The organizational framework for preparing, implementing and updating checklists

15.2.2 The organizational framework for preparing, implementing and updating checklists

Though highly recommended, the use of checklists remains discretionary. Checklist preparation and updating, like promotion of their use, are usually assigned to the SQA unit. A “checklist group”, headed by a SQA unit mem- ber, can undertake the task of maintaining a collection of updated lists. The participation of other staff interested in promoting the use of checklists in the group is also voluntary; in some cases, however, the assistance of an SQA consultant is recommended. In the remainder of this section, we describe the processes required to maintain a checklist infrastructure: preparation of new checklists, promotion of their use and updating.

Preparation of new checklists One of the first tasks awaiting the “checklist group” is compilation of a list of checklists targeted for development, followed by definition of a common format for all the checklists released by the group.

The first checklists approved by the group are usually informal check- lists already in use by some development team members and reviewers. In most cases, a few changes and adaptations of these checklists are sufficient to satisfy the format and contents defined by the group. Preparation of new checklists as well as improvement of informal checklists is supported by the following sources of information:

Informal checklists already in use in the organization

Checklist examples found in books and other professional publications

15 ■ Checklists used by similar organizations. S

The process of preparing a new checklist is similar to that for templates.

ppor Promotion of checklist use

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As the use of checklists is rarely mandatory, promotion of their use is based on advertising and guaranteed availability. All internal channels of commu- nication can be used for publicizing the checklists: leaflets, e-mail, SQA intranet as well as professional meetings. The internal net remains, however, the preferred and most efficient method for making checklists available to

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the organization’s internal “consumers”.

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Updating checklists Like templates and procedures, initiatives to update an existing checklist generally flow from the following sources:

User proposals and suggestions

Changes in technology, areas of activity and clientele

Proposals initiated by design review and inspection teams emanating from document reviews

Analysis of failures as well as successes

Other organizations’ experience

SQA team initiatives. The process of updating checklists is quite similar to their preparation.

Summary

(1) Explain the main contribution of templates to software quality assurance.

■ Documents submitted for review tend to be more complete. As a result, review teams can direct their efforts to further improvement of the final product.

■ Document reviews are facilitated as their structure is standard and well known among reviewers. Freed of structural concerns, reviewers can focus on issues of document content.

(2) Explain the main contributions of checklists to software quality assurance.

■ Checklists support document completeness and improve document quality as all the relevant items and quality issues to be reviewed are already listed.

■ Conduct of review sessions becomes less problematic when topics and their order of priority are defined and well known. An efficient session is expected to carry out a thorough analysis of comments by reviewers.

(3) List the activities involved in maintaining templates and checklists.

The activities involved in maintaining state-of-the-art compilations of template and The activities involved in maintaining state-of-the-art compilations of template and

staff, including those who have already offered informal templates and checklists to their colleagues. Leadership of the group is usually an SQA unit obligation. The group

members decide on target lists of templates and checklists, which they later try to

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complete. Drafts are prepared with the assistance of informal templates and check- lists, releases found in the professional literature and collections used in similar organizations. Team members, SQA unit members and others, especially those in the field, can readily initiate updating efforts. Updates are meant to improve current

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releases on the basis of team and external experience, cope with organizational changes, altered consumer tastes, failure analysis results, and so forth.

The implementation of templates and checklist is successful when the majority of users or the relevant internal consumers apply them regularly. Successful application is based on promotion activities and on ready availability. Promotion is based on advertis- ing, especially along internal communication networks, while easy access is usually achieved through the internal net. In many organizations, use of some or all templates is compulsory, a situation that demands adequate procedures and/or work instructions.