To reduce the cost of removing defects, inspections should be emphasized, together with any other cost-effective techniques. The role of functional…

This statement describes a mature and cost-effective approach to software quality assurance. It is a fundamental principle that the cost to fix a defect increases exponentially the later it is found in the development lifecycle. Emphasizing early-stage static verification techniques like inspections is highly cost-effective for defect removal. When these early activities are successful, fewer defects propagate to later stages. Consequently, the primary role of functional system testing evolves from being the main defect discovery phase to a final quality gate. Its purpose becomes the validation of the integrated system against requirements and the collection of quantitative quality data (e.g., reliability, performance, remaining defect density) to support an informed release decision.

B. False: This is incorrect as the statement outlines a well-established best practice in software engineering for optimizing the cost of quality and using testing as a quality measurement tool.

1. IEEE Computer Society, Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK), V3.0, 2014.

Chapter 5, Software Quality, Section 3.2.1, Verification and Validation: This section states, "The cost of finding and repairing a defect is usually much less than the cost of failing to find it." It emphasizes that V&V activities, including inspections and testing, occur throughout the lifecycle, supporting the idea of using early, cost-effective techniques.

2. Jorgensen, P. C., Software Testing: A Craftsman's Approach, 4th ed., CRC Press, 2014.

Chapter 1, Section 1.3, "The Cost of Defects," pp. 8-9: This section explicitly illustrates with a graph and discussion that the cost to repair a defect found in system test or post-release is orders of magnitude higher than one found during requirements or design. This provides the economic rationale for emphasizing early inspections.

3. Sommerville, I., Software Engineering, 10th ed., Pearson, 2016.

Chapter 8, Section 8.1.3, "Verification and validation," p. 234: The text explains, "The main goal of V & V is to establish confidence that the software is fit for its purpose." This supports the view of testing as a data-gathering activity for quality assessment, rather than solely a defect-finding exercise. The chapter also contrasts testing with static verification (inspections).