A study of the relationships between total quality management implementation factors and software quality

Many software development enterprises are using total quality management (TQM) methodology to improve developmental efficiencies and enhance the quality of software. How e ective are these TQM programs in improving software quality? To answer this question, this paper examines the relationships between TQM implementation factors and several measures of software quality, including user satisfaction, the Capability Maturity Model level, and the extent of compliance with ISO 9000-3 guidelines. Data gathered from 247 software development sites show that, in general, there is a positive relationship between the TQM implementation factors and the indicators of software quality. However, the strengths of these relationships vary according to the factors considered.