B.E./B.Tech.

DEGREE EXAMINATION, NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010

Fourth Semester
Information Technology
IT 2251 — SOFTWARE ENGINEERING AND QUALITY ASSURANCE
(Regulation 2008)
Time : Three hours Maximum : 100 Marks
Answer ALL questions
PART A — (10 × 2 = 20 Marks)
1. What is the major difference between System Engineering and Software
Engineering?
2. State the complicating characteristics of computer based systems.
3. How do you define the system reliability and availability?
4. How are data flow models different from state machine models?
5. What are the two main strategies that are used in decomposing a sub-system
into modules?
6. Is monitoring system and control system the same, if not justify and give an
example for each.
7. What are the other quality characteristics of good testing apart from finding
errors?
8. How is regression testing related to integration testing?
9. What is a Pareto principle?
10. What are the four important elements that should exist when a configuration
management system is developed as identified by Susan Dart?
PART B — (5 × 16 = 80 Marks)
11. (a) (i) Describe the waterfall lifecycle model for software development
with a sketch. ‘Management tends to like the waterfall model’.
Justify. (8)
(ii) What is system modeling? State and explain the restraining factors
to construct a system model. (8)
Or
(b) Elaborate on Business Process Engineering and Product Engineering. (16)
12. (a) (i) Explain why a software system that is used in a real-world
environment must change or become progressively less useful. (8)
(ii) Discuss in detail the Requirement Engineering process. What is the
major distinction between user requirements and system
requirements? (8)
Or
(b) Explain in detail the various steps applied to develop complete and
accurate models using structured analysis. (16)
13. (a) State four applications that use Real time systems. Describe the methods
and tools used in the analysis and simulation of Real time systems.
Or
(b) (i) What are the advantages of modular design? State the design
heuristics for effective modularity. (10)
(ii) What are the design issues to be considered in a User Interface
design? (6)
14. (a) Consider the following sort procedure (Insertion Sort) that takes an array
and the array length as arguments. The routine sorts the array using a
simple sorting algorithm.
void openAppropriateFile();// Magically opens the right file
void print(const Tcontainer &c); //Writes the container to the file
int main()
{
// Declare the container we are going to test
Tcontainer underTest;
// Open the file for the output
openAppropriateFile();
// Now we are ready to start the tests
underTest.insert(10);
print(underTest); // Expected output 10
//You do the rest
underTest. insert (5)
print(underTest.); //Expected output 5 10
underTest. insert(15);
print(underTest); // Expected output 5 10 15
underTest. insert(12);
print(underTest); //Expected output 5 10 12 15
// After executing this program we have achieved condition and branch
coverage return 0;
(i) Develop a set of test cases that provides statement coverage of the
function. This shall be a minimal set. (5)
(ii) Define a set of test cases that provides branch coverage of the
function. This shall be a minimal set. (5)
(iii) What are the benefits of defining a test case? (6)
Or
(b) Write short notes on :
(i) Structural Testing (4)
(ii) System Testing arid debugging (4)
(iii) Integration Testing (4)
(iv) Black box Testing. (4)
15. (a) (i) What are the attributes that should be encompassed by effective
software metrics? (6)
(ii) What is the purpose of defining the software quality? State the SQA
activities. (10)
Or
(b) How does Software Configuration Management (SCM) help to manage
change? Explain the major tasks and concepts involved. (16)
 B.E./B.Tech. DEGREE EXAMINATION,
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011
Answer ALL questions.
PART A — (10 × 2 = 20 marks)
1. What is meant by Independent Verification and Validation?
2. Differentiate Waterfall model with V-Model.
3. Name the components of CASE tools for structured methodology.
4. List the steps involved in requirements elicitation and analysis.
5. What is meant by heuristic evaluation?
6. List out the steps involved in real time software design.
7. What is meant by Boundary value analysis?
8. Define the term process maturity.
9. Name any four quality control tools.
10. State the benefits of QFD.
PART B — (5 × 16 = 80 marks)
11. (a) (i) Describe the process model which defines a network of
activities. (8)
(ii) State as to why the first system is always a throw away system?
Explain the concept with advantages and disadvantages. (8)
Or(b) (i) Draw a system engineering hierarchy diagram and explain the
concept. (8)
(ii) Explain the process model that combines the elements of waterfall
and iterative fashion. (8)

