The Evaluation Method for Software Product

The quality of a software product is the result of the activities carried out along its development process. To evaluate the quality of a software product is to determine, by applying static and dynamic analyses, the degree of fulfilment of its explicit and implicit requirements. Such requirements, in general, express user needs in quantitative or qualitative terms and define the quality trends of a software product [8]. The quality of software is a real concern and efforts that have been carried out to increase the quality of the software product developed. Standards and methods are applied to check for their quality. However, software quality is still a great concern. A gap is detected in the efforts that have been carried out so as to improve the software qualit y. The software product concentrates its efforts in development and maintenance, whereas the software product quality is focused on this paper through quality evaluation of the final software product developed. The Evaluation method helps the process to improve the Software Product Quality. The Process of Evaluation of software products is based on ISO/IEC 14598-5 [4], the scope of which is to provide requirements and recommendations for the practical implementation of evaluation of software products, developed or under development, as a series of activities defined under common agreement between the customer and the evaluator [7]. The main objective of this method is to provide to evaluators mechanisms to support the evaluation of software products from the point of view of the end user, according to ISO/IEC 9126 (NBR13596) [5] and ISO/IEC 12119 [3] in what concerns quality characteristics and software packages, respectively. The evaluation process is carried out by simulating a normal operational use of the product, beginning by analysing the documentation, installing the product as instructed in the documentation and proceeding by using the product in the most complete way that can be done. All along the process, evaluators assign rates to the product according to the questions of the Checkli st. In addition to assigning rates, evaluator’s record the time spent in the evaluation, specify the major functions of the product, and write down comments on specific issues they consider relevant concerning the product. The final step in the evaluation process is the preparation of the Evaluation Report, which should address the major positi ve aspects of the evaluated product as well as suggestions for its improvement. The Process of Evaluation of Software Products-MEDE-PROS is a fairly mature method applied in the “Laboratórios de Avaliação de Produtos de Software” Laboratories for Evaluation of Software Products, which are licensed to use it to evaluate software products by CenPRA – Renato Archer Research Centre.