Exploring Organizations' Software Quality Assurance Strategies

Exploring Organizations’ Software Quality Assurance Strategies by Scott Underwood MBA, University of Fredericton, 2010 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Business Administration Walden University September 2016 Abstract Poor software quality leads to lost profits and even loss of life. U.S. organizations lose billions of dollars annually because of poor software quality. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies that quality assurance (QA) leaders in small software development organizations used for successful software quality assurance (SQA) processes. A case study provided the best research design to allow for the exploration of organizational and managerial processes. The target population group was the QA leaders of 3 small software development organizations who successfully implemented SQA processes, located in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. The conceptual framework that grounded this study was total quality management (TQM) established by Deming in 1980. Face-to-face semistructured interviews with 2 QA leaders from each organization and documentation including process and training materials provided all the data for analysis. NVivo software aided a qualitative analysis of all collected data using a process of disassembling the data into common codes, reassembling the data into themes, interpreting the meaning, and concluding the data. The resulting major themes were Agile practices, documentation, testing, and lost profits.Poor software quality leads to lost profits and even loss of life. U.S. organizations lose billions of dollars annually because of poor software quality. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies that quality assurance (QA) leaders in small software development organizations used for successful software quality assurance (SQA) processes. A case study provided the best research design to allow for the exploration of organizational and managerial processes. The target population group was the QA leaders of 3 small software development organizations who successfully implemented SQA processes, located in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. The conceptual framework that grounded this study was total quality management (TQM) established by Deming in 1980. Face-to-face semistructured interviews with 2 QA leaders from each organization and documentation including process and training materials provided all the data for analysis. NVivo software aided a qualitative analysis of all collected data using a process of disassembling the data into common codes, reassembling the data into themes, interpreting the meaning, and concluding the data. The resulting major themes were Agile practices, documentation, testing, and lost profits. The results were in contrast to the main themes discovered in the literature review, although there was some overlap. The implications for positive social change include the potential to provide QA leaders with the strategies to improve SQA processes, thereby allowing for improved profits, contributing to the organizations’ longevity in business, and strengthening the local economy. Exploring Organizations’ Software Quality Assurance Strategies by Scott Underwood MBA, University of Fredericton, 2010 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Business Administration Walden University September 2016 Dedication For Alex and Leah. Thank you for sharing daddy’s time and motivating me beyond comprehension. In the winter, may your footsteps never meet. Acknowledgments This doctoral study is a shared accomplishment with everyone who offered words of encouragement or gave their time to my family while I was working. I appreciated all of these gestures. I thank my Chair, Dr. Klein, for being a source of encouragement and support. I enjoyed working under your guidance. Thank you to Dr. Lazo and Dr. Lentz, for your help and feedback throughout this process. I would specifically like to acknowledge my family. Each of you has inspired me to achieve this accomplishment in unique ways and allowed me to lean on your different strengths throughout the process. To Dad, who set the academic standard and offered unwavering support. To Mom, for your strength, resolve, and love. To Lisa, for your focus on family. To the Justasons, for your support and helping to keep our house sane during this journey. Most importantly to Tracy, for your unquestioning love, support, and understanding. We did it.