12. (a) Give a brief description of software prototyping and briefly

discuss the various prototyping techniques. (16)
Or(b) With an example describe the three process steps for
transforming a dataflow diagram to a structure chart. (16)

13. (a) (i) Draw a translating diagram for analysis model into a software
design Specification. (8)
(ii) Give a complete template for documentation design specification.
(8)
Or(b) (i) Which is a measure of interconnection among modules in a
program structure?Explain. (8)
(ii) What is the difference between Level-0 and Level-1 DFD? Draw a
Level-0 and Level-1 DFD for safe Home Security System. (8)

14. (a) (i) What are all the formulas for cyclomatic complexity?
Calculate cyclomatic Complexity for greatest of three numbers. (8)
(ii) How would you derive test cases for the given project? Explain in
detail. (8)
Or(b) (i) Narrate the path testing procedure in detail with a sample
code.(8)
(ii) Explain the different integration testing approaches. (8)

15. (a) Explain how software process assessment helps software

organizations to improve themselves. (16)
Or
(b) Write detailed notes on ISO9000 series of quality management
standards. (16)
 ALPHA COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
THIRUMAZHISAI-600 124.
Department of Information Technology
Model Question Paper
IV Semester

IT2251- Software Engineering & Quality Assurance

Time: 3 Hrs. Maximum: 100 Marks

PART: A – (10×2 = 20 Marks)

1. Define: Software Engineering by IEEE

2. Differentiate Verification & Validation
3. Define: Data Dictionary
4. Define: Cardinality & Modality
5. Define: Cohesion & Coupling
6. What is real time system
7. What is regression testing
8. Distinguish between software fault and software failure
9. What are the types of software maintenance
10. Define software measure

Part-B-(16*5=80)

11. (a) What are the major differences between system engineering and software engineering and
explain the stages and distinguish the two.
Or
(b) What is prototyping? Mention its types. Also explain this model with advantage and
Disadvantage (16)

12.(a) What is requirement engineering process and explain in detail (16)

Or
(b)Discuss in detail about the elements in data modeling (16)
13. (i) Explain the user interface design activities (8)
(ii) Describe Transform and Transactional mapping by applying design steps to an
Example system (8)
Or
(b)How the interrupts are handled in real time systems? Explain (8)
(ii) Write short notes on real time software design (8)

14. (a) What are all the formulas for cyclomatic complexity? Calculate cyclomatic complexity for binary
search (16)
Or
(b) Explain the types of white box testing (16)

15. (a) Explain the Software configuration management (16)

 Or
(b) Explain the software metrics in detail (16)

Answers – Part –A

1. IEEE definition – the application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development,
operation and maintenance of software,.

2. Verification- “Are we building the product right?”

Validation – “Are we building the right product?”

3. It is a repository that contains descriptions of all data object consumed or product by the software

4. Cardinality is the specification of the number of occurrences of one object that can be related to the
number of occurrence of another.
Modality – Indicates whether or not a particular data object must participate in the relationship.

5. Cohesion- is a measure of the relative functional strength of a modules

Coupling- is a measure of the relative interdependence among modules

6. Real time system is a software system where the correct functioning of the system depends on the result
produced by the system and time at which these results are produced.

7. Is the re-execution of some subset of tests that have already been conducted to ensure that changes have
not propagated unintended side effects

8. Fault is a characteristics of a software system that can lead to lead error

Failure – is an event that occurs at some point in time when the system does not deliver a service as per
user’s expectations

9. Corrective- it involves changing a software application to remove errors

Adaptive- is any effort that is the result of changes in a software application’s operating environment

10. Software measure means deriving a numeric for an attribute of a software product or process.

Part-B
11. - System Engineering process is called business engineering
- It occurs as a consequences f a process.
- It focus on a variety of elements, analyzing, designing and organizing those elements into a system that
can be a product, a service, or a technology for the transformation of information or control.

