CSTE practice question 7 of 25

Configuration management can be applied to non-test changes.

Full set: 122 questions
Answer options
A: True Correct answer
B: False
Correct Answer:
A. True
Explanation

Configuration Management (CM) is a formal engineering discipline that provides a structured process for establishing and maintaining the consistency of a product's attributes throughout its entire lifecycle. This scope is not limited to test artifacts. It encompasses all components, known as Configuration Items (CIs), including source code, design documents, requirements specifications, and hardware. Applying CM to non-test changes, such as a modification in the source code or an update to a requirement, is fundamental to ensuring traceability, controlling the evolution of the system, and maintaining the integrity of the final product.

Why Incorrect

B. False: This is incorrect. Limiting configuration management solely to test-related changes would defeat its core purpose. CM is essential for managing the entire system's baseline, including all development and documentation artifacts, to ensure a controlled and auditable product lifecycle.

References

1. IEEE Std 828-2012, "IEEE Standard for Configuration Management in Systems and Software Engineering."

Section 3.1.4, Configuration Item (CI): Defines a CI as an "aggregation of hardware, software, or both, that is designated for configuration management..." This definition is broad and not restricted to testware.

Annex A, SCM Plan Information: Provides examples of CIs which include "Software requirements specification," "Software design description," and "Source code," all of which are non-test items.

2. Pressman, R. S., & Maxim, B. R. (2020). Software Engineering: A Practitioner's Approach (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill.

Chapter 8, "Software Configuration Management": This chapter explicitly states that SCM is a set of activities designed to manage change throughout the software process. It identifies baselines that include not just test-related items but also specifications, design documents, and source code.

3. MIT OpenCourseWare, "6.170 Software Studio, Lecture 4: Configuration Management."

The course materials describe Configuration Management (using tools like Git) as a practice for managing the evolution of a software system's source code and related documents. The primary focus is on managing the codebase, which is a "non-test" artifact.

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