IEEE Std 1044 is better known as the IEEE Standard Classification for Software Anomalies.
In this blog entry, we re-visit the definition of the term “anomaly” as per the IEEE Std 1044. In an earlier blog entry we had looked at the definition of an anomaly as defined in the earlier revision of the IEEE Std 1044 (1044-1993). Recently a reader of this blog wrote to me to ask about the definition as per the latest revision of the IEEE Std 1044 (1044-2009). Hence, this updated post where we look at the definition as per IEEE Std 1044-2009.
For those of you who are hearing about this for the first time, here's a very brief summary of what the IEEE Std 1044-2009 is about. This standard provides a uniform approach to the classification of software anomalies, regardless of when they originate or when they are encountered within the project, product, or system life cycle. Data thus classified may be used for a variety of purposes, including defect causal analysis, project management, and software process improvement.
As per the standard, “The word “anomaly” may be used to refer to any abnormality, irregularity, inconsistency, or variance from expectations. It may be used to refer to a condition or an event, to an appearance or a behavior, to a form or a function.”
The previous version of the standard (1044-1993) described the term “anomaly” to be equivalent to error, fault, failure, incident, flaw, problem, gripe, glitch, defect or bug which essentially removed focus from the distinction among these terms. While these terms could be used fairly inter-changeably in face-to-face communication wherein any ambiguity regarding their meaning is resolved by the richness of the direct communication mechanism, it is generally not conducive to other non-direct methods. For preciseness in communication, specific terms are defined and used to refer to more narrowly defined entities such as defect, error, failure, fault and problem.
In this blog entry, we re-visit the definition of the term “anomaly” as per the IEEE Std 1044. In an earlier blog entry we had looked at the definition of an anomaly as defined in the earlier revision of the IEEE Std 1044 (1044-1993). Recently a reader of this blog wrote to me to ask about the definition as per the latest revision of the IEEE Std 1044 (1044-2009). Hence, this updated post where we look at the definition as per IEEE Std 1044-2009.
For those of you who are hearing about this for the first time, here's a very brief summary of what the IEEE Std 1044-2009 is about. This standard provides a uniform approach to the classification of software anomalies, regardless of when they originate or when they are encountered within the project, product, or system life cycle. Data thus classified may be used for a variety of purposes, including defect causal analysis, project management, and software process improvement.
As per the standard, “The word “anomaly” may be used to refer to any abnormality, irregularity, inconsistency, or variance from expectations. It may be used to refer to a condition or an event, to an appearance or a behavior, to a form or a function.”
The previous version of the standard (1044-1993) described the term “anomaly” to be equivalent to error, fault, failure, incident, flaw, problem, gripe, glitch, defect or bug which essentially removed focus from the distinction among these terms. While these terms could be used fairly inter-changeably in face-to-face communication wherein any ambiguity regarding their meaning is resolved by the richness of the direct communication mechanism, it is generally not conducive to other non-direct methods. For preciseness in communication, specific terms are defined and used to refer to more narrowly defined entities such as defect, error, failure, fault and problem.
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