Software Design for Six Sigma: A Roadmap for Excellence

Chapter 12. SOFTWARE QUALITY FUNCTION DEPLOYMENT

INTRODUCTION

In this chapter, we will cover the history of quality function deployment (QFD), describe the methodology of applying QFD within the software Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) project road map (Chapter 11), and apply QFD to our software example. Within the context of DFSS, El-Haik and Roy (2005) and El-Haik and Mekki detailed the application of QFD for industrial products. The application of QFD to software design requires more than a copy and paste of an industrial model. Several key lessons have been learned through experience about the potentials and pitfalls of applying QFD to software development.

QFD in software applications focuses on improving the quality of the software development process by implementing quality improvement techniques during the Identify DFSS phase. These quality improvement techniques lead to increased productivity, fewer design changes, a reduction in the number of errors passed from one phase to the next, and quality software products that satisfy customer requirements. These new quality software systems require less maintenance and allow information system (IS) departments to shift budgeted dollars from maintenance to new project development, leading to a (long-term) reduction in the software development backlog. Organizations that have published material concerning the use of QFD application to software development include Hewlett-Packard (Palo Alto, CA) Rapid application development tool and project ...