Software is s set of programs that are written to do a variety of specific tasks. We all encounter and use software every day, though we don't usually think about it. And software sometimes has errors or bugs that need to be identified, then fixed. Of course, the preferred situation would allow the bugs to be fixed before the software ever went to market, and that's where Six Sigma comes in. Companies using the Six Sigma methodology can minimize or even eliminate software bugs right in the beginning.
If we consider, for instance, an airline reservation system, there are utilities in it that calculate fares, assign seats, allow you to choose when you want to fly and order special meals. However, if there is a bug in the software, one can imagine what disasters that could cause.
Generally speaking, there are two types of software bugs - programming bugs and data bugs. Programming bugs are more difficult to discover because they are usually of the logical error type. The program will need to be modified and the code recompiled before it can be used again. Data bugs are more easy discovered and isolated, as they mainly occur because of errors in tables.
Employing Six Sigma culture into the software development process can help overcome these errors by mistake proofing. Various controls can be used to proof data bugs. If there were certain minimum charges or parameters for a specific reason, then any value below the minimum would be an error. Putting a control mechanism in place at this stage helps to minimize the bugs. Using Six Sigma can be invaluable for software development projects.
Though not all logical errors can be controlled, there are some areas where some care can be taken. Software projects are undertaken after collection of data regarding a problem area. Six Sigma is also a data-driven methodology. Using the tools and techniques of data collection of Six Sigma for these projects, it can be ensured that the data collected is correct to the maximum extent. When developing the software program, the areas that have been identified during the data collection time as reasons for the problems can specifically be crossed checked and flagged for mistake proofing the program. With a control mechanism in place, when the program reaches the testing stage, these areas, which may be the causes for bugs can be identified easily and modifications could be made. By using Six Sigma to fix the bugs that crop up in software programs, it is possible to reduce losses that occur from such bugs to a large extent. - 16732
If we consider, for instance, an airline reservation system, there are utilities in it that calculate fares, assign seats, allow you to choose when you want to fly and order special meals. However, if there is a bug in the software, one can imagine what disasters that could cause.
Generally speaking, there are two types of software bugs - programming bugs and data bugs. Programming bugs are more difficult to discover because they are usually of the logical error type. The program will need to be modified and the code recompiled before it can be used again. Data bugs are more easy discovered and isolated, as they mainly occur because of errors in tables.
Employing Six Sigma culture into the software development process can help overcome these errors by mistake proofing. Various controls can be used to proof data bugs. If there were certain minimum charges or parameters for a specific reason, then any value below the minimum would be an error. Putting a control mechanism in place at this stage helps to minimize the bugs. Using Six Sigma can be invaluable for software development projects.
Though not all logical errors can be controlled, there are some areas where some care can be taken. Software projects are undertaken after collection of data regarding a problem area. Six Sigma is also a data-driven methodology. Using the tools and techniques of data collection of Six Sigma for these projects, it can be ensured that the data collected is correct to the maximum extent. When developing the software program, the areas that have been identified during the data collection time as reasons for the problems can specifically be crossed checked and flagged for mistake proofing the program. With a control mechanism in place, when the program reaches the testing stage, these areas, which may be the causes for bugs can be identified easily and modifications could be made. By using Six Sigma to fix the bugs that crop up in software programs, it is possible to reduce losses that occur from such bugs to a large extent. - 16732
About the Author:
Craig Calvin is a noted specialist on Six Sigma. If you are considering taking the Six Sigma certification course, be sure to visit the leading Six Sigma provider at www.sixsigmaonline.org for a complete overview of what's involved.