Software Engg is a development strategy that encompasses the process, methods, and tools layers and
the generic phases incorporated by a team of software engineers is a process models or a software
engineering paradigm.
 b) Customers see what appears to be working version of the software, unaware that the prototype is held
together “ with chewing gum and baling wire, “unware that in the rush to get it working no one has
considered overall software quality or long term maintainability

- The developer often makes implementation compromises in order to get a prototype working quickly.

12 (a) Requirement engineering

Feasibility
studies
Requirement
elicitation &
Requirement
Analysis
Specification
Requirement
Validation

Feasibility
Report System
models User & Requirement
System document

Requirement
(b) Data Modeling

It answers a set of specific questions that are relevant to any data processing application?

1. What are the primary data object to be processed by the system

2. What is the composition of each data object and what attributes describe the object

3. Where do the object currently reside

4. What are the relationship between each object and other objects

5. What are the relationship between the objects and the processes that transform them?

Data Object- is a representation of almost any composite information that must be understood by software.

Data Attributes- define the properties of a data object and take on one of three different characteristics.

Relationship- objects are connected to one another in different ways.

Cardinality and modality

13 a) User Interface design

The overall process for designing a user interface begins with creation of different models of system function.
The human and computer oriented task that are required to achieve system function are then delineated. Design
issues that apply to all interface designs are considered; tools are used to prototype and ultimately implement the
design models; the result is evaluated for quality.

ii) Transform Mapping

Is a set of design steps that allows a DFD with transform flow characteristics to be mapped into a specific
architectural style. Example –SafeHome Security

Step 1 – Review the fundamental system model.

Step 2 – Review and refine data flow diagrams for the software

Step 3- Determine whether the DFD has transform or transaction flow characteristics

Step 4 – Isolate the transform center by specifying incoming and outgoing flow boundaries.

Step 5- Perform “first level factoring”

Steps 6 – perform “Second level factoring”

Step 7 – Refine the first –iteration architecture using design heuristics for improved software quality.

b) i) Interrupt in Real time systems

Scheduling
Information
Interrupt Handler
Real Time Clock
Scheduler

Process Resource
Processes Requirements. Available
awaiting resource list
resources
Resource
Manager
Ready list Ready Processes Released Process Processor List
 Despatcher

Executing Process

b) ii) Real Time Software Design

is a Software system where the correct functioning of the system depends on the result produced by the system
and time at which these results are produced.

Soft real time - It’s operation is degraded, if results are not produced according to the specified timing
requirements. Ex. Arircraft control

Hard real time – is a system whose operation is incorrect if results are not according to the specified timing
requirements. Ex. ATM, Ticket Reservation.

Timely response is an important factor in RTS. RTS is a stimulus response system.

Senso
Senso Senso senso
r
r r r

Real Time Control

System

Actuator Actuator Actuator Actuator

14. Cyclomatic complexity

Is a white box testing technique by Tom Mccabe. It derive a logical complexity measure of a procedural design
amd use this measure as a guide for defining a basis set of execution paths.

Flow Graph Notation.

Is a Notation of control flow. In flow graph each circle called flow graph node, represents one or more
procedural statements. A sequence of process boxes and a decision diamond can map into single node. Arrow on
the flow graph is link or edges. An edge must terminate at a node, even if the node does not represent any
procedural statements/

2,
3
R2
1 6 4,
1 5
 R1
7 R3 8 R4

9
Independent Program Paths 1
Path 1 : 1-11 0

Path 2 : 1-2-3-4-4-5-10-1-11

Path 3: 1-2-3-6-8-9-10-1-11

Path 4: 1-2-3-6-8-9-10-1-11

Not consider to be an independent path -1-2-3-4-5-10-1-2-3-6-8-9-10-1-11

Cyclomatic Complexity is computed in one of three ways:

1. Number of regions corresponds to the cyclomatic complexity

2. V(G)=E-N+2 E is the number of flow graph edges, N is the number of flow graph nodes.

3. V(G)=P+1

P is the number of predicate nodes contained in the flow graph G

ii) White box Testing

- Basis path Testing

o Flow Graph Notation

o Independent program Paths

o Deriving Test Cases

- Control Structure Testing

o Condition testing

o Data Flow Testing

o Loop Testing

 Simple Loops

 Nested Loops

 Concatenated Loops

 Unstructured Loops
16.(a) Software Configuration Management

SCM is an umbrella activity that is applied throughout the software process. Because change can occur at any
time, SCM activities are developed to

(1) Identify change

(2) Control Change

(3) Ensure that changes is being properly implemented

(4) Report changes to others who may have an interest.

