Is Quality Assurance solely reliant on software?

[duke o' york]

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?postid=4244482#post4244482

Discuss....

[Japher]

no

[Asher]

This question makes no sense.

[Asher]

The debate in the other thread is should anyone be allowed to develop critical software.

Should aeronautical engineers program the flight system for space shuttles and the landing algorithms for Airbuses?

Should mechanical engineers program the on-board computers in cars?

Should biochem scientists program QA software for drugs?

The answer, overwhelmingly in responsible organizations, is no.

[Provost Harrison]

So what constitutes 'qualified'?

[Asher]

Sufficient experience in the field and/or a relevant degree from an accredited institution. Somebody who understands what COCOMO and COCOMO II are, and they aren't bahamas resorts.

[Japher]

Should aeronautical engineers program the flight system for space shuttles and the landing algorithms for Airbuses?

Should mechanical engineers program the on-board computers in cars?

Should biochem scientists program QA software for drugs?

The answer, overwhelmingly in responsible organizations, is no.

Nor would I souly assign a software engineer to the job.

[Provost Harrison]

Sufficient experience? How do you acquire that then?

[Asher]

Originally posted by Japher
Nor would I souly assign a software engineer to the job.

Modern software engineering processes significantly rely on the users of the software (the customer). They simply do not write the code, they have huge roles in the process of developing the software, though.

[Asher]

Originally posted by Provost Harrison
Sufficient experience? How do you acquire that then?

Writing non-critical software first. Gain experience working on large, complex software before you work on stuff that can impact life and death.

Buy books! They'll help. Not programming books -- software engineering and architecture books. I could give recommendations.

Contribute to open source software (Firefox).

You don't jump right into developing software that deals with pharmaceutical QA.

[Provost Harrison]

Read the other thread. I said I would be 'part of a multidisciplinary team'. Actually, just read what has been said, that would be sufficient.

[Asher]

Originally posted by Provost Harrison
Read the other thread. I said I would be 'part of a multidisciplinary team'. Actually, just read what has been said, that would be sufficient.

Then why do your "IT skills" have any relevance?

And you must admit, your quote was:

For the record the position I was referring to would have involved development and validation.

You gave the impression you'd using your IT skills in software development, and made no effort at all until now to dispell the notion that you'd be developing the software...

[Japher]

I never thought PH would actually be writing the software. I assumed he would be helping developing the parameters and representing the end user as to the application of the software.

But, apparently Software Writers are Omniscient and don't need any practical knowledge of the process for which the software is being writen.

[Provost Harrison]

Japher is right, the software is already made. My work would have been involved with the implementation and installation. There would have been some of the scripting involved with the system which would definitely have been part of my role.

[Gibsie]

All of which should have been obvious to people who don't thin kof everything in terms of computers...