Quality in Software Development | Dennis Doomen | Beyond Coding Podcast #13

Quality Types

Dennis Doomen introduces the concept of internal versus external quality in software development. External quality refers to the observable aspects of a system, such as user interface and performance, while internal quality focuses on maintainability and testability 1. He emphasizes the importance of understanding both aspects to ensure a well-rounded approach to software quality.

External quality is what I just mentioned, the observable behavior.

--- Dennis Doomen

Patrick Akil finds this distinction enlightening, as it clarifies the often abstract concept of quality in software 2.

   

Quality Challenges

Maintaining quality in software development presents significant challenges, particularly with technical debt and code complexity. Dennis Doomen discusses how unclear code and over-engineering can lead to an obfuscated codebase, making it difficult to implement changes 3. He stresses the importance of balancing refactoring with redesigning to manage technical debt effectively.

There's a big difference there between refactoring and redesigning.

--- Dennis Doomen

Patrick Akil and Dennis also explore the role of testing in maintaining quality, highlighting the need for tests that focus on observable behavior to prevent breakage during reimplementation 4.