This document discusses statistical quality assurance techniques for software. It explains that statistical quality assurance involves collecting information about software errors, categorizing them, tracing each error to its underlying cause using the Pareto principle to identify the most common causes, and correcting problems that led to those errors. Common causes of software defects are then listed, such as incomplete specifications, misinterpreted customer communication, and violations of programming standards. The document states that statistical quality assurance techniques have been shown to significantly improve software quality at some organizations through around a 50% reduction in defects per year. It concludes by introducing Six Sigma as a widely used strategy for statistical quality assurance, originally developed by Motorola, which uses data analysis to measure and improve processes by identifying and eliminating

1. Dr. S.KARTHIGAI SELVI
DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
THE GANDHIGRAM RURAL INSTITUTE-DTBU
GANDHIGRAM

2. Statistical quality assurance implies
the following steps
1. Information about software errors and defects is collected
and categorized.
2. An attempt is made to trace each error and defect to its
underlying cause (e.g., non-conformance to specifications,
design error, violation of standards, poor communication
with the customer).
3. Using the Pareto principle (80 percent of the defects can
be traced to 20 percent of all possible causes), isolate the
20 percent (the vital few).
4. Once the vital few causes have been identified, move to
correct the problems that have caused the errors and
defects

3. A Software may encountered more defects and uncovered
errors
•Incomplete or erroneous specifications (IES)
• Misinterpretation of customer communication
(MCC)
• Intentional deviation from specifications (IDS)
• Violation of programming standards (VPS)
• Error in data representation (EDR)
• Inconsistent component interface (ICI)
• Error in design logic (EDL)
• Incomplete or erroneous testing (IET)
• Inaccurate or incomplete documentation (IID)
• Error in programming language translation of
design (PLT)
• Ambiguous or inconsistent human/computer
interface (HCI)
• Miscellaneous (MIS)

4. Statistical quality assurance techniques for software have been shown to
provide substantial quality improvement [Art97]. In some cases, software
organizations have achieved a 50 percent reduction per year in defects after
applying these
techniques

5. Six Sigma is the most widely used strategy for statistical
quality assurance in industry today. Originally
popularized by Motorola in the 1980s.
Six Sigma strategy “is a rigorous and disciplined
methodology that uses data and statistical analysis to
measure and improve a company’s operational
performance by identifying and eliminating defects’ in
manufacturing and service-related processes”