development lifecycles

This paper introduces a new notion called Verification & Validation (V&V) Lifecycle Methodologies, examining what V&V is, and expanding its scope to the entire software lifecycle (much beyond traditional methods of software testing). V&V is recast in a much more holistic definition and approach, based on a rapidly maturing V&V discipline, solid empirical data, and recent innovations in metrics-based software quality and reliability management and engineering.

Testers are often on the critical path for getting a software release out. They must plan carefully in order to minimize the critical path, while still doing a complete job of testing. This schedule pressure is taken to an extreme when a production server must be taken offline in order to deploy the software, and everyone is waiting for the final test results before the system can go live again. Karen Johnson describes her company's carefully planned and orchestrated method for doing a final check of an installed system. Her story is relevant to e-commerce companies as well as IT shops that are under pressure to keep systems updated while minimizing downtime.

Churning out medium-grade software to meet deadlines, and experiencing critically defective projects over the years, can easily wear down optimism till it gives way to cynicism in the software testing and quality professions. In this column, Eileen Strider empathizes with that tendency and offers ideas that may improve the quality of your experience.