--- title: "SQA plan and quality standards" subject: "Software Engineering" chapter: 9 key: "semester_5/software_engineering:sqa-plan-standards" source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_5/software_engineering/sqa-plan-standards site: BCT Engineering --- # SQA plan and quality standards Software Engineering · Chapter 9: Quality management - Asked in: 2070 Chaitra (old course), 4+6 marks - Video: [SE26: Software Quality Assurance SQA | Software Quality Assurance Plan (SQAP) |Software Engineering](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXD7sh6_YHo) — University Academy - Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14 - Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_5/software_engineering/sqa-plan-standards - Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_5/software_engineering/chapter-9 ## Question Define SQA plan. Explain the software quality standards with example. ## Short answer An SQA plan documents quality activities, responsibilities, standards and records for a project. Software quality standards, such as ISO 9001, IEEE 730/830/829, and CMMI, define product or process requirements so quality can be checked objectively. ## Answer #### SQA plan An **SQA plan** is a document that serves as a road map for software quality assurance on a project. It is prepared by the SQA group (or by the software team where no SQA group exists) and states which quality activities will be carried out, when, by whom, and against which standards. Contents of an SQA plan (based on the IEEE standard for SQA plans, IEEE 730): 1. **Purpose and scope** of the plan. 2. **Work products covered**: description of every work product that falls under SQA (SRS, design, code, test plans, user manual). 3. **Applicable standards and practices** used during the process. 4. **SQA actions and tasks**, including reviews and audits, and where they occur in the process. 5. **Tools and methods** that support SQA tasks. 6. **Software configuration management** procedures for managing change. 7. **Methods for assembling, safeguarding and maintaining** quality records. 8. **Organizational roles and responsibilities** for quality. #### Software quality standards A **software quality standard** is a documented set of rules, practices or requirements that a software product or process must meet. Standards record best practice, define what "quality" means for the organization, and allow quality to be checked objectively. Sommerville divides standards into two types: | Product standards | Process standards | |---|---| | Apply to the software product being built | Define the processes followed during development | | Requirements document structure | Design review conduct | | Method/function header format | Submission of new code for system building | | Java or C coding style | Version release process | | Project plan format | Project plan approval process | | Change request form | Change control process | | Design review form | Test recording process | **Important international standards** 1. **ISO 9000 series (ISO 9001)** - A generic standard for quality management systems in any industry, including software. - Requires the organization to document its processes, follow them, keep records, carry out internal audits, take corrective action and focus on the customer. - An external body audits the organization and issues an ISO 9001 certificate. - Example: a software company in Kathmandu documents its requirements, design, testing and release procedures, trains staff, keeps review and test records, and passes an external audit to become ISO 9001 certified, which helps it win foreign outsourcing contracts. 2. **IEEE software engineering standards** - IEEE 730: SQA plans. - IEEE 830: software requirements specification (SRS) format. - IEEE 829: software test documentation (test plan, test case, test report). - IEEE 1016: software design descriptions. - Example: a project writes its SRS using the IEEE 830 outline so that every requirement is complete, consistent and verifiable. 3. **SEI CMM / CMMI** - Process maturity models with five levels (Initial to Optimizing) used to assess and improve an organization's software process. - Example: an organization at CMMI level 3 has a defined, organization-wide standard process. 4. **Coding standards** - Example: MISRA C for safety-critical embedded software, or a company's Java naming and commenting rules. **Why standards help:** they capture lessons learned, give a framework for the quality assurance process, give continuity when staff change, and build customer confidence. ## Check yourself The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why. 1. What is an SQA plan? A. A list of bugs found in testing B. A road map document stating which quality activities will be carried out, when, by whom and against which standards C. A user manual for the software D. A contract between customer and developer Answer: B. The SQA plan is a document that serves as a road map for quality assurance on a project. (Key point: SQA plan purpose) 2. Which is a PROCESS standard rather than a product standard? A. Requirements document structure B. Java coding style C. Change control process D. Method header format Answer: C. Change control process defines how work is done; the others describe the form of a product. (Key point: Product vs process standards) 3. What is true of ISO 9001 as described? A. It is specific to software only and defines five maturity levels B. It is a generic quality-management standard where an external body audits and issues a certificate C. It is a coding style guide D. It defines the SRS format Answer: B. ISO 9001 is generic, requires documented processes and records, and is certified by an external audit. (Key point: ISO 9001) 4. Which IEEE standard gives the SRS format? A. IEEE 730 B. IEEE 829 C. IEEE 1016 D. IEEE 830 Answer: D. IEEE 830 is for SRS; 730 is SQA plans, 829 test documentation, 1016 design descriptions. (Key point: IEEE standards) ## Related in Software Engineering - [SQA plan](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fsoftware_engineering%3Asqa-plan) — Software Engineering, chapter 9 - [Why quality standards are needed](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fsoftware_engineering%3Aquality-standards-need) — Software Engineering, chapter 9 - [Software quality assurance](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fsoftware_engineering%3Asqa-note) — Software Engineering, chapter 9 - [SQA and statistical SQA](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fsoftware_engineering%3Asqa-statistical) — Software Engineering, chapter 9 - [Statistical SQA](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fsoftware_engineering%3Astatistical-sqa) — Software Engineering, chapter 9 - [Formal technical review; Garvin’s quality dimensions](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fsoftware_engineering%3Aftr-garvin) — Software Engineering, chapter 9 ## Related in other subjects - [Water quality parameters and Nepal drinking water standards](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fenvironment_and_pollution_control%3Anepal-drinking-water-quality-standards) — Environment and Pollution Control, chapter 4 - [Quality management plan](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Aquality-management-plan) — ICT Project Management, chapter 10 - [Drinking water standards and WHO guidelines](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fwater_supply_engineering%3Awho-guidelines-standards) — Water Supply Engineering, chapter 4, asked 2× - [Case study: plan, feasibility and ROI](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Finstrumentation_ii%3Acs-2075chaitra) — Instrumentation II, chapter 10