Conference Presentations

Better Than a Root Canal: Root Cause Analysis of Defects

The quality problems many companies face after releasing a new product can be as painful as a root canal. One way to avoid this pain is timely root cause analysis (RCA) during development. Proper RCA and resulting improvements prevent product failures, eliminate associated rework, and reduce the pain of initial product releases. Based on empirical research conducted on today's RCA practices in the industry, Jan van Moll explains why many companies fail to do effective root cause analysis in practice. Presenting astonishing RCA data from projects, Jan shares specific examples of successes and failures with RCA. He points out the common pitfalls of defect analysis and demonstrates how to work toward problem solutions in a pragmatic and practical manner. Learn the critical success factors of RCA derived from industry experience to improve your practices and produce better products.

Jan Moll, Philips Healthcare - Magnetic Resonance Systems
Systematic Techniques for Fault Detection and Isolation

Selecting the appropriate testing techniques and test cases improves test efficiency, reduces time to market, and gives you confidence that the system is ready to ship. Using real-world case studies as examples, Madhav Phadke explains the fundamentals of robust test case selection and how code coverage can improve your test results. He discusses ways for testers to support debugging and faster repairs by isolating defects to a specific part of the software. Learn to select test outputs based on "total function evaluation" rather than end customer outputs and ways to use orthogonal arrays for testing combinations of parameters. Take away a list of free or inexpensive tools that can speed up your testing process.

Madhav Phadke, Phadke Associates
Applying Orthogonal Defect Classification Principles to Software Testing

Test escape analysis and corrective action tracking (TEACAT) is a method used to collect and utilize information about the causes of test escapes to prevent customer-found defects and improve internal test, development, and release processes. The TEACAT approach provides testers and test managers with the primary causes of defect escapes from the organizations into the field. Suzanne Garner takes you through the test escape analysis process at Cisco and shows you how test-specific ODC fields can be employed to provide customer focus to test process improvement activities, and ensure that test gaps are closed.

Suzanne Garner, Cisco Systems Inc
Our Experience Using Orthogonal Defect Classification

Orthogonal Defect Classification (ODC) is a method of classifying and analyzing software defects. Using real-life experience, Barbara Hirsh discusses how Motorola successfully implemented ODC within their organization resulting in a framework for building a pervasive and cohesive defect prevention program. Learn the benefits of using ODC from the perspective of the developer, the tester, and the post-release analyst.

Barbara Hirsh, Motorola
Simple Software Defect Categorization for Defect Prevention

Based on her experience with software development organizations at all five levels of the Capability Maturity Model (CMM), Barbara Kolkhorst outlines simple methods for documenting and categorizing defects and how to proceed with analysis for defect prevention. Learn how these simple methods can be implemented within your organization resulting in the prevention of significant numbers of software defects.

Barbara Kolkhorst, IBM
A Comparison of IBM's and Hewlett Packard's Defect Classification

In this presentation, Jon Huber examines metrics obtained from categorizing the same set of defects using both IBM's Orthogonal Defect Classification and Hewlett Packard's Origins, Types, and Modes. Learn the pros and cons of each model, and how to apply the strengths from both models to create a method beneficial to software development and testing.

Jon Huber, Hewlett Packard
When Test Drives the Development Bus

Once development reaches "code complete," the testing team takes over and drives the project to an acceptable quality level and stability. This is accomplished by weekly build cycles or dress rehearsals. The software is graded based on found, fixed, and outstanding errors. Development strives to increase the grades in each build--improving the quality and stability of the software. Learn how to use this "dress rehearsal" process to build team morale, develop ownership by the entire development team, and ensure success on opening night.

Cindy Necaise, MICROS Systems, Inc.
Orthogonal Defect Classification at Cisco

This presentation outlines the history of the Orthogonal Defect Classification system deployment at Cisco.

Bob Mullen, Cisco Systems

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