Defining Quality in Software Development

Table of contents

• Defining Quality in Software Development

• Setting Up the Foundations for Quality Software 

• The Components of Quality in Software Development

• Key Takeaways about Quality in Software Development

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Defining Quality in Software Development

Quality is monitored throughout the entire development process. From inception to oversight, the quality management process ensures that any software meets the requirements. The million-dollar question is: which requirements are we talking about? 

ISO (International Organization for Standardization) Standards

ISO 9001 is a quality management standard that aims to help organizations to:

• Improve performance 

• Meet customers' expectations

• Demonstrate their commitment to quality 

ISO 9001:2015 specifies the quality management principles for organizations to assess the quality of their products and services. 

Hence, quality is defined by organizations’ abilities to comply with these standards and adhere to these principles.   

Clients Requirements

Quality is tied to clients’ requirements and expectations:

• Understanding clients’ requirements is crucial to building software that meets users' specific needs.  

• The quality standards to meet and the process roadmap derived from clients’ requirements. 

• The software is tested and validated only if it meets clients’ requirements and quality benchmarks.

Ultimately, if the software meets the client’s requirements and complies with the appropriate quality standards, we can talk about quality software.      

Setting Up the Foundations for Quality Software 

Thinking about outsourcing your software development? Keep in mind that higher expectations don’t guarantee high quality.

Let me tell you a story about a client who had to switch agencies mid-project. 

Our now-client Fluint hired a software agency to develop an MVP for a Sales Enablement Platform. The agency accepted everything Fluint’s founders requested, affirming that they would bring their vision to life. The reality proved them wrong. Setting aside the time difference and the language barrier issues, they fell short of expectations. Nine months later, Fluint still didn’t have a working product. Worst of all, what they had was low quality and unscalable. That’s when the founders called it quits, more skeptical than ever about software development agencies. 

Seeking for a trusty sidekick to save the day, Fluint’s founders reached out to us. We dove deep into their project to understand their needs and what they were trying to achieve. We identified the challenges and helped them narrow down the scope of the project, aligning it with the MVP requirements. Fluint received a fully functional and scalable product on time. 

Ultimately, the founders trusted us for our ability to combine our tech expertise with the core of their project. Dive into Fluint’s full success story for more details. 

Check out what one of Fluint’s founders, Nate Nasralla, thinks about our collaboration.

In time-sensitive projects such as MVPs, developers can be tempted to cut corners to speed up the process. In the long run, these choices compromise the software, making it unscalable and unmaintainable. But quality shouldn’t be thrown away for speed. They’re both critical in competitive markets. Discover how to find the right balance between speed and quality and amplify your market impact.  

The Components of Quality in Software Development

Based on the Software Quality Attributes Approach, the critical quality components include: 

1. Performance - The software is responsive and operates efficiently. 

2. Usability - The software benefits from user-friendly and intuitive UI/UX. 

3. Reliability - The software consistently performs as expected. 

4. Scalability - The software is easily scalable to support increasing workloads. 

5. Security - The software protects data from malicious activities. 

6. Maintainability - The software can be maintained and updated easily. 

Customer satisfaction and cost-effectiveness are also critical metrics for assessing the overall quality of the software: 

• Customer satisfaction: How well the software aligns with the users’ needs. 

• Cost-effectiveness: Ratio between the value delivered & the money invested.

These components are classified into three interdependent categories and shape the Quality Pyramid, an essential framework for optimizing software quality. 

Key Takeaways about Quality in Software Development

Achieving quality in software development is a process. The first step is to pinpoint the client’s expectations. Specific industry standards derive from these criteria to ensure quality. The project development roadmap must consider both clients’ requirements and standards. In the pursuit of quality, it’s pivotal to set realistic goals and follow through. There’s no quality in under-delivering. 

Ultimately, the concept of quality aims to ensure that the software meets users' needs, complies with industry standards, and delivers value. 

Worrying about the quality of the software you’d like to build? Discover how we helped Popr.ai gain its first early adopters with a custom MVP in 90 days.  

Ready to embark on your software development adventure? We might be the trusty sidekick you’re looking for! Get in touch to discuss how we can propel your business forward together! 

Register for free