Software Quality Management in eCommerce Applications

Hi,

People are always talking about eCommerce nowadays. I wonder in software quality management, is there difference between traditional application software and eCommerce applications.

My feeling is that most eCommerce application projects are limited by time very much and have no concrete specifications in the early stages. So how can software quality management techniques be applied to
eCommerce application projects effectively?

Angus Lee

[Marc]

My opinion is there is no difference, really.

> My feeling is that most eCommerce application projects are limited by time
> very much and have no concrete specifications in the early stages.

I disagree. There are initial goals / criteria. I would bet some are very 'concrete' (software must verify credit card approval prior to releasing serial number to buyer). That design criteria may change over time as more is understood during the design process but that applies to all design and development. Most all designs are just variations on an earlier design, anyway.

> So how can software quality management techniques be applied to eCommerce
> application projects effectively?

I would think this would be a project management issue more than anything else. Nor am I convinced e-commerce software for the internet is as complex as many other software applications. Typical e-commerce solutions are database interaction solutions as I understand them. Educate me if I'm wrong.

[blainehilton]

This is an older topic that I found, but I think the question raised is still very much valid, especially now in light of the Choice Point fiasco.

It seems like the issue that is more apparent with e-commerce type applications that may not be so glaring when looking at other software areas is time. Many systems such as manufacturing have long life cycles where as with e-commerce everything has to be created in “Internet Time” where if the software is not delivered tomorrow your company could go out of business.