Posted 17 years ago on 3/9/2007 and updated 12/12/2008
Take Away: Quality is one of the factors that determines how much a project will cost. Functional applications are cheaper and faster to get to version 1.0 but cost more to maintain and enhance. In PSDP, functional applications include temporary and moderat risk projects. Robust applications cost a little more to get to version 1.0 but cost less to maintain and enhance. In PSDP, robust applications include high risk, commercial, and critical applications.
KB100459
Quality is one of the factors that determines how much a project will cost. For example, the quality need for a simple temporary database need for contacting existing customers one time is lower than for maintaining customer contact info.
Functional applications are cheaper and faster to get to version 1.0 but cost more to maintain and enhance.
Robust applications cost a little more to get to version 1.0 but cost less to maintain and enhance.
About Quality
The end quality of a product is directly related to the quality built into the process. When discussing quality, what we are really discussing is the methodology used to achieve the end product. Quality relates to the risk factors involved, the number of reviews used during the process, the testing effort, and the critical success factors. When discussing specific projects with a client, the first step is to categorize the project. The following are the general categories we use:
Functional Applications: Temporary or Moderate Risk
We can build the first version of a functional application faster and spend less money, but the application will cost more to maintain and enhance. Potentially a lot more.
1. Temporary Solutions that are short term in nature or urgent. Sometimes it is perfectly acceptable to create a short term solution for a few thousand dollars (or less) that meets the business need. This, for example, allows you to get your small business or organization started using a "decent" database application rather than no system at all. Even with temporary solutions, we still use a scaled down version of PSDM. During requirements analysis we write down a feature list in the form of a requirements document. During the development phase we do a minimum of one review (at beta 1) to ensure the application meets what the requirement document states. Once you have a return on investment (ROI), then you can justify spending more money on a permanent solution.
2. Moderate Risk (Non-crucial internal application) We use more checks and balances and reviews to ensure the final product meets the business need . This includes a more detailed requirements document then a temporary solution.
Robust Applications: High Risk, Commercial, or Critical Risk
The first version of a robust application will take longer and cost a bit more but the application will cost less to maintain and enhance. Potentially a lot less.
3. High Risk (Crucial internal application) The minimum reviews are a requirements document review at the end of the requirements phase, a design review at the end of the design phase, weekly coding reviews during the coding phase, and a beta 1 review. The number of reviews and the level of each review is determined by the project need as determined by the project manager as guided by the client.
4. Commercial (public web sites, applications to be sold, etc.) Commercial applications require abiding by standards and even more checks and balances and more thorough testing. For example, commercial quality applications often require us to develop use cases and do stress testing. For this type of application, we also do more GUI reviews since the average user has certain GUI expectations.
5. Critical (life, financial, or other "critical" risk) A critical risk application requires about the same checks and balances as a commercial application but with extremely extensive testing. In general, the cost for testing equals the initial coding cost.
Quality is one of the factors that determines how much a project will cost. For example, the quality need for a simple temporary database need for contacting existing customers one time is lower than for maintaining customer contact info.
Functional applications are cheaper and faster to get to version 1.0 but cost more to maintain and enhance. In PSDP, functional applications include temporary and moderat risk projects.
Robust applications cost a little more to get to version 1.0 but cost less to maintain and enhance. In PSDP, robust applications include high risk, commercial, and critical applications.
Client
Print This
KB Post: 
