Software Product Quality Standards: Ensuring High-Value, Secure and Scalable IT Systems

In the digital age, the quality and security of information systems are no longer just technical issues—they are fundamental for business survival and growth. Organizations navigating rapid technology adoption, cloud migration, digital transformation, or AI integration are facing increasing demands for robust, scalable, and trustworthy software solutions. Adopting international software quality standards is now a must for businesses seeking to unlock productivity, guarantee security, enable scaling, and minimize risk.

This comprehensive guide explores four key international standards within the ISO/IEC SQuaRE (Software product Quality Requirements and Evaluation) family: ISO/IEC 25010:2023, ISO/IEC 25019:2023, ISO/IEC 25022:2016, and ISO/IEC 25023:2016. These standards provide universally recognized models and measurement techniques for software product quality and quality-in-use, empowering organizations to deliver high-value, secure, and reliable systems.

Overview / Introduction

Across industries, information technology is the lifeline powering everything from customer interactions to supply chain logistics. But as systems become more complex and integrated, so do the risks and challenges—from cybersecurity threats to usability problems and scalability hurdles. International standards offer a shared foundation for specifying, measuring, and improving the quality of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) products and software, fostering trust, interoperability, and competitive advantage.

By following established standards, businesses can:

• Ensure that products meet customer and stakeholder expectations
• Enhance productivity by streamlining requirements and quality assurance
• Reduce security vulnerabilities and operational risks
• Scale their technology solutions confidently
• Improve user satisfaction and market reputation

This article delves deeply into four foundational standards in this field, each forming a cornerstone of modern IT governance, software engineering, and product management.

Detailed Standards Coverage

ISO/IEC 25010:2023 – The Product Quality Model

Systems and software engineering — Systems and software Quality Requirements and Evaluation (SQuaRE) — Product quality model

ISO/IEC 25010:2023 is the reference standard for defining what 'quality' means in information systems, ICT products, and software. The standard establishes a comprehensive product quality model comprising nine major characteristics, each further divided into actionable subcharacteristics. These provide a universal vocabulary and measurable targets for developers, acquirers, QA teams, and auditors throughout the software lifecycle.

What It Covers and Its Scope

ISO/IEC 25010:2023 sets the framework for:

• Eliciting and defining robust product and system requirements
• Validating requirements for completeness
• Identifying design objectives aligned with quality
• Formulating quality controls and acceptance criteria
• Measuring product quality throughout development and operation

The model applies to the entire ICT landscape, encompassing subsystems, firmware, hardware, data, communication infrastructure, and more.

Key Requirements and Specifications

The quality model is structured around nine characteristics:

1. Functional suitability – how well the software meets specified needs
2. Performance efficiency – resource, time, and throughput optimization
3. Compatibility – co-existence and interoperability with other systems
4. Interaction capability – attributes necessary for effective user interaction (replacing the old 'usability' definition)
5. Reliability – consistent performance under specified conditions
6. Security – resistance against threats and protection of data
7. Maintainability – ease of modification and analysis
8. Flexibility – adaptability to varying requirements and scaling
9. Safety – preventing hazards, including operational and integration risks

Each characteristic is broken down into subcharacteristics, making quality requirements transparent and actionable.

Who Needs to Comply?

ISO/IEC 25010:2023 is essential for:

• Software engineers and architects
• IT procurement and acquirers
• QA and quality control professionals
• Validators and independent evaluators
• Business process owners and customers

Practical Implications

Implementing ISO/IEC 25010:2023 means integrating its quality characteristics into every stage of the software lifecycle—from early requirements to ongoing product improvement. It provides the foundation for security reviews, scalability assessments, and user experience design.

Notable Features

• Updated, expanded quality characteristics for modern IT systems
• New focus on safety, interaction capability, inclusivity, and resilience
• Usable across different technologies, industries, and system scales

Key highlights:

• Comprehensive quality reference model (nine characteristics)
• Modernized to address current ICT needs
• Scalable for both small and complex systems

Access the full standard:View ISO/IEC 25010:2023 on iTeh Standards

ISO/IEC 25019:2023 – Quality-in-Use Model

Systems and software engineering — Systems and software Quality Requirements and Evaluation (SQuaRE) — Quality-in-use model

ISO/IEC 25019:2023 introduces a stakeholder-driven framework—the Quality-in-Use Model—that focuses not merely on product features but on the real-world effects and value delivered when software and IT systems are actually used in context.

