A Model for Software Quality Evaluation Using the User's Point of Views

Contexte: Dans le marché des logiciels en constante évolution, les acheteurs de logiciels sont confrontés à un défi majeur: parmi ces différents produits, lequel répond le mieux aux exigences et au budget des utilisateurs? Bien que la plupart des acheteurs de logiciels soient conscients de leurs besoins fonctionnels et budgétaires, les facteurs de qualité tels que la « disponibilité » ou la «fiabilité » ne sont généralement pas pris en compte. Les fournisseurs de logiciels parlent aussi rarement des aspects de qualité de leurs produits. Le défi principal est « comment susciter les attentes de qualité des utilisateurs ? », puis « comment déterminer les caractéristiques de qualité d'un produit logiciel ?». La comparaison de ces deux facteurs de qualité peut aider les acheteurs de logiciels à sélectionner le produit le mieux adapté et à ne pas gaspiller de budget supplémentaire pour des facteurs de qualité inutiles et ne pas acheter un produit qui ne couvre pas leurs exigences de qualité. Existe-t-il une méthode systématique pour rendre cette comparaison possible? Quels sont les facteurs qui influent sur la perception de l'utilisateur de la qualité du produit logiciel? Objectif: Dans cette thèse, nous visons à aborder la qualité du produit logiciel du point de vue des utilisateurs. L'objectif est de créer le profil de qualité attendu et observé du produit logiciel afin de démontrer les différences entre les qualités attendues par les utilisateurs et quelles qualités sont observées chez le produit logiciel. Méthode: Nous avons utilisé une stratégie empirique en utilisant une méthode basée sur un sondage pour créer le profil des caractéristiques de qualité attendues et observées. Après avoir développé un modèle de qualité standard, nous avons créé quatre types de questionnaires pour les utilisateurs finaux et les utilisateurs expérimentés, qui visent à susciter les facteurs de qualité. À titre d'étude de cas, nous avons mené trois enquêtes en deux phases dans l'industrie. Dans la phase I, nous avons demandé aux utilisateurs potentiels d'un produit logiciel en cours de développement, de répondre au questionnaire «qualité attendue». Dans la phase II, les utilisateurs d'un produit logiciel existant ont été invités à répondre au questionnaire «qualité observée». Résultats: Les résultats de la première phase montrent qu'il n'y a pas de différence significative entre les attentes de qualité de groupe d'utilisateurs final (end user) et d'utilisateurs expérimentés (power user). Dans la phase II, les résultats révèlent que les utilisateurs du département de développement, connus comme utilisateurs techniquement compétents, trouvent le logiciel plus performant que les utilisateurs d'autres départements de l'entreprise. Conclusion: Avec des profils de plan de qualité en main, il est possible d'effectuer un contrôle croisé utile entre les attentes de qualité spécifiques des utilisateurs et d'autres pilotes (exigences fonctionnelles et architecture / conception), avant ou pendant le processus de développement de logiciels. Le contrôle croisé devrait viser à garantir qu'il existe suffisamment d'activités et de sous-activités dans le processus de développement de logiciels pour répondre aux attentes de qualité des utilisateurs. Sur la base des enquêtes menées, nous concluons que la qualité du logiciel du point de vue des utilisateurs dépend de la connaissance des utilisateurs sur les développements et la qualité de la technologie, en général, et sur le produit logiciel à l'étude, en particulier.----------ABSTRACT : Context: In the ever-evolving software market, software buyers face a central challenge: Among these various products, which one best meets the users’ requirements and budget? While most software buyers are aware of their functional and budgetary requirements, quality factors such as ‘availability’ or ‘reliability’ are not usually taken into account. Software vendors also rarely talk about the quality aspects of their products. The primary challenge is “how to elicit the users’ quality expectations”, and then “how to determine the quality characteristics of a software product”. Comparing these two can assist the software buyers to select the best-fit product; not to waste extra budget for unnecessary quality factors, and not buy a product that does not cover their quality requirements. Is there any systematic method to make this comparison possible? What are the influencing factors that affect the user’s perception of the software product quality? Objective: In this thesis, we aim to address the quality of the software product from the users’ point of view. The goal is to create the expected and observed quality profile of the software product to demonstrate the differences between what qualities were expected from the users’ side, and what qualities are observed in the software product. Method: We employed an empirical strategy using a surveybased method to create the profile of expected and observed quality characteristics. After developing a standard-based quality model, we created four types of questionnaires for end users and power users, which aim to elicit the quality factors. As a case study, we conducted three surveys in two phases in the industry. In phase I, we asked the potential users of a software product which was under development, to answer the ‘expected-quality’ questionnaire. In phase II, the users of an existing software product were asked to answer the ‘observed-quality’ questionnaire. Results: The results of the first phase show that there is no significant difference between the quality expectations of the end and power user groups. In phase II, the results reveal that the users in development department who are known as technically knowledgeable users find the software as higher quality than the users in other departments of the company. Conclusion: With quality plan profiles in hand, it is possible to perform a useful crosscheck between users’ specific quality expectations and other drivers (functional and architecture/design requirements), before or during the software development process. The crosscheck should be aimed to guarantee that there are enough activities and sub-activities in the software development process to support the users’ quality expectations. Based on the conducted surveys, we conclude that the software quality from the users’ point of view depends on the knowledge of the users about the software developments and quality, in general, and on the software product under study, specifically

