Tool Qualification Support Package (TQSP)

TQSP module provides artefacts and guidance to simplify the process of qualifying the LDRA tool suite.

Tool Qualification Support Packs (TQSP)

Today’s complex software-based safety critical systems depend on software tools for automation and efficiency. “Tool qualification” is a generic term to describe a process designed to ensure that the risk of a tool error impacting the safety of a system is acceptably low – either because the errors are few, or because they cannot impact safety. Most functional safety standards define processes to achieve tool qualification by considering the application of the tool, and the environment in which it is deployed.

The application considerations are designed to ensure that the tool is used in such a way that potential errors are either avoided or detected. The environmental perspective looks to ensure that the installed tool works as part of the broader tool chain to which it contributes, building confidence and trust in the tool and its use.

All standards have a classification phase to establish the required confidence in the tool and a qualification phase that provides this level of confidence for some or all of its functionality. However, the classification and qualification methods differ in some details.

What is a TQSP?

A TQSP is an optional module available for the LDRA tool suite. Each TQSP module provides artefacts and guidance to simplify the process of qualifying the LDRA tool suite for use as a verification tool in a project-specific environment.

SGS TÜV SAAR and TÜV SÜD are both independent certifying agencies who have evaluated LDRA’s development and testing practices and issued certificates for the tool suite verifying it is qualified to be used in safety-related software development. Their validation of LDRA tools is adequate assurance of their suitability for most projects.

For more demanding projects that require project specific tool qualification, TQSP modules greatly reduce the time and effort of qualifying the LDRA tool suite for use as a verification tool in a project environment. LDRA provides TQSPs for Programming Standards Checking, Structural Coverage Analysis, Data and Control Coupling and Unit Test.

What artefacts are included?

TVP

Tool Verification Plan. This document identifies the user’s required activities for tool qualification in a step-by-step fashion, including instructions on how to complete the template documents in the TQSP and how to assemble the required verification data to support qualification in their tool operational environment.

This document is concerned with supporting the project requirement to submit a Tool Verification Plan (TVP) with the aim of demonstrating and verifying that the tool suite meets its stated Tool Operational Requirements (TOR) under normal operating conditions.

TQP

Tool Qualification Plan. This document describes the tool, its function, and how it relates to the user’s certification. The user completes sections of the document to customize it to their project.

The processes identified in this LDRA supplied document are designed to provide support for the generation of the project Plan for Software Aspects of Certification (PSAC) and the results are summarised in the project Software Accomplishment Summary (SAS).

TOR

Tool Accomplishment Summary. This document summarizes the activities performed in support of tool qualification. The TAS includes tool configuration identification and installation reports.

This document is provided in support of the project requirement to submit a Software Accomplishment Summary (SAS) and is therefore concerned with providing documented confirmation of test outcomes.

Test Suite

Test scenarios designed by LDRA to show tool compliance to the TORs in the tool operational environment. The user executes these test scenarios as part of the qualification effort.

TAS

Tool Accomplishment Summary. This document summarizes the activities performed in support of tool qualification. The TAS includes tool configuration identification and installation reports.

This document is provided in support of the project requirement to submit a Software Accomplishment Summary (SAS) and is therefore concerned with providing documented confirmation of test outcomes.

LDRA Pedigree

The LDRA DO-178 Tool Qualification Support Pack has been leveraged on over 250 DO-178 certifications for 80 different organisations. These figures include over 85 DAL A certifications of the most critical of all DO-178 compliant applications.

ISO 26262 TQSP was introduced more recently, drawing on the same proven principles as its DO-178 equivalent. It has helped many teams develop ASIL D projects on their way to compliance.

We are also seeing increasing numbers of development teams in other sectors looking to leverage our expertise in tool qualification, using tool qualification packs based on the same approach.