’s Views — Definitions

Explain the difference between the user-based and manufacturing-based views of quality according to Garvin.

Give one software example for each view that illustrates why they can lead to different quality assessments of the same product.

Question 2: Garvin’s Views — Application

For ONE of the following development methodologies, identify which Garvin view is dominant and justify your answer:

SCRUM
XP (Extreme Programming)
RUP (Rational Unified Process)
Waterfall with FDA validation requirements

Question 3: McCall’s Model Structure

McCall’s quality model has three levels: factors, criteria, and metrics.

Explain the purpose of each level and describe how they relate to each other. Use Maintainability as an example to illustrate all three levels.

Question 4: McCall’s Categories

McCall organized his 11 quality factors into three categories: Product Operation, Product Revision, and Product Transition.

Pick one category and list its factors. For each factor, write one sentence explaining what it means in the context of a mobile banking app.

Question 5: Quality Attribute Tradeoffs

Perry showed that some quality attributes have inverse relationships (tradeoffs).

Pick one of the following pairs and explain the tradeoff with a concrete software example:

Integrity vs Efficiency
Usability vs Efficiency
Flexibility vs Integrity

Question 6: ISO 25010 Characteristics

Describe in your own words the following ISO 25010 quality characteristics:

Security
Reliability
Maintainability

For each, give one example of a testable requirement.

Question 7: Quality Requirements — 6-Step Process

Apply Firesmith’s 6-step process to write a testable performance requirement for a search API that must respond quickly under normal load.

Show your work for each step.

Question 8: Quality Requirements — Template

A developer writes: “The system shall be fast and reliable.”

Explain why this is a poor quality requirement. Rewrite it as two separate testable requirements using the template:

While in [condition], the [component] shall exhibit [attribute] of [threshold] [measurement].

Question 9: Quality in Use vs Product Quality

Explain the difference between Product Quality and Quality in Use according to ISO 25010.

Give an example where a software product has high product quality (e.g., maintainability, reliability) but low quality in use.

Question 10: Kano Model — Must-Haves vs Delighters

What is the difference between must-have attributes and delighters in the Kano model?

Give two software examples of each type for a video streaming application (like Netflix).

Topics Covered

Topic	Questions
Garvin’s Five Views	Q1, Q2
McCall’s Quality Model	Q3, Q4, Q5
ISO 25010	Q6, Q9
Quality Requirements	Q7, Q8
Kano Model	Q10