what are the goals of software quality assurance?

The goals of software quality assurance (SQA) are to ensure that software products
meet or exceed the desired quality standards and to minimize the risks associated with
software development. SQA plays a crucial role in the software development process by
implementing processes, standards, and methodologies to achieve these objectives.
The specific goals of SQA include:

1. **Quality Assurance:** Ensure that the software product conforms to established

quality standards and requirements. This involves defining and documenting quality
criteria and ensuring that the software meets these criteria throughout its development
life cycle.

2. **Defect Prevention:** Identify and address issues and defects early in the software
development process to prevent them from propagating into later stages, where they
can be more costly and time-consuming to resolve.

3. **Process Improvement:** Continuously improve the software development

processes by identifying areas where efficiency and effectiveness can be enhanced.
This includes making data-driven decisions and implementing best practices to
optimize the development workflow.

4. **Risk Management:** Identify and manage risks associated with software

development, including technical, operational, and project risks. Develop strategies to
mitigate or respond to these risks effectively.

5. **Compliance:** Ensure that the software development process adheres to relevant

industry standards, regulations, and compliance requirements. This is especially
important in industries like healthcare, finance, and aviation, which have strict regulatory
requirements.

6. **Consistency:** Promote consistency in development practices and standards

across the organization. This helps ensure that all software projects are executed in a
standardized and repeatable manner.

7. **Customer Satisfaction:** Ultimately, SQA aims to deliver software products that

meet or exceed customer expectations. By identifying and addressing quality issues
early, SQA helps improve customer satisfaction and trust in the organization's software.
8. **Measurement and Metrics:** Establish and track key performance indicators (KPIs)
and metrics to assess the quality of the software and the efficiency of the development
process. This data-driven approach allows for informed decision-making and process
improvement.

9. **Documentation:** Ensure that all aspects of software development, including

requirements, design, testing, and change management, are well-documented and easily
accessible to the development team and stakeholders.

10. **Training and Competency:** Invest in training and development programs to

enhance the skills and competencies of the development team. Ensuring that team
members have the necessary knowledge and skills contributes to better software
quality.

11. **Continuous Improvement:** Embrace a culture of continuous improvement, where

feedback and lessons learned from previous projects are used to refine and enhance
the SQA processes and practices.

Overall, the primary goal of SQA is to enhance the quality, reliability, and efficiency of
software development processes to deliver software products that meet user needs and
expectations while minimizing risks and ensuring compliance with industry standards
and regulations.