Output of process is information that may be divided into three broad categories

(i) Computer program

(ii) Documents that describe the computer programs

(iii) Data –contained within the program or external to it.

SCI-Software Configuration items

Baselines- Is a SCM concept that helps us to control change without seriously impending justifiable change.

IEEE- A specification or product that has been formally reviewed and agreed upon, that thereafter serves as the
basis for further development & that can be changed only through formal change control procedures.

b) Software metrics

Quality Reviews are expensive and time consuming and inevitably delay the completion of a software
system. Software measurement is concerned with deriving a numeric value for some attribute of a
software product or a software process.

1. To make general predications about a system.

2. To identify anomalies components

Product Metrics

It concerned with characteristics of the software itself. Characteristics can be easily measured, such as
size and cyclomatic complexity.

Dynamic metrics- are collected by measurement made of a program in execution.

 Static metrics – are collected by measurements made of representations of the system such as
the design, program or documentation.
1. Define software engineering by IEEE?
Software engineering is :( 1)The application of a systematic, disciplined ,quantifiable pproach to the
development, operation and maintenance of s/w i.e application of engineering to s/w. (2) The study
of approaches as in ( 1).

2. List out the tasks focused on development phase?

Software design
Code generation
Software testing

3. Specify the stages in Software Engineering as a problem solving loop?

Status Quo
Problem definition
Technical development
Solution integration

4. What is WIN-WIN Spiral Model?

Customer wins by getting the system product that satisfies majority of customer needs and
developer wins by working to realistic and achievable budgets and deadlines.

5. What are the advantages of 4G techniques?

Reduction in software development time
Improved productivity
Provides good solution

6. What are FAST?

Facilitated Application Specification Techniques creates a joint team of customers and developers
who work together to identify the problem, propose elements of solution and negotiate different
approaches.
Delay estimates till late in the project
Decomposition techniques
Use empirical models

8. How will you compute the 3-point or expected value of size?

S = ( Sopt + 4Sin + Spess ) / 6
Where Sopt = Optimistic value
Spess = Pessimistic value
Sin= Most likely value

9. What are the information domain characteristics on FP estimates?

Number of inputs
Number of outputs
Datafiles
Inquiries
External interfaces
Complexity adjustment factors

10. What is estimated effort in COCOMO?

Estimated effort = NOP/PROD
NOP ? New Object Point
PROD ? Productivity rate
11. What are the task regions in a Spiral Model?
Customer communication
Planning
Engineering
Risk analysis
Construction & release
Customer evaluation

12. List out the tools in 4G.

Nonprocedural language for dBquery
Report generation
Data manipulation
Code generation
Spread sheet capability
High level graphics
Screen interaction & definition
Automated generation of HTML

13. Draw the resource pyramid for software development

People
Reusable S/W
components
H/W & S/W tools

14.Write the software equation for effort calculation.

E = [ LOC x B 0.333 / P]3 x ( 1 /t4)
t ? project duration in months/years
B ? special skill factors
P ? productivity parameters

15. What are the generic functions in automated estimation tools?

Sizing project deliverables
Selecting project activities
Predicting staffing levels
Predicting software effort
Predicting software cost
Predicting software schedules

16. What are umbrella activities?

Software project tracking and control
Formal reviews
SQA
SCM
Document preparation & production
Reusability management
Measurement
Risk management

17. Draw the waterfall model

Analysis
Design
Code
Test
Support

18. What are object points?

The number of Screens
Reports - Components to build the application

19. What is Empirical Estimation Model & give the general structure of it?
A Typical Estimation Model is derived using Regression Analysis on data collected from past
software projects.
Structure is E = A + B x (ev)C
A, B, C ? constants
ev ? estimation variable (LOC/FP)

20. What is a process?

Process defines a framework for a set of key process areas that must be established for effective
delivery of s/w engineering technology.

21. What are the changes encountered in support(maintenance )phase?

Correction.
Adaptation.
Enhancement.
Prevention.

