SAS Data Analytic Development ─ Dimensions of Software Quality

This book is intended to be industry-agnostic and will feature examples from a broad spectrum of industries and topics with the intent of expressing relevancy to as many readers as possible. In the introductory chapter that discusses quality, the author discusses aspects of code quality that can be instilled at the industry or organizational levels. One example will be mention of FDA regulations that positively influence certain aspects of code quality. The intent is to demonstrate that an industry or organization may require or facilitate certain attributes of code quality (or, in some cases, perpetuate bad habits or practice) and that a more holistic view of quality can be gained by surveying practices across several industries and organizations. Other examples of how specific industries can positively influence coding practices will include the use of SAS in research, financial institutions, emergency medicine, and national security.

The book will be example-driven (using Base SAS) with a few chapters that point theoretically to other uses of the concepts and examples presented. Most chapters will introduce a dimension of quality (i.e., either a dynamic or static performance attribute) and subsequently demonstrate several technical examples of how that attribute can be implemented. Because many performance requirements overlap or are closely related, many sections will point to other chapters for further understanding or other related examples. Each chapter will conclude with at least one comprehensive example that demonstrates the short business case that required various quality attributes and how those attributes were implemented. Case studies will depict successful and unsuccessful implementation of code quality against requirements. These cases will be more anecdotal from the author’s personal experiences—good and bad—and thus will be neither code-driven nor theoretical.

TROY MARTIN HUGHES has been a SAS practitioner for more than 15 years, has managed SAS projects in support of federal, state, and local government initiatives, and is a SAS Certified Advanced Programmer, SAS Certified Base Programmer, SAS Certified Clinical Trials Programmer, and SAS Professional V8. He has an MBA in information systems management and additional credentials, including: PMP, PMI-ACP, PMI-PBA, PMI-RMP, CISSP, CSSLP, CSM, CSD, CSPO, CSP, and ITIL v3 Foundation. He has been a frequent presenter and invited speaker at SAS user conferences, including SAS Global Forum, WUSS, MWSUG, SCSUG, SESUG, and PharmaSUG. Troy is a U.S. Navy veteran with two tours of duty in Afghanistan, and in his spare time, a volunteer firefighter and EMT.