Concept: Quality Dimensions

Experts generally recognize several distinct dimensions of quality that vary in importance depending on the context in which a QA effort takes place. These dimensions provide a useful framework that helps to define, analyze, and measure the extent to which QA standards, policies and procedures are being met.

Quality, as discussed in Concept: Focus Continuously On Quality, is not a simple concept to describe. Likewise, when our focus turns to the discussion of testing to identify quality, there is no single perspective of what quality is or how it's measured.

In the RUP, we categorize quality using the FURPS+ model [GRA92]:

Functionality
Usability
Reliability
Performance
Supportability
+ (and others)

This is the same categorization scheme that we use in RUP for requirements, which is described further in Concept: Requirements.

For each of these dimensions, one or more individual types of tests (see Concept: Types of Test) should be implemented and executed during one or more of the different levels of test (see Technique: Stages of Test).