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.
So how does Six Sigma help overcome these errors? The way to move ahead is by mistake proofing. Consider that data bugs are caused by data table errors. Various controls can be put in place to proof these. If you there are regular minimum rates for a specific season, then any value accepted below that would be an error. It is necessary that some control mechanism be put into place here. Mistake proofing helps to bring down the number of bugs to a large extent. The Six Sigma philosophy is a systematic way to undertake the project. If the same methodology is considered for software development projects, we can put in systems and controls in place to avoid bugs. But what about logical errors?
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. - 16755
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.
So how does Six Sigma help overcome these errors? The way to move ahead is by mistake proofing. Consider that data bugs are caused by data table errors. Various controls can be put in place to proof these. If you there are regular minimum rates for a specific season, then any value accepted below that would be an error. It is necessary that some control mechanism be put into place here. Mistake proofing helps to bring down the number of bugs to a large extent. The Six Sigma philosophy is a systematic way to undertake the project. If the same methodology is considered for software development projects, we can put in systems and controls in place to avoid bugs. But what about logical errors?
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. - 16755
About the Author:
Craig Calvin is a noted author on Six Sigma. If you are considering studying for the Six Sigma certification course, be sure to visit the leading Six Sigma provider at www.sixsigmaonline.org for a comprehensive examination of what's involved.
