Quality Strategy template
Introduction
Purpose: Briefly describe the purpose of the Quality Strategy document.
Scope: Define the scope of the strategy, outlining which projects or functionalities it covers.
References: Include any reference documents, such as product requirements (user stories, personas, acceptance criteria), project plans, requirement specifications, design documents, etc.
Product/Feature Requirements
This section captures (or references) the peer-reviewed product or feature requirements, along with the desired user experience (UX), user personas and user stories, all from the perspective of the end user.
Roles and Responsibilities
This section captures the Team (and Repositories) working on the Product (or Feature) that will be tracked by the Quality Strategy. It ensures that all team members are aware of the quality standards and objectives and that they are committed to delivering high-quality products.
If this info is captured in a different document, it can be linked in this section.
Quality Assurance across the SDLC
This section captures how quality is built into and validated throughout the SDLC.
Quality Planning
This section outlines the strategies for integrating quality into the software development process, detailing the quality milestones, definitions of done, metrics for assessing product quality, and identifying critical user experiences and expectations.
Design and Architecture
This section outlines (or references) the software architecture and design principles - like modularity, scalability, maintainability, and security - used to ensure quality and reliability throughout the development process.
Development and Testing
This section describes the team's development and testing practices that embed quality at every stage of the software development process. It covers coding standards, peer review practices, version control, including detailed testing strategies (unit, integration, system) and preventive measures like CI/CD, linters and static code analysis tools.
Security
This section details the security measures undertaken by the team(s) throughout the SDLC to safeguard both at the code/application and user levels. It includes the use of automated vulnerability scanners, adherence to secure coding practices, and established security processes. It covers testing strategies, threat modeling, vulnerability management, incident response, defect root cause analysis, and ongoing security training for all team members.
Performance
This section outlines the performance measures implemented by the team(s) throughout the SDLC to optimise both application performance and user experience.
Key elements might include monitoring system performance in real-time, stress testing to evaluate robustness under load, performance monitoring and profiling tools, performance optimisation strategies, resource allocation assessments, adherence to best practices for efficient code and resource management, established processes for performance testing, and continuous performance improvement.
Furthermore, it might emphasise regular training for all team members on performance best practices to maintain and enhance application responsiveness and stability.
Quality Control
Final Product Validation
This section describes the practices followed by the team to ensure compliance with all specifications and product requirements (full traceability). It details the methodologies for conducting thorough testing phases, including functional, integration, and user acceptance tests (UAT), and outlines the criteria for final approval before product release.
Exploratory Testing
This section details the approach to exploratory testing, emphasising its role in enhancing product quality by allowing testers to investigate and interact with the software in unscripted ways. It outlines guidelines for conducting these sessions, documenting findings, and integrating insights into the development cycle to address potential issues proactively.
User Acceptance Testing (UAT)
This section outlines the User Acceptance Testing (UAT) to confirm that the final product meets all user requirements and expectations. It outlines how to design UAT plans, engage end-users in testing, gather feedback, and incorporate changes to ensure the software is ready for deployment.
It is recommended that, in order to ensure successful implementation of the final product, validation should be conducted by a minimum of 1 end user in a real-life scenario.
Continuous Monitoring
This section outlines the approach to continuous monitoring, detailing how to track and analyse the software’s performance and stability in real-time. It describes the tools and techniques for monitoring system health, user interactions, and potential security threats, ensuring that any issues are promptly identified and addressed to maintain optimal operation.
Delivery Management
Release Management
This section outlines the core strategies and processes for efficient software release management. It covers the lifecycle of a release from planning to deployment, detailing essential activities like scheduling, coordination of cross-functional teams, and environment management. It might include release criteria, managing configuration changes, and establishing robust communication plans to keep stakeholders informed. It also might include protocols for emergency rollbacks and post-release evaluations to ensure continuous improvement.
Defect Reporting, Tracking, and Triaging
This section describes the practices for defect reporting, tracking, and triaging throughout the SDLC, ensuring systematic identification, documentation, and resolution of issues. It includes methods for capturing defect details, assigning priorities and responsibilities, and utilising tools for tracking progress and outcomes, all aimed at maintaining continuous quality improvement.
Risk Management
This section outlines the risk management strategies to identify, assess, and mitigate potential risks throughout the software development lifecycle to ensure that preventive measures are in place to safeguard the project’s success and quality.
Continuous Improvement
This section details the processes for continuous improvement, focusing on systematically evaluating and enhancing software practices and products based on performance metrics, user feedback, and iterative learning. It outlines methods for identifying improvement opportunities, implementing changes, and measuring the impact of these changes to drive ongoing improvements.
Document Approvals
| Approval By | Approval |
|---|---|
| Product Owner/Manager | |
| Project/Delivery Manager | |
| Development Lead | |
| SET Lead |