They include test summary reports, actions for improving future projects or iterations, change requests, product backlog items, and finalized testware.
The objectives of testing can vary based on the context of the component or system being tested, the level of testing, and the software development lifecycle model. For example, during component testing, one objective may be to find as many failures as possible to identify and correct underlying defects early. During acceptance testing, an objective may be to confirm that the system functions as intended and meets requirements.
The progress of testing is communicated through test progress reports, which include deviations from the plan and useful information for any decision to stop testing.
There is no universal software testing process; instead, there are common sets of testing activities that are essential for achieving set objectives.
The main purpose of test analysis is to identify what to test and to validate that requirements accurately capture the needs of stakeholders.
Test implementation focuses on whether everything is in place to execute tests, while test design focuses on how to test.
Testing can prove the presence of defects but cannot prove their absence.
Test charters are used as test objectives in certain types of experience-based testing, helping to measure coverage achieved during testing.
Defect reports document which test items, test objects, test tools, and testware were involved in the testing, allowing for traceability and understanding of test results.
Factors include the software development lifecycle model, testing levels and types, product and project risks, operational constraints, and organizational policies.
Test planning involves defining the objectives of the test and the approach to achieve those objectives while respecting the constraints imposed by the context.
Rigorous testing of components and systems, along with their associated documentation, helps reduce the risk of failures during operation. Detecting and correcting defects contributes to the quality of components or systems and may be necessary to meet contractual, legal, or specific industry standards.
Main activities include analyzing appropriate test bases, evaluating test elements to identify defects, identifying characteristics to test, defining and prioritizing test conditions, and capturing bidirectional traceability.
It allows determination of the status of each test base element, indicating which requirements passed, failed, or are pending tests, thus verifying coverage criteria.
The main groups of activities in a testing process include: Test Planning, Test Monitoring and Control, Test Analysis, Test Design, Test Implementation, Test Execution, and Test Closure.
Testing activities highlight failures caused by defects in the software, while debugging is the development activity that finds, analyzes, and corrects such defects. After debugging, confirmation testing verifies if the corrections have resolved the defects.
Using appropriate testing techniques can reduce the frequency of problematic software deliveries when applied with the right level of testing expertise at the appropriate testing levels and times in the software development lifecycle. For example, testers participating in requirement reviews can detect defects early, reducing the risk of developing incorrect or untestable features.
Dynamic tests involve executing the component or system being tested.
Exploratory tests can be designed and implemented simultaneously during the execution of the tests, often based on test charters produced during test analysis.
Testing activities are organized and conducted differently depending on the various life cycles.
It increases the understanding of the code and how to test it, reducing the risk of defects in both code and tests.
The achievement of coverage criteria can be demonstrated by bi-directional traceability between test procedures and specific elements of the test bases.
Execution activities include documentation of the status of each test case or test procedure, such as ready to execute, pass, fail, blocked, or deliberately omitted.
It facilitates impact analysis of changes, test audits, IT governance criteria satisfaction, and improves the clarity of test progress reports.
Testing is performed differently depending on the context, such as industrial control software versus mobile e-commerce applications.
Test analysis determines 'what to test' in terms of measurable coverage criteria.
Creating a test summary report to communicate to stakeholders.
False negatives are tests that fail to detect defects that they should have identified.
One or more test plans that include information on test bases and exit criteria.
During test closure, it should be verified whether all defect reports are closed and whether modification requests or product backlog items are entered for unresolved defects.
Errors can occur due to time constraints and human fallibility.
Exhaustive testing is not feasible except for trivial cases; risk analysis and prioritization should be used instead.
It helps evaluate product quality, process suitability, and project progress against business objectives in understandable terms.
The belief that finding and fixing many defects guarantees system success is an illusion; a system can still fail to meet user needs.
Identifying defects during test analysis is a significant potential benefit, especially when no other review process is used.
The test environment, test data, test infrastructure, and other testware.
Main activities during test execution include recording IDs and versions of test items, executing tests manually or with tools, comparing actual results with expected results, and analyzing anomalies.
Effects of defects can include customer complaints and incorrect outputs, such as incorrect interest payments.
Each test case should ideally be bi-directionally traceable to the test condition(s) it covers.