22. What is a process model or a software engineering paradigm?

It is a development strategy that includes process, methods and tools and three generic phases
(definition, development, support ). A process model is chosen based on the nature of application,
the methods, tools used and controls and deliverables that are required.

23. What is Chaos model?

It describes software development as a continuum from the user to developer to the technology.

24. When is prototyping paradigm suitable?

When the customer defines only objectives, but doesn’t specify detailed i/p, processing or o/p.
When developer is unsure of the efficiency of an algorithm or the adaptability of OS etc.

25. What is RAD model?

The RAD model is a “high-speed” adaptation of the linear sequential model in which rapid
development is achieved by using component-based construction.

26. What are the evolutionary s/w process models?

The Incremental Model.
The Spiral model.

27. What is a software scope?

Software scope describes data and control to be processed, function, performance , constraints
,interfaces and reliability. Cost and schedule estimates are functionally oriented. Performance
encompass processing and response time requirements. Constraints specify limits placed on s/w by
external h/w, available memory etc.

28.What are meta-questions?

Are you the right person to answer these questions?
Are answers official?
Am I asking too many questions?
Are my questions relevant to the problem?
Can anyone else provide additional information?
Should I be asking you anything else?

29.What are called components?

Components are software building blocks that are created and reused. They must be catalogued for
easy reference , standardized for easy application and validated for easy integration.

30.What is called as SEE(S/w Engineering Environment)?

SEE incorporates hardware and software .H/w provides a platform that supports the tools (s/w)
required to produce work products that are an outcome of good software engineering practice.

31.List out the reasons for divergent estimates in a S/w project.

The scope of the project is not adequately understood.
Productivity data used in problem based estimation techniques is inappropriate for the application
or obsolete.

32. What is (a) Boehm simple model (b)Kemerer model?

(a) Boehm model is: E = 3.2 * (KLOC )1.05
E is effort in person-months, KLOC is Kilo Lines OF Code.
(b) Kemerer model is E= 60.62 * 7.728 * 10-8 FP3
FP is Function Points.

33. What constitutes productivity parameter in s/w equation?

Overall process maturity & management practices.
Level of programming languages used.
Extent to which good s/w engg practices are used.
State of software environment.
Skills and experience of the s/w team.
Complexity of application.
1. An estimate of size(in KLOC).
2.An indication of project duration in calendar months or years.

35. Calculate the minimum development time and effort for a CAD s/w with has
33200 lines of code and with a productivity parameter of 12,000 ,with special skill factors equals
0.28 using a s/w equation.?
Tmin= 8.14 (LOC /P) 0.43
Here LOC =33200 and P=12,000
Tmin= 8.14(33200/12000)0.43
=12.6 calendar months.
E = 180Bt3
=180 * 0.28 *(1.05)3
=58 person-months. (note : 1.05 =12.6 / 12 years)
[ Nb:For small programs with (KLOC =5 to 15) ,B=0.16 .For programs greater than 70 KLOC
,B=0.39 ].

36. What is MOI model of leadership?

Weinberg suggests a MOI model of leadership:
Motivation-Encourage technical people to produce their best quality.
Organization-ability to mold existing process to transfer initial concept to a final product.
Ideas or Innovation- Encourage people to create .

37. Specify a technique to identify risk.

Risks can be identified by riskitem check list. The checklist focuses on some subset of known and
predictable risks in product size, business impact, customer characteristics, process definition,
development environment ,technology to be built ,staff size and experience.

38. What are the s/w risk components?

Performance risk.
Cost risk.
Support risk.
Schedule risk.

39. How does a risk projection(estimation) rates the risk?

Probability that the risk occurs really. Consequences of the problems associated with the risk.

40. If 18 components are to be developed from scratch and average component is 100 LOC ,and if
cost for each LOC is $14.00 ,with a risk probability of 80% , what is the risk exposure?
Thus RE= 0.80 * 25,200 = $20,200.

41. What is a referent point or break point?

The risk referent level has a single point called break point at which the decision to proceed with the
project or terminate are equally weighted.

42.What is Pareto 80-20 rule?

