Quality Assurance and Testing for the MEPAS Chronic Exposure Module

The Chronic Exposure Module was developed under a quality assurance (QA) program that looked at the software life cycle: requirements analysis, design, programming, modification, testing, and implementation. Quality is defined as the ability of the software to meet client needs. Meeting client needs starts with a shared understanding of how the software must perform and continues throughout the software life cycle through attention to details.

The program was designed to be compatible with similar processes used by our clients. For example, our QA process compares favorably with that in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Directive 2182, System Design and Development Guidance (EPA 1997. Directive 2182). It also compares favorably with the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management's Quality Assurance Requirements and Description, Supplement I, Software (OCRWM 1995).

Part of the QA program involves testing each component to ensure that it satisfies its requirements. The requirements section of this documentation provides a list of requirements for the MEPAS Chronic Exposure Module. A test plan was developed with test cases that addressed these requirements. The following table shows how these requirements were addressed in testing.

• An Approach to Ensuring Quality in Environmental Software (Gelston et al. 1998. PNNL-11880)

Home | Security and Privacy | Contact Us