Integration Evaluation

Definition

Integration evaluation is the quality control task during which the integration work products and the performance of the integration tasks are evaluated.

Objectives

The typical objectives of the integration evaluation task are to:

• Help ensure that the integration activity is:
  • Completed.
  • Effective.
  • Efficient.
• Help ensure that the deliverable integration work products are:
  • Complete.
  • Consistent (internally, externally with other work products, and externally with related conventions).
  • Understandable.
• Identify defects in the deliverable integration work products so that:
  • The defects can be fixed.
  • Defect trend analysis can be performed to improve the process and staff training.

Preconditions

The integration evaluation task can typically begin when the following preconditions hold:

• The construction phase has started.
• The integration inspection team is adequately:
  • Staffed.
  • Trained in the integration evaluation task.
  • Trained in its associated techniques (e.g., inspection).
• At least one integration work product is ready for evaluation.

Completion Criteria

The integration evaluation task is typically complete when the following postconditions hold:

• The following integration work products have passed their evaluations (e.g., inspection):
  • Business Transition Plan
  • Integration Plan

Steps

The integration evaluation task typically involves the following teams performing the following steps in an incremental, iterative, parallel manner:

• The integration team informally evaluate their work products in accordance with the associated technique used.
• The integration inspection team formally evaluates the work products in accordance with the associated technique used.

Techniques

The integration evaluation task typically can be performed using the following techniques:

• Quality Evaluation Techniques:
  • Desk Checking
  • Inspecting
  • Quality Metrics
  • Static Analysis
  • Walkthroughs

Work Products

The integration evaluation task typically results in the production of the following work products:

• Quality Set:
  • Inspection Report
  • Inspection Summary Report

Guidelines

• Inspecting tends to be the most effective technique for identifying defects.
• Evaluations can be incremental and are typically iterative.
• Because defects can occur in the test work products, it is important to ensure that tests do not produce any false positive or false negative results.
• The iterative and incremental nature of most development cycles means that regression testing happens more often and thus becomes more important. Test evaluation helps ensure that the repeated tests do not contain defects that will continually cause test failures.