Experience indicates that 80% of the overall project risk can be accounted for by only 20% of the
identified risks. 20% includes the risk that lead to highest risk exposure.

43. what is a S/w project scheduling?

S/w project scheduling is an activity that distributes estimated effort across the planned project
duration by allocating the effort specific s/w engineering tasks.

44. List out the uses of PERT and CPM.

Determines the critical path. Establish the “most-likely” time estimates for individual tasks.
Calculate “boundary times” that define time-window for a particular task.

45. What are the boundary times ?

Early start time of a task.
Latest start time of a task.
Earliest finish time.
Latest finish time.
The total float.

46. What is a time-line chart or Gantt chart?

It is a chart listing the various work tasks ,the duration of each tasks and associated milestones .It
can be developed for the entire product or for a product function or for an individual.

UNIT-II

1.What is control abstraction and give an example?

Control abstraction is used in software design and implies a program control mechanism without
specifying internal details. Example is synchronization semaphore used to coordinate activities in
an OS.

2. List out the different notations to specify the control hierarchy.

Tree like diagrams.
Warnier-Orr diagrams
Jackson diagrams.

3.What are the extra-functional properties a good architecture design must satisfy?
other system characteristics.

4.What is (a)coincidental cohesion (b)logical cohesion.

Modules that perform a set of tasks that are loosely related to one another are said to have
coincidental cohesion. A module that performs tasks that are logically related is said to have logical
cohesion.

5.Specify the major issues in designing a distributed system.

Specifying the topology of communication network.
Rules for accessing shared communication channel.
Allocating processing functions to various processing nods.
Rules for process communication and synchronization.
Allocate n/w functionality b/w h/w & s/w components.

6. What are the five criteria t o evaluate a modular design?

Modular decomposability.
Modular composability
Modular understandability.
Modular continuity.
Modular protection.

7.List out the advantages of horizontal partitioning?

- Software produced is easier to test.
- Software that is easy to maintain.
- Propagation of fewer side effects.
- Software that is easier to extend.

8.What are the different types of software reuse?

Application system reuse.
Component reuse.
Function reuse.

9.What is coupling? Explain content coupling.

Coupling is a measure of interconnection among modules in a software structure. It depends on the
interface complexity b/w modules and what data is passed across the interface.

10.What are Petrinets?

Petrinet are graphical representation and is used to model the concurrent systems. It is a bipartite
directed graph and two types of nodes are: places and transitions. Used to specify the requirements
and design of real-time and distributed systems.

11. What is refinement in design ,according to Wirth?

In each step of refinement , one or several instructions of the given program are decomposed into
more detailed instructions. This successive decomposition terminates when all instructions are
expressed in terms of any programming

12. Define software architecture.

Software architecture alludes to “overall structure of the software and the ways in which the
structure provides conceptual integrity for a system”. Architecture is the hierarchical structure of
program components, the manner in which the components interact and structure of data that are
used by these components.

13. What is called factoring or vertical partitioning?

Factoring suggests that control and work should be distributed top-down in the program structure.
Top level modules should perform control functions. Low level modules include workers,
performing all input, computation and output tasks.

14.What is information hiding?

The principle of information hiding suggests that modules be characterized by design decisions that
hides from all others. The modules should be specified and designed so that information within a
module is inaccessible to other modules that have no need for such information.

15. What is cohesion ? List out the various types.

A cohesive module performs a single task within a s/w procedure, requiring little interactions with
procedures being performed in other parts of a program. The types of cohesion include:
Coincidental cohesion.
Logical cohesion.
Temporal cohesion.
Communication cohesion.
Sequential cohesion.
Functional cohesion.
Informational cohesion.

16. What are HIPO diagrams?

HIPO diagrams are design representation schemes for top-down software development and as
external documentation aids. HIPO diagrams contains a visual table of contents ,a set of overview
diagrams and a set of detailed diagrams.

17. What are real-time systems?

Real time systems provide specified amount of computation within fixed time intervals. Real time
systems typically sense and control external devices, respond to external events and share
processing time between multiple tasks.

18. List out the three steps in Jackson structured programming.

The problem structure is mapped into a program structure by:
i. The problem is modeled by specifying the input and output data structures using tree-like
diagrams.
ii. The i/p-o/p model is converted into a structural model for the program by identifying the points
of correspondence solve the problem.

