A standard must be measurable, attainable, and necessary. What is meant by 'attainable' in this context?

For a standard to be effective, it must be 'attainable,' meaning it is realistic and achievable within the practical constraints of the organization. This implies that with the currently allocated resources (personnel, tools, budget) and within the given time frame, the project team can consistently and repeatedly comply with the standard. The phrase "every time" is crucial as it underscores that a standard sets a baseline for consistent performance, not an occasional target. A standard that cannot be met reliably under normal operating conditions is impractical and thus not attainable.

B. This option is incomplete. While it mentions resources and time, it lacks the critical element of consistent, repeatable compliance ("every time") that defines a true standard.

C. This option is also incomplete for the same reason as B; it omits the necessity for consistent compliance, which is a fundamental attribute of an attainable standard.

D. The phrase "in this cycle" is too restrictive. A standard should be attainable across all relevant cycles of its application, not just the current one, to be considered a stable benchmark.

1. Quality Assurance Institute (QAI). CSQA Certified Software Quality Analyst Body of Knowledge, Version 2018. In the domain covering Quality Standards (Skill Category 2: Quality Planning, Analysis, and Design), the BOK emphasizes that standards must be realistic and achievable. It states, "Standards must be attainable. If the resources are not available to meet the standard, the standard will not be followed." This aligns with the principle that given current resources and time, compliance must be a reasonable and consistent expectation.

2. Galin, D. (2018). Software Quality Assurance: From Theory to Implementation (2nd ed.). Wiley. Chapter 21, "Procedures and work instructions," discusses the characteristics of effective standards, noting that they must be practical and achievable by the intended personnel using the available resources. This supports the idea that attainability is tied directly to the existing operational context (resources and time).

3. Lewis, W. E. (2005). Software Testing and Continuous Quality Improvement (3rd ed.). CRC Press. In discussions on establishing a quality system (Chapter 3), the text highlights that standards must be practical and achievable. A standard that is too difficult to meet consistently ("every time") given project constraints is counterproductive and will be ignored. This reinforces the selection of option A.