Module: Software Process Quality

Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title	Software Process Quality
Module Code	CA650 (ITS) / CSC1137 (Banner)
Faculty	Engineering & Computing	School	Computing
Module Co-ordinator	Renaat Verbruggen
Module Teachers	-
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	7.5
Pre-requisite	Not Available
Co-requisite	Not Available
Compatibles	Not Available
Incompatibles	Not Available

Repeat examination
Array

Description

The goal of this module is to provide a systematic study of the software quality process. This module will expose students to the new principles of high quality software development through advanced software test design. It will show how research and practice are evolving and combining to give a new structure to software quality improvement. It presents a unifying method of viewing software test through coverage of structures.

Learning Outcomes

1. Explain the challenges facing software developers creating correct code.
2. describe the software test design method using coverage based on Graph, Logic, Syntactic and Input Data Structures.
3. analyse and use coverage methods for test design using Graphs.
4. develop test designs for coverage of prgrams using Logic constraints.
5. use coverage methods to develop input space test designs.
6. design software test approaches based on syntactic structures.
7. formulate testing approaches for web based applications.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full-time hours per semester
Lecture	36	Presentation of new software quality approach
Lecture	36	Presentation of new software quality approach
Independent Study	154	Projects and reading
Total Workload: 226

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Software problems and requirements for test
Why test?

Old versus new test design
New criteria based on Structures.

Graph Coverage
For all graph representations within software development.

Logic Coverage.
Contraints in general.

Syntactic Coverage.
All regular expressions available.

Input Space Coverage.
Partioning and data generation.

Object-Orienetd test issues.
Characteristics that compound test problems and new solutions.

Web application test.
Web security defined as the ability to test.

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	25%	Examination Weight	75%

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Course Work Breakdown
Participation	Development of XUnit test approach.	5%	Week 5
Participation	Analyse Testing tool for coverage approaches	20%	Week 5

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories: Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module. Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module. Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category 1

Indicative Reading List

Paul Ammann, Jeff Offutt: 2008, Introduction to software testing, Cambridge University Press, New York, 978-0-521-88038-1

Other Resources

None

Extensive reference material and ongoing information is available online through the course moodle pages.