19. What are the advantages of software reuse?

Increased reliability.
Reduced process risk.
Effective use of specialists.
Standards compliance.
Accelerated development.

20. What are structured flowcharts?

Structured flowcharts are restricted to composition of certain basic forms. The basic forms are
characterized by single entry into and single exit from the form and the forms can be nested to any
arbitrary depth.

UNIT-III

1.What is an indicator ?
An indicator is a metric or combination of metrics that provide insight into the software process, a
software project or product itself. An indicator provides insight that enables the project manager or
s/w Engineer to adjust process, project
.
2.List out the uses of project indicators?
Project indicators enable a software project manager to :
- Assess the status of an ongoing project.
- Track potential risks.
- Uncover problem areas before they go “critical”.
- Adjust workflows.
- Evaluate project team’s ability to control quality of software products.

3.What are process indicators?

It enables a software engineering organization to gain insight into the efficacy of the existing
process. They helps to assess what works and what doesn’t. It provides indicators that lead to long
term software process improvement.

4.Give examples of private metrics.

Private metrics include defect rates by individual, defect rates by module and errors found during
development.

5.What is PSP?
The personal software process (PSP)is a structured set of process descriptions, measurements and
methods that can help engineers to improve their personal performance. It provides the forms ,
scripts and standards that help them to estimate and plan their work.

6.What is SSPI/ Statistical Software Process Improvement?

SSPI uses software failure analysis to collect information about all errors

7.What are direct and indirect measures of software?

Direct measures of S/w engineering process include cost and effort applied. It includes LOC
produced, execution speed , memory size . Indirect measures of the product include functionality,
quality, complexity, efficiency, reliability and maintainability.

8. What is the information domain considered in FP metrics?

Number of user inputs.
Number of user outputs.
Number of user inquiries.
Number of files.
Number of external interfaces.

9. What are the characteristics of feature points?

Feature points is a superset of function point measure applied in real time and embedded software
applications. It counts the information domain values and algorithms and hence used in systems
where algorithmic complexity is high.

10.What is software quality?

Software quality is defined as conformance to explicitly stated functional and performance
requirements , explicitly documented development standards, and implicit characteristics that are
expected of all professionally developed software.

11.What are the activities of a SQA group?

Prepares an SQA plan for the project.
Participates in the development of the project’s s/w process description.
Reviews s/w engg activities for compliance with defined s/w process.
Audits designated s/w work products for compliance with those defined as part of s/w process.
Records any noncompliance and reports to senior management.

12. What are the uses of reviews?

Point out needed improvements in the product of a single person or team.
Confirm those parts of a product in which improvement is either not desired or not needed.
Achieve more uniform technical work.

13.What are constraints on FTR?

Between 3 or 5 people should be involved in the review.
Advance preparation should occur .
The duration of the review meeting should be

14. What are the purposes of review issue list?

To identify problem areas within the product.
To serve as an action item checklist that guides the producer as corrections are made.

15.What is software reliability?

Software reliability is defined in statistical terms as the probability of failure-free operation of a
computer program in a specified environment for a specified time. A program X is estimated to
have a reliability of 0.96 ,if it is executed 100 times and operates correctly 96 times.

16.Define Software availability.

Software availability is the probability that a program is operating according to requirements at a
given time and is defined as:
Availability = [MTTF / (MTTF+MTTR) ] * 100%

17.What is software safety?

Software safety is a SQA activity that focuses on the identification and assessment of potential
hazards that may affect software negatively and causes an entire system to fail. If hazards can be
identified early in the software engineering process ,software design features can be specified that
will either eliminate or control potential hazards.

18.What are the requirements addressed by ISO 9001 standard?

The requirements delineated by ISO 9001 includes topics like management responsibility , contract
review, design control, process control, inspection and testing, corrective and preventive action,
control of quality records, internal quality auditing, training, servicing and statistical techniques.

19.What are the contents of review summary report?

It answers the three questions:
What was reviewed?
Who reviewed it?
What were the findings and conclusions?

20.What are the quality costs?

It includes:
Prevention costs.
Appraisal costs.
Failure costs.

