Software Quality Metrics for Life-Cycle Cost-Reduction

This paper identifies factors or characteristics of which reliability is one, which comprise the quality of computer software. It then discusses their impact over the life of a software product, and describes a methodology for specifying them quantitatively, including them in system design, and measuring them during development. The methodology is still experimental, but is rapidly evolving toward application to all types of software. This paper emphasizes those factors of software quality which have greatest importance at the later stages of a software product's life.