An approach to software reliability prediction and quality control

The increase in importance of software in command and control and other complex systems has not been accompanied by commensurate progress in the development of analytical techniques for the measurement of software quality and the prediction of software reliability. This paper presents a rationale for implementing software reliability programs; defines software reliability; and describes some of the problems of performing software reliability analysis. A software reliability program is outlined and a methodology for reliability prediction and quality control is presented. The results of initial efforts to develop a software reliability methodology at the Naval Electronics Laboratory Center are reported.