UNIT-IV
1. Specify the objectives of testing.
Testing is a process of executing a program with the intent finding an as yet undiscovered error.
A successful test is one that uncovers an as yet undiscovered error.

2. What is software testability?

Software testability is simply how easily a computer program can be tested. Testability is used to
mean how adequately a particular set of tests will cover the product.

3. What are the attributes of a good test?

- A good test has a high probability of finding an error.
- A good test is not redundant.
- A good test should be best of breed.
- A good test should be neither too simple nor too complex.

4. What is basis path testing?

The basis path method enables the test case designer to derive a logical complexity measure of a
procedural design and use this measure as a guide for defining a basis set of execution paths. Test
cases derived to exercise the basis set are guaranteed to execute every statement in the program at
least one time during testing.

5. What is an independent path?

An independent path is any path through the program that introduces at least one new se of
processing statements or a new condition. In case of flow graph, an independent path must move
along at least one edge that has not been traversed before the path is defined.

6. What is verification and validation?

Verification refers to the set of activities that ensure that software correctly implements a specific
function. “Are we building the product right?” Validation refers to the different set of activities that
ensure the s/w is traceable to customer requirements. “ Are we building the right product?”.

7.What is the role of an ITG?

The role of an independent test group(IT) is to remove the inherent problems associated with the
software. ITG is the part of s/w development project team in the sense that it becomes involved
during specification activity and in planning and specifying test procedures. ITG group reports to
the SQA
organization.

8.What is antibugging?
It is the technique to setup error handling paths and to reroute or cleanly terminate processing when
an error occurs.
9.What is regression testing?
It is the re-execution of some subset of tests that have already been capture/playback tools.

10.What is cyclomatic complexity?

Cyclomatic complexity is a s/w metric that provides a quantitative measure of the logical
complexity of a program. In basis path testing , the value computed for cyclomatic complexity
defines the number of independent paths in the basis set of a program and provides a upper limit for
the number of tests that must be conducted to ensure that all statements have been executed at least
once.

11.Waht is a region in a flow graph?

Areas bounded by edges and nodes are called regions.

12.What is a predicate node?

Each node that contains a condition is called a predicate node ,and is characterized by two or more
edges emanating from it.

13.How will you compute the cyclomatic complexity?

(a) The number of regions of flow graph indicates cyclomatic complexity ,V(G).
(b) Also V(G) = E-N+2 ,where E->n umber of flow graph edges N - > number of flow graph nodes.
( c) V( G ) = P +1 ,where P is the predicate node.

14. What is a connection matrix?

The graph matrix in which ‘1 ‘ represents connection exists between a pair of nodes and ‘0’ for the
absence of connection.

15.List out the different classes of loops?

Simple loops
Concatenated loops.
Nested loops.
Unstructured loops.

16.What is behavioral testing?

Black –box or behavioral testing focuses on the functional requirements of the software.

17. List out the types of errors uncovered by black-box testing?

- Incorrect or missing functions
- Interface errors.
- Errors in data structure and external data base access.
- Behavior and performance errors.
- Initialization and termination errors.

18. What is equivalence partitioning?

It is a black-box testing method that divides the input domain of a of test cases to be developed.

19. What is a Boundary value Analysis(BVA)?

It is a testing technique that leads to the selection of test cases that exercise bounding values. Selects
test cases at the edges of the class.

20. When is orthogonal array testing suitable?

Applied to problems in which the input domain is relatively small.
Also finds errors associated with region faults –an error category associated with a faulty logic
within a software component.

21. What comprises “build” in smoke testing?

A build includes all data files, libraries ,reusable modules and engineered components that are
required to implement one or more product functions.

22.List out the uses of smoke testing.

Integration risk is minimized.
The quality of the end-products is improved.
Error diagnosis and correction is simplified.
Progress is easier to assess.

23. What are the characteristics of a critical module?

Addresses several software requirements.
Has a high level of control.
Is complex or error prone.
Has definite requirements.

24. How are the automatic recovery evaluated?

- Reinitialization
- Check pointing mechanisms.
- Data recovery.
- Restart.

25. What are the three categories of debugging?

Brute force.
Back tracking
Cause elimination.