Which of the following would be the MOST cost-effective recommendation for reducing the
number of defects encountered during software development projects?

A.
increase the time allocated for system testing

B.
implement formal software inspections

C.
increase the development staff

D.
Require the sign-off of all project deliverables

Explanation:

Inspections of code and design are a proven software quality technique. An advantage of this
approach is that defects are identified before they propagate through the development life cycle.
This reduces the cost of correction as less rework is involved. Allowing more time for testing may
discover more defects; however, little is revealed as to why the quality problems are occurring and
the cost of the extra testing, and the cost of rectifying the defects found will be greater than if they
had been discovered earlier in the development process. The ability of the development staff can
have a bearing on the quality of what is produced; however, replacing staff can be expensive and
disruptive, and the presence of a competent staff cannot guarantee quality in the absence of
effective quality management processes. Sign-off of deliverables may help detect defects if
signatories are diligent about reviewing deliverable content; however, this is difficult to enforce.
Deliverable reviews normally do not go down to the same level of detail as software inspections.