What It Covers and Its Scope

This standard defines a quality-in-use model comprising three top-level characteristics, which are broken down into subcharacteristics. It covers all IT systems and software in active use, ensuring stakeholders’ objectives, such as business goals, end-user satisfaction, and societal benefits (or risks), are addressed.

Key Requirements and Specifications

The model centers on:

• Clearly identifying context-of-use (users, tasks, environments)
• Specifying, measuring, and improving effects such as effectiveness, efficiency, satisfaction, and freedom from risk
• Realigning requirements and measures if the context changes (e.g., migrating to the cloud, new user groups, remote access)

Stakeholder participation is fundamental, as is transparency around the impact of technology on users and organizations.

Who Needs to Comply?

• Development teams building software and IT systems
• System integrators and service providers
• QA professionals seeking evidence-based quality assessment
• Digital transformation leaders
• Businesses prioritizing IT governance and user experience

Practical Implications

Using ISO/IEC 25019:2023 helps ensure digital solutions not only meet functional requirements but tangibly enhance business effectiveness, ethics, safety, and satisfaction for all connected stakeholders. It is particularly relevant as digitalization extends system reach and complexity.

Notable Features

• Emphasizes dynamic, contextual measurement of software value
• Integrates ethics and governance considerations in use
• Directly supports continuous improvement

Key highlights:

• Focus on real-world effects and user impact
• Requires context adaptation for changing business or technology landscapes
• Supports digital governance and ethical evaluation

Access the full standard:View ISO/IEC 25019:2023 on iTeh Standards

ISO/IEC 25022:2016 – Measurement of Quality in Use

Systems and software engineering — Systems and software quality requirements and evaluation (SQuaRE) — Measurement of quality in use

ISO/IEC 25022:2016 provides practical measurement criteria for Quality-in-Use as defined in the ISO/IEC 25010 model. This standard is designed for IT practitioners seeking to quantify the impact of software and systems on effectiveness, satisfaction, and risk.

What It Covers and Its Scope

• Offers a standardized set of quality-in-use measures
• Elaborates on how to adapt and apply these measures across diverse systems and contexts
• Supports requirements analysis, acceptance testing, maintenance improvements, and ongoing performance management

Key Requirements and Specifications

It details specific measurement techniques for:

• Effectiveness (accuracy, completeness of task accomplishment)
• Efficiency (resources expended relative to outcomes)
• Satisfaction (user trust, pleasure, comfort, usefulness)
• Freedom from risk (economic, health, environmental risks)
• Context coverage (the ability to perform well across varied user and operational scenarios)

The standard encourages organizations to tailor these measures, ensuring methods are relevant to their unique usage patterns and organizational priorities.

Who Needs to Comply?

• QA and test engineers
• Software development managers
• Procurement and IT governance teams
• Product owners responsible for product lifecycle assessment

Practical Implications

Implementing ISO/IEC 25022:2016 means your organization will:

• Quantify user-oriented software results before, during, and after release
• Identify bottlenecks and improvement areas in terms of user productivity and satisfaction
• Compare and benchmark solutions for procurement or competitive analysis

Notable Features

• Ready-to-use measurement templates
• Links with quality requirements and evaluations across the software lifecycle
• Annexes with real-world examples, normalization approaches, and evaluation processes

Key highlights:

• Empowers objective, user-focused quality assessment
• Integrates with ISO/IEC 25010 for full-lifecycle management
• Supports custom measurement methods for flexibility

Access the full standard:View ISO/IEC 25022:2016 on iTeh Standards

ISO/IEC 25023:2016 – Measurement of System and Software Product Quality

Systems and software engineering — Systems and software Quality Requirements and Evaluation (SQuaRE) — Measurement of system and software product quality

ISO/IEC 25023:2016 provides the definitive measurement framework for the nine product quality characteristics defined in ISO/IEC 25010. This standard enables organizations to quantitatively evaluate software and system quality at the individual characteristic and subcharacteristic levels.

What It Covers and Its Scope

• Defines a basic suite of measures for each product quality characteristic
• Explains measurement application for both internal and external quality properties
• Supports development, supply, acquisition, quality management, and ongoing maintenance activities

Key Requirements and Specifications

The standard systematically covers:

• Functional suitability
• Performance efficiency
• Compatibility
• Usability
• Reliability
• Security
• Maintainability
• Portability

It provides formulas, definitions, and recommended metrics (such as response times, error rates, modularity, adaptability, fault density, etc.) for each subcharacteristic.

