VTK/SoftwareQuality/CodeCoverage/Winter2014

Testing is critical to high quality software. There are a number of aspects to the VTK's software quality. One important aspect is code coverage that measures how many lines of code are covered by the test suite.

This experiment seeks to increase VTK's code coverage.

This experiment uses the DMAIC methodology of the Six Sigma management process to "Define", "Measure", "Analyze", "Improve" and "Control" valgrind defects in VTK.

The basic methodology (from Wikipedia) consists of the following five steps:

• Define process goals that are consistent with customer demands and VTK's strategy.
• Measure key aspects of the current process and collect relevant data.
• Analyze the data to verify cause-and-effect relationships. Determine what the relationships are, and attempt to ensure that all factors have been considered.
• Improve or optimize the process.
• Control to ensure that any deviations from target are corrected before they result in defects. Set up pilot runs to establish software quality, move on to production, set up control mechanisms and continuously monitor the process.

Define

Increase the code coverage of vtk classes.

Measure

As of September 4, 2012 the vtk tests covered 62% of vtk code.