A defect-driven process for software quality improvement

Abstract

Software quality improvement initiatives are frequently attempted inside major software development companies. These initiatives often face difficulty motivating managers and developers. Yet the success of these improvement initiatives is directly related to receiving support from them. A defect-driven improvement process is proposed, aiming to improve the adoption of techniques by these key groups. The process is based on using defect data to identify issues in the current development process. ABB has used this process to focus and motivate change in three major development organizations around the world. Results show that this process yields measurable improvements in organizations that have been reluctant to change in the past.