Who Needs to Comply?

• Software product managers
• Systems integrators and application maintainers
• QA professionals managing certification or compliance
• Organizations seeking to demonstrate or improve software reliability, security, or scalability

Practical Implications

By adopting ISO/IEC 25023:2016, organizations gain:

• Consistent, repeatable measurement criteria across projects and platforms
• Objective quality evidence for audits, customer assurances, and certification
• A feedback loop to drive continuous quality improvement in deployed and evolving systems

Notable Features

• Includes considerations for tailoring measures to business context
• Enables benchmarking and comparability across vendors and solutions
• Directly linked to ISO/IEC 25010’s model for completeness

Key highlights:

• Full measurement coverage for software and system quality
• Supports compliance, procurement, and certification
• Promotes quantitative, evidence-driven quality assurance

Access the full standard:View ISO/IEC 25023:2016 on iTeh Standards

Industry Impact & Compliance

These four standards, individually and collectively, have far-reaching impacts on the information technology industry:

• Trust and Assurance: Internationally recognized definitions of quality boost trust among customers, partners, and regulators.
• Competitive Differentiation: Standards-compliant products and services stand out in a crowded market and facilitate international expansion.
• Risk Reduction and Security: Systematic requirements and measurement close security gaps and enable proactive risk management.
• Scalability and Productivity: Clear requirements, efficient measurement, and context-driven quality approaches support rapid scaling—minimizing waste and maximizing performance.
• Regulatory Compliance: Many sectors (healthcare, finance, government) now require standards-based quality and security evidence for critical systems.

Not implementing these standards invites risks such as:

• Product recalls or system outages due to undiscovered defects
• Security breaches and resulting reputational or legal consequences
• Inefficient development and maintenance cycles
• Loss of customer trust and missed market opportunities

Implementation Guidance

Common Implementation Approaches

1. Embedding Standard Models in Requirements: Begin projects (or system upgrades) by referencing ISO/IEC 25010 and ISO/IEC 25019 models directly in requirement documentation.
2. Quality-driven Design and Architecture: Use quality characteristics as design objectives, ensuring architecture choices, tool selections, and workflows actively support target levels.
3. Measurement-Driven Quality Assurance: Select and adapt measures from ISO/IEC 25022 and ISO/IEC 25023 for acceptance testing, release validation, and in-field monitoring.
4. Iterative Improvement: Make measurement and evaluation continuous, feeding real-world performance data back into development and quality planning.

Best Practices

• Ensure all stakeholders (including end-users) participate in defining context and quality requirements
• Document rationale for chosen measures and adapt standard templates as needed
• Use the standards as procurement requirements when selecting vendors or off-the-shelf solutions
• Link quality goals to business KPIs and compliance frameworks
• Leverage standards as part of training and onboarding for development and QA teams

Resources for Organizations

• Access each standard in full on the iTeh Standards platform for the most current and authoritative text
• Consider using ISO/IEC 25000 family overview documents for broader guidance and integration
• Consult with quality management experts or certified professionals for tailored implementation strategies

Conclusion / Next Steps

High-quality, secure, and user-centered digital solutions do not happen by accident—they result from intentional adherence to best practices and internationally recognized standards. The ISO/IEC SQuaRE family, and specifically the four standards covered here, offers a blueprint for organizations of all sizes to unlock productivity, enhance security, and scale with confidence.

Key Takeaways:

• ISO/IEC 25010:2023 and ISO/IEC 25019:2023 define what software, system, and quality-in-use mean for modern ICT environments
• ISO/IEC 25022:2016 and ISO/IEC 25023:2016 provide measurement frameworks to assess and assure quality throughout the product lifecycle
• These standards support digital transformation by reducing risk, controlling costs, and ensuring customer satisfaction

Recommendations:

• Review your organization’s software development and procurement policies for alignment with the SQuaRE family
• Train relevant staff in interpreting and applying these models and metrics
• Start small by piloting measurement approaches in a single project, then scale as organizational expertise grows

Explore these standards in depth, access full documents, and stay updated on best practices for software quality and measurement at iTeh Standards.

By investing in software product quality standards, your organization is not just building better technology—you're protecting your reputation, empowering your people, and securing your future in the digital economy.