As more systems are becoming embedded hardware-based, challenges regarding software safety and considerable consequences of their failure arise. Various safety standards assure certain safety aspects of systems, addressing areas including testing. The safety standards chosen for this thesis are ISO/IEC/IEEE 29119-2 & 3, IEC 61508-1 & 3, ISO 13849-1 & 2, and ISO/IEC/IEEE 12207:2017. This thesis tackles the problem of compliance with safety standards by utilising a lightweight assessment method, leading to recommendations for improving the test process of an industrial control system. A case study is performed on an automation company to achieve the objectives of this thesis. The method used for the qualitative data analysis results in recommendations regarding the compliance of the company's test process with selected safety standards. As the final step, the execution of a focus group research leads to the industrial evaluation of the recommendations and assessment results. The company's development process fully complies with 22% and fails to comply with 58% of the extracted requirements from the selected safety standards. Furthermore, the thesis results in recommendations for improving the test process of an industrial control system. As a result of performing the case study, a method for a lightweight assessment of the development process of industrial control systems is achieved. The generic method follows five steps, firstly tabulating the data to attain assessment criteria and items, used by the assessment step to get a compliance degree per requirement. The analysis step comes next to shed light on areas of strength and weakness, leading to recommendations. The final step evaluates and refines the recommendations according to the results of a focus group. Further development of the method used in this thesis can lead to a generic method for assessing development processes, concerning safety standards, using limited resources.  The results of this generic method can lead to recommendations for test process improvements of control systems via safety standards.

Submitted by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2016-09-05T12:01:51Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Daniella de Oliveira Costa - 2016.pdf: 1198730 bytes, checksum: 2df25fb32f76f409f638956bd43c727e (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2016-09-05T12:02:27Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Daniella de Oliveira Costa - 2016.pdf: 1198730 bytes, checksum: 2df25fb32f76f409f638956bd43c727e (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-09-05T12:02:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Daniella de Oliveira Costa - 2016.pdf: 1198730 bytes, checksum: 2df25fb32f76f409f638956bd43c727e (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-08-22 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Background. Test process requires constant follow-ups to evolve their methodologies. To support the improvement of processes, we have the Test Maturity Models such as TMM and TMMi. However, the TMMi model does not provide instruments or framweworks that allows companies to check the adherence about the model, it is necessary the expert advice. For shortage of certifiers in the country, the cost becomes high and hinders to obtainment certification for small businesses. Aim. Propose a methodology of low cost to assess of test process, which shall support in the improvement and quality of testing procedures employed in Small Software Companies Methodology. An exploratory and qualitative research, conducted by: (i) Research instruments or frameworks which are available to assess testing process relative to TMMi levels through Systematic Review; and (ii) abstraction of evidence of the studies, collaborating with test process assessments. From the defined contributions and mandatory guidelines TAMAR define an assessment process with the focus to meet the limitations of small companies. Results. An evaluation process covering Planning activities; Preparation; Application; Analysis of the results; and Closing. The assessment instrument provided a new approach in the presentation of the issues. The questions were given by affinity groups, focusing the respondent to a specific stage of the test process. Conclusion. Perform routine to prepare those involved brought a brief overview of the maturity model and reducing uncertainty for indication of evidence in addition to the new approach to provision of the issues by affinity groups. The validation has shown that the instrument is simple and assistance provided throughout the process enables the evaluation of small business process. / Os processos de teste necessitam de constantes acompanhamentos para evolução de suas metodologias. Para apoiar na melhoria dos processos, temos os Modelos de Maturidade de Teste, tais como TMM e TMMi. No entanto, o modelo TMMi não disponibiliza um instrumento que permite as empresas verificarem a aderência ao modelo, sendo necessário a contratação de consultoria especializada. Por carência de certificadores no país, o custo torna-se elevado e dificulta a obtenção da certificação por empresas de pequeno porte. Objetivo. Propor uma metodologia de avaliação de processos de teste de baixo custo, que contribua na evolução e qualidade dos processos de teste empregados em Pequenas Empresas de Software Metodologia. Uma pesquisa exploratória e qualitativa, realizada pela: (i) investigação de quais instrumentos estão disponíveis para avaliar processos de teste com relação aos níveis do TMMi, por meio de Revisão Sistemática; e (ii) abstração das evidências dos estudos, que colaboravam com avaliações de processo de teste. A partir das contribuições delimitadas e as orientações obrigatórias do TAMAR, construiu-se um processo de avaliação com o foco de atender as limitações das pequenas empresas. Resultados. Um processo de avaliação que abrange atividades de Planejamento; Preparação da avaliação; Aplicação; Análise dos Resultados; e Fechamento da avaliação. O instrumento de avaliação previu uma nova abordagem na apresentação das questões. As questões foram dadas por grupos de afinidade, concentrando o respondente à uma etapa específica do processo de teste. Conclusões. Realizar a rotina de preparar os envolvidos trouxe uma breve visão do modelo de maturidade e reduzindo as incertezas para indicação das evidências, além da nova abordagem para disposição das questões por grupos de afinidade. A validação do processo de avaliação permitiu verificar que o instrumento é simples e o acompanhamento fornecido no decorrer do processo viabiliza a avaliação dos processos de pequenas empresas.