Multi-faceted Reliability Assessment Techniques: An Industrial Case Study

This case study describes the application of three combined assessment reference models that result in a measurable and reproducible insight in quality aspects of complex systems. In this case insight is given in the software reliability an electronic control system. A multifaceted assessment technique is presented that meets both the CMMi and Automotive-SPICE process assessment requirements and identifies the practices in the product lifecycle processes that might introduce not-found faults in software. An in depth TMMi based test assessment technique identifies reasons why not allintroduced faults are found. As the third technique an ISO25010 based code assessment identifies reliability risk areas in the software code. Qualitative assessment data obtained from documentation study and interviews is translated in a reproducible software reliability number. Based on detailed observations and findings improvement proposals are reported that increase obviously the overall reliability number when implemented. The three presented assessment techniques are commonly applied in high tech industry as well as in automotive industry however not in the described powerful combination. The multi-faceted assessment techniques can rather simply be made more specific for the automotive application by exchanging the CMMi reference model by Automotive-SPICE.