Improving Product Reliability and Software Quality, 2nd Edition

Preface First Edition

Nearly every day, we learn of another company that has failed. In the new millennium, this rate of failure will increase. Competitors are rapidly entering the marketplace using technology, innovation, and reliability as their weapons to gain market share. Profit margins are shrinking. Internet shopping challenges the conventional business model. The information highway is changing the way consumers make buying decisions. Consumers have more resources available for product information, bringing them new awareness about product reliability.

These changes have made it easier for consumers to choose the best product for their individual needs. As better‐informed shoppers, consumers can now determine their product needs at any place, any time, and for the best price. The information age allows today's consumer to research an entire market efficiently at any time and with little effort. Conventional shopping is being replaced by “smart” shopping. And a big part of smart shopping is getting the best product for the best price.

As the sources for product information continue to increase, the information available about the quality of the product increases as well. In the past, information on product quality was available through consumer magazines, newspapers, and television. The information was not always current and often did not cover the full breadth of the market. Today's consumer is using global information sources and internet chat to help in their product‐selection ...