Describe the concept of phase containment?

In this article we have focussed on an important concept namely phase containment.

Process of Phase Containment

- The process of phase containment deals with the removal of the defects and bugs present in a software system or application while it is still under its SDLC or software development life cycle. - The process of phase containment prefers the early removal of the bugs and defects. 

- It is named so because this process is all about containing faults in one specific phase of the software development life cycle before they get enough time to escape out and affect the software development in the successive phases of the software development life cycle. 

"There are two types of error. One type of the errors are the one which were introduced in the preceding phase of software development and now have accumulated in the current phase and the second types of error are the one which have been introduced in the current phase of software development itself. But the former kinds of errors are called defects and not probably errors". 

- The concept of the phase containment is promoted whenever this concept is related to the organization’s profitability and cost.

- But in order to relate the concept with the organization’s cost and profitability, the identification of the errors and defects that escaped from the previous phases of the software development life cycle and found their place in the successive phases of the software development. 

- Another thing that is required is the determination of the average costs of the defects and errors that were caught in the later phases of software development. 

- It becomes difficult to sort out errors and faults once the software product is out in the market as proven by some research. 

Methodologies to gain control of software product

- So many technologies and methodologies have been developed today to gain control over the quality of the software product.

- They are:

1. Static analysis: This activity involves the analyzation of the program code with the purpose of formatting the errors prevailing in the software system and specific coding.
2. Unit testing: This activity involves the developer leveraging his/ her knowledge for breaking the program code.
3. Code reviews: This activity involves taking the steps to ensure the security of the software system or application and better accountability.
4. Code complete criteria: This step involves providing consistent hand off to the development team.

Metrics used in Phase Containment Process

- The phase containment process makes use of the phase containment metrics.

- These phase containment metrics serve the purpose of making sure whether the developers are on the track or this process is on the track i.e., the process whether is working as desired for the company and organization or not.

- Commonly three types of metrics that are used in the process of phase containment namely:

1. Trailing metric: The purpose of this metric is to find out the downstream impact of the process of the phase containment.
2. Adoption metric: This phase containment metric is intended for making sure that whether or not the software systems developers are adhering the to standards of the phase containment process.
3. Effectiveness metric: This type of phase containment matrix is used to make sure that the phase containment process is working out well or not and how the developers are maintaining it.

This process of phase containment is used to make sure that the all the aspects of the quality assurance are incorporated in to all the phases of the software development life cycle process.