Software Process Assurance Activities for External Participants

This chapter discusses the benefits and risks of introducing external performers and using readymade software, quality assurance (QA) activities for assuring external performers' process quality, and QA activities for assuring quality of readymade software. The main benefits to the contractor of using external participants are budget savings, overcoming shortages of professional staff, potentially shorter project schedules, and expertise acquired in areas that need specialization. The main benefits to the contractor from using readymade software are budget reductions, remedy of professional staff shortages, and shorter project schedule. The main risks for the contractor from using external performers are delays in completion of project parts, low quality of project parts, future maintenance difficulties, and loss of control over parts of the project. The main risks to the contractor from using readymade software are difficulties in integration of readymade software, difficulties in correcting faults revealed in readymade software, and future maintenance difficulties.