NOTE: Only one answer per question
Q1
A deviation from the specified or expected behaviour that is visible to end-users is called:
a) an error
b) a fault
c) a failure
d) a defect
Q2
Regression testing should be performed:
v) every week
w) after the software has changed
x) as often as possible
y) when the environment has changed
z) when the project manager says
a) v & w are true, x, y & z are false
b) w, x & y are true, v & z are false
c) w & y are true, v, x & z are false
d) w is true, v, x, y & z are false
Q3
IEEE 829 test plan documentation standard contains all of the following except
a) test items
b) test deliverables
c) test tasks
d) test specifications
Q4
When should testing be stopped?
a) when all the planned tests have been run
b) when time has run out
c) when all faults have been fixed correctly
d) it depends on the risks for the system being tested
Q5
Order numbers on a stock control system can range between 10000 and 99999 inclusive. Which of the following inputs might be a result of designing tests for only valid equivalence classes and valid boundaries?
a) 1000, 50000, 99999
b) 9999, 50000, 100000
c) 10000, 50000, 99999
d) 10000, 99999, 100000
Q6
Consider the following statements about early test design:
i. early test design can prevent fault multiplication
ii. faults found during early test design are more expensive to fix
iii. early test design can find faults
iv. early test design can cause changes to the requirements
v. early test design normally takes more effort
a) i, iii & iv are true; ii & v are false
b) iii & iv are true; i, ii & v are false
c) i, iii, iv & v are true; ii is false
d) i & ii are true; iii, iv & v are false
Q7
Non-functional system testing includes:
a) testing to see where the system does not function correctly
b) testing quality attributes of the system including performance and usability
c) testing a system function using only the software required for that function
d) testing for functions that should not exist
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Q8
Which of the following is NOT part of configuration management?
a) auditing conformance to ISO 9000
b) status accounting of configuration items
c) identification of test versions
d) controlled library access
Q9
Which of the following is the main purpose of the integration strategy for integration testing in the small?
a) to ensure that all of the small modules are tested adequately
b) to ensure that the system interfaces to other systems and networks
c) to specify which modules to combine when, and how many at once
d) to specify how the software should be divided into modules
Q10
What is the purpose of a test completion criterion?
a) to know when a specific test has finished its execution
b) to ensure that the test case specification is complete
c) to set the criteria used in generating test inputs
d) to determine when to stop testing
Q11
Consider the following statements:
i. an incident may be closed without being fixed.
ii. incidents may not be raised against documentation.
iii. the final stage of incident tracking is fixing.
iv. the incident record does not include information on test environments.
a) ii is true, i, iii and iv are false
b) i is true, ii, iii and iv are false
c) i and iv are true, ii and iii are false
d) i and ii are true, iii and iv are false
Q12
Given the following code, which statement is true about the minimum number of test cases required for full statement and branch coverage?
Read p
Read q
IF p+q > 100 THEN
Print "Large"
ENDIF
IF p > 50 THEN
Print "p Large"
ENDIF
a) 1 test for statement coverage, 3 for branch coverage
b) 1 test for statement coverage, 2 for branch coverage
c) 1 test for statement coverage, 1 for branch coverage
d) 2 tests for statement coverage, 2 for branch coverage
Q13
Consider the following statements:
i. 100% statement coverage guarantees 100% branch coverage.
ii. 100% branch coverage guarantees 100% statement coverage.
iii. 100% branch coverage guarantees 100% decision coverage.
iv. 100% decision coverage guarantees 100% branch coverage.
v. 100% statement coverage guarantees 100% decision coverage.
a) ii is True; i, iii, iv & v are False
b) i & v are True; ii, iii & iv are False
c) ii & iii are True; i, iv & v are False
d) ii, iii & iv are True; i & v are False
Q14
Functional system testing is:
a) testing that the system functions with other systems
b) testing that the components that comprise the system function together
c) testing the end to end functionality of the system as a whole
d) testing the system performs functions within specified response times
Q15
Incidents would not be raised against:
a) requirements
b) documentation
c) test cases
d) improvements suggested by users
Q16
Which of the following items would not come under Configuration Management?
a) operating systems
b) test documentation
c) live data
d) user requirement documents
Q17
Maintenance testing is:
a) updating tests when the software has changed
b) testing a released system that has been changed
c) testing by users to ensure that the system meets a business need
d) testing to maintain business advantage
Q18
What can static analysis NOT find?
a) the use of a variable before it has been defined
b) unreachable (“dead”) code
c) memory leaks
d) array bound violations
Q19
Which of the following techniques is NOT a black box technique?
a) state transition testing
b) LCSAJ
c) syntax testing
d) boundary value analysis
Q20
Beta testing is:
a) performed by customers at their own site
b) performed by customers at the software developer's site
c) performed by an Independent Test Team
d) performed as early as possible in the lifecycle
Q21
Given the following types of tool, which tools would typically be used by developers, and which by an independent system test team?
i. static analysis
ii. performance testing
iii. test management
iv. dynamic analysis
a) developers would typically use i and iv; test team ii and iii
b) developers would typically use i and iii; test team ii and iv
c) developers would typically use ii and iv; test team i and iii
d) developers would typically use i, iii and iv; test team ii
Q22
The main focus of acceptance testing is:
a) finding faults in the system
b) ensuring that the system is acceptable to all users
c) testing the system with other systems
d) testing from a business perspective
Q23
Which of the following statements about component testing is FALSE?
a) black box test design techniques all have an associated test measurement technique
b) white box test design techniques all have an associated test measurement technique
c) cyclomatic complexity is not a test measurement technique
d) black box test measurement techniques all have an associated test design technique
Q24
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
a) inspection is the most formal review process
b) inspections should be led by a trained leader
c) managers can perform inspections on management documents
d) inspection is appropriate even when there are no written documents
Q25
A typical commercial test execution tool would be able to perform all of the following, EXCEPT:
a) calculating expected outputs
b) comparison of expected outcomes with actual outcomes
c) recording test inputs
d) reading test values from a data file
Q26
The difference between re-testing and regression testing is:
a) re-testing ensures the original fault has been removed; regression testing looks for unexpected side-effects
b) re-testing looks for unexpected side-effects; regression testing ensures the original fault has been removed
c) re-testing is done after faults are fixed; regression testing is done earlier
d) re-testing is done by developers; regression testing is done by independent testers
Q27
Expected results are:
a) only important in system testing
b) only used in component testing
c) most useful when specified in advance
d) derived from the code
Q28
What type of review requires formal entry and exit criteria, including metrics:
a) walkthrough
b) inspection
c) management review
d) post project review
Q29
Which of the following uses Impact Analysis most?
a) component testing
b) non-functional system testing
c) user acceptance testing
d) maintenance testing
Q30
What is NOT included in typical costs for an inspection process?
a) setting up forms and databases
b) analysing metrics and improving processes
c) writing the documents to be inspected
d) time spent on the document outside the meeting
Q31
Which of the following is NOT a reasonable test objective:
a) to find faults in the software
b) to prove that the software has no faults
c) to give confidence in the software
d) to find performance problems
Q32
Which expression best matches the following characteristics of the review processes:
1. led by the author
2. undocumented
3. no management participation
4. led by a moderator or leader
5. uses entry and exit criteria
s) inspection
t) peer review
u) informal review
v) walkthrough
a) s = 4 and 5, t = 3, u = 2, v = 1
b) s = 4, t = 3, u = 2 and 5, v = 1
c) s = 1 and 5, t = 3, u = 2, v = 4
d) s = 4 and 5, t = 1, u= 2, v = 3
Q33
Which of the following is NOT part of system testing?
a) business process-based testing
b) performance, load and stress testing
c) usability testing
d) top-down integration testing
Q34
Which statement about expected outcomes is FALSE?
a) expected outcomes are defined by the software's behaviour
b) expected outcomes are derived from a specification, not from the code
c) expected outcomes should be predicted before a test is run
d) expected outcomes may include timing constraints such as response times
Q35
The standard that gives definitions of testing terms is:
a) ISO/IEC 12207
b) BS 7925-1
c) ANSI/IEEE 829
d) ANSI/IEEE 729
Q36
The cost of fixing a fault:
a) is not important
b) increases the later a fault is found
c) decreases the later a fault is found
d) can never be determined
Q37
Which of the following is NOT included in the Test Plan document of the Test Documentation Standard?
a) what is not to be tested
b) test environment properties
c) quality plans
d) schedules and deadlines
Q38
Could reviews or inspections be considered part of testing?
a) no, because they apply to development documentation
b) no, because they are normally applied before testing
c) yes, because both help detect faults and improve quality
d) yes, because testing includes all non-constructive activities
Q39
Which of the following is not part of performance testing?
a) measuring response times
b) recovery testing
c) simulating many users
d) generating many transactions
Q40
Error guessing is best used:
a) after more formal techniques have been applied
b) as the first approach to deriving test cases
c) by inexperienced testers
d) after the system has gone live
Question number
Correct answer
1
C
2
C
3
D
4
D
5
C
6
A
7
B
8
A
9
C
10
D
11
B
12
B
13
D
14
C
15
D
16
C
17
B
18
C
19
B
20
A
21
A
22
D
23
A
24
D
25
A
26
A
27
C
28
B
29
D
30
C
31
B
32
A
33
D
34
A
35
B
36
B
37
C
38
C
39
B
40
A
Aug 8, 2008
Software Testing Certifications
Certification Information for Software QA and Test Engineers CSQE - ASQ (American Society for Quality)’s program for CSQE (Certified Software Quality Engineer) - information on requirements, outline of required 'Body of Knowledge', listing of study references and more.
CSQA/CSTE - QAI (Quality Assurance Institute)'s program for CSQA (Certified Software Quality Analyst) and CSTE (Certified Software Test Engineer) certifications. ISEB Software Testing Certifications -
The British Computer Society maintains a program of 2 levels of certifications -ISEB Foundation Certificate, Practitioner Certificate. ISTQB Certified Tester - The International Software Testing Qualifications Board is a part of the European Organization for Quality - Software Group, based in Germany.
The certifications are based on experience, a training course and test. Two levels are available: Foundation and Advanced.
CSQA/CSTE - QAI (Quality Assurance Institute)'s program for CSQA (Certified Software Quality Analyst) and CSTE (Certified Software Test Engineer) certifications. ISEB Software Testing Certifications -
The British Computer Society maintains a program of 2 levels of certifications -ISEB Foundation Certificate, Practitioner Certificate. ISTQB Certified Tester - The International Software Testing Qualifications Board is a part of the European Organization for Quality - Software Group, based in Germany.
The certifications are based on experience, a training course and test. Two levels are available: Foundation and Advanced.
Types of Test Reports
The documents outlined in the IEEE Standard of Software Test Documentation covers test planning, test specification, and test reporting.
Test reporting covers four document types:
1. A Test Item Transmittal Report identifies the test items being transmitted for testing from the development to the testing group in the event that a formal beginning of test execution is desired Details to be included in the report - Purpose, Outline, Transmittal-Report Identifier, Transmitted Items, Location, Status, and Approvals.
2. A Test Log is used by the test team to record what occurred during test execution Details to be included in the report - Purpose, Outline, Test-Log Identifier, Description, Activity and Event