A defect in the code can cause a failure if executed, but not all defects lead to failures under all circumstances.
The pesticide paradox indicates that repeating the same tests will eventually stop finding new defects, necessitating changes to tests and test data.
The ISO standard contains additional information on testing processes.
The 'definition of done' refers to the evaluation criteria for determining whether a test level has been completed, including checks against specified coverage criteria.
False positives are reported as defects but are not actual defects, often due to errors in test execution or issues with test data or environment.
A common misconception is that testing is solely about executing tests and checking results. Another is that testing focuses only on verifying requirements and specifications.
Test closure activities collect data from completed test activities to consolidate experience, testware, and other relevant information.
Designing high-level test cases without concrete values for input data and expected results is often a good practice.
Testing early helps to detect defects sooner, reducing or eliminating costly changes later.
Test bases may include a list of requirements and a list of supported mobile devices, with each requirement and device being an element of the test base.
Test control consists of taking necessary actions to meet the objectives of the test plan, which may be updated over time.
The purpose of preparing test data is to ensure that it is correctly loaded into the test environment.
Static tests do not involve executing the component or system being tested; they include activities like reviewing requirements, User Stories, and source code.
By focusing on significant root causes, organizations can implement process improvements that prevent the introduction of a large number of future defects.
Defined and prioritized test conditions that are ideally bi-directionally traceable to specific test bases.
An oracle is used to identify the expected concrete results associated with concrete test data.
Measurable coverage criteria serve as key performance indicators (KPIs) to guide activities that demonstrate the achievement of software testing objectives.
Test monitoring involves regularly comparing actual progress against the test plan using defined metrics.
Building the test environment includes setting up test harnesses, service virtualization, simulators, and other infrastructure elements, ensuring everything necessary is correctly established.
Defects such as ambiguities, omissions, inconsistencies, inaccuracies, contradictions, and superfluous statements can be identified.
To determine necessary changes for future iterations, releases, and projects.
Incorrect interest payments due to an ambiguous User Story written by a Product Owner who misunderstood how to calculate interest.
The outcomes of test design include test cases and test case sets to exercise the test conditions defined in the test analysis.
Quality assurance is primarily focused on following proper processes to ensure appropriate quality levels are achieved.
Test design includes designing and prioritizing test cases, identifying necessary test data, and establishing bidirectional traceability between test bases and test cases.
Techniques such as Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) and Acceptance Test-Driven Development (ATDD) help in validating user stories and acceptance criteria.
Agile development practices involve iterative and continuous testing activities, with small iterations of design, build, and test occurring regularly.
Black-box, white-box, and experience-based testing techniques can be applied to reduce the likelihood of omitting important test conditions.
Defects observed during testing should be reported based on the failures observed.
The first principle states that testing shows the presence of defects, not their absence.
It includes all activities that direct and control an organization regarding quality, including quality assurance and quality control.
Software tests are a means to evaluate the quality of software and reduce the risk of failure during operation. They involve various activities, including planning, analysis, design, implementation, and monitoring of tests, not just executing tests.
Bidirectional traceability involves verifying and updating the connections between test bases, test conditions, test cases, test procedures, and test suites.
Root cause analysis aims to identify the initial actions or conditions that contributed to defects, helping to reduce similar defects in the future.
Various types of test reports, including progress reports and summary reports.
Testers verify and validate the software to detect failures that may have been missed, aiding in defect elimination.
An error made by a person can lead to the introduction of a defect in the software code.
Failures can also be caused by environmental conditions such as radiation, electromagnetic fields, and pollution, which can affect firmware or software execution.
The types of products created, how they are organized and managed, and the names used for these products.
Test closure activities typically occur at project milestones, such as when software is delivered, a test project is completed, or an Agile project iteration is finished.
Quality assurance and testing are not the same but are linked through quality management, which includes both.
Typical objectives include evaluating products like requirements and design, verifying that specified requirements are met, validating the completeness and functionality of the test object, building confidence in quality, preventing defects, finding failures, and providing information for informed decision-making.
It can reduce the risk of defects in the design and help identify tests at an early stage.
Products include test procedures, scheduling of these procedures, test suites, and a test execution schedule.
Test data are used to assign concrete values to the inputs and expected results of test cases.
