McCall Software Quality Model

May 31, 2019

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The overall goal of any software management is "Quality built-in with cost and performance as prime consideration". This means that the software should be built with certain quality aspects that fulfill the needs of the user. Its performance is kept on the top priority. The performance is also based on the demands of the user and the developer's perspective. The good performing software is highly in demand these days due to rising competition in the market.

Given the intangible and abstract nature of software, researchers and practitioners are bound to find ways to characterize software in order to make benefits and costs visible. Jim McCall produced the McCall software quality model for the US Air Force in 1977. This is used to maintain harmony between the users and the developers. Successful software is developed that fulfills the user needs in consideration with the developer's point of view. Different software quality models are developed and in that only two of the models are considered in the present time for a remarkable quality attributes of the software.

• McCall (1977)
• Boehm (1978)

Common Objectives of a Software Quality Model are as Follows-

Due to revolution, there are other software quality models that are developed in the market. All of them are built with the common objectives and a common goal in consideration. A user may have lesser requirements than the already built models and since, innovation is the mother of creation. There are several models the market sharing a common goal according to the user demands and requirements. Enumerated, are the common objectives of a software quality model.

• The benefits and costs of the software are symbolized in their totality with no consideration in between the attributes or the high performance of the software.
• The presence, absence, of the attributes of the software can be measured objectively.
• The degree to which each of the attributes present gives out the overall quality of the built software.
• The attributes facilitate continuous improvement of the software in the future. It allows cause and effect of a particular change to be analyzed

Three Main Perspectives of the Quality Attributes of the Software:

A perspective is required for every approach. Be it, software niche or any other niche.

• Product Revision.
• Product Transition.
• Product Operations.

Product Revision:

It encompasses the revision perspective identifiers quality factors that changes or enhances the ability to change the software product in the future according to the needs and requirements of the user.

• Maintainability- If there are defects in the software that are found in the later stage, this feature allows finding and fixing the defects.
• Flexibility- The ability to make changes in the software product according to the business demands.
• Testability- This enables the software product to validate the requirements.

Product Transition:

Transition perspective enables the software to adapt itself in new environments. The identification of the quality factor which enables the ability of adaption of the software in the new environment is known as product transition.

Let us take an example, our creator created the software named human. The creator incorporated ability to this software that enhances it to adapt in the new environment.

• Portability- This is the ability to transfer a software from one environment to another environment.
• Re-usability- The software components can be used in different contexts.
• Interoperability- The ease or the comfort zone in which all the components of the software works together.

Product Operations:

The software can run successfully in the market if it according to the specifications of the user and also it should run smoothly without any defects. The product operation perspective influences the extent to which the software fulfills its specifications-

• Correctness- The functionality should match the specification.
• Reliability- The extent to which the system fails.
• Efficiency- It enhances the usage of system resource.
• Usability- The software should be easy to use. Difficult software is tedious to work upon and difficulty irks the user.

This is all about McCall software quality model. This created a revolution in the software industry with its quality to provide the required ability to the software.