The Impact of Educational Change Processes in Brunei Preschools: An Interpretive Study

The overall aim of this research is to understand the change processes in teaching and learning that are going on in the Brunei government’s preschools. The study also aims to find out the Bruneian preschool teachers’ and children’s teaching and learning experiences in the preschool classes at this exciting and challenging time of curriculum reform. The study also observed how teachers are developing their lessons and implementing reform processes informed by the expected pedagogical practice, and how children are learning in class, taking into account their experiences. A further aim of this study is to find out, at the ministerial level (the Early Childhood Care and Education Unit and the Curriculum Department Unit), the expectations in terms of the change processes as these occur, and how the preschool teachers are supported. To achieve the aims, 123 teachers completed the questionnaire, four teachers and eight children were involved in observations and interviews, and two senior education officers were interviewed. The Brunei education policy has good intentions of trying to bring in different ideas but the journey from policy to practice is not a linear process. This study showed there are dislocations between how policy is conceptualised and how policy is enacted in ECCE settings; in particular there are specific actions that need to happen at the macro, meso and micro levels. There are certain change processes that need to happen for the policy-practice interface to be more coherent. This study aims to understand the layers of complexity involved in the change processes prescribed for the Brunei preschool education system. No curriculum reform can succeed without teachers’ input and their active constructive participation. The issue is not simply about changing the curriculum or transforming the education landscape at preschools in Brunei; it also involves teachers’ modes of thinking, their communicative approaches and their professional identities

Why do we have this? A study of museum approaches to retention and disposal of archaeological archives

The purpose of archaeological archives at first glance appears to be clear; it is defined in national and international standards, taught as a basic requirement of any archaeological project and required by professional bodies as part of best practice policy. However, this research has demonstrated that this vision for the purpose of archaeological archives is not reconcilable with the current situation surrounding their long-term curation. The opinions and actions around whether archaeological archives should be treated as museum collections or as a resource for future research are complicated, and while there does appear to be a disconnect between those who produce archives and those who curate them, the division is not clear-cut. The many problematic and interrelated obstacles for gaining real value from archaeological archives, are compounded by the range of organisations and individuals responsible for their creation and curation and the social, political and economic spheres they must work within. This thesis concludes that if the competing visions for the purpose of archaeological archives cannot be reconciled under the reality of the current system, the system requires re-organisation and four recommendations are made to that effect

Remote sensing and image interpretation

A textbook prepared primarily for use in introductory courses in remote sensing is presented. Topics covered include concepts and foundations of remote sensing; elements of photographic systems; introduction to airphoto interpretation; airphoto interpretation for terrain evaluation; photogrammetry; radiometric characteristics of aerial photographs; aerial thermography; multispectral scanning and spectral pattern recognition; microwave sensing; and remote sensing from space

Roman temporary camps in Britain

The thesis draws together for the first time in print a comprehensive list of Roman temporary camps in Britain, drawn from published and archival sources. This material is presented as a corpus at the end of the volume. Following the introductory chapter, which outlines the scope of the work, the history of the development of study into the subject is reviewed in detail, examining the contributions made by both terrestrial and aerial archaeologists. Thereafter the evidence provided by the classical sources is examined and an attempt is made to trace the origins and subsequent development of the Roman military camp. The issue of definition forms the subject of the next section and it is argued that greater clarity than exists at present is required to allow these sites to be adequately addressed. This leads to a statement of the current state of knowledge in the subject, with a review of the central themes and arguments, and it is proposed that the role of terrestrial archaeology, and in particular excavation, has become unfairly undervalued. To support this contention a close study of the evidence provided by excavation is undertaken, leading to a call for renewed efforts through this medium, as a means of both supplementing and complementing the information obtained through the medium of aerial reconnaissance. Three case studies are then presented, utilising the methodological approaches championed in the preceding chapter. The thesis culminates in a critique of the existing knowledge base which concludes that while healthy, the subject is capable of significant advances of knowledge, some of which may best be achieved by recourse to a more balanced approach using all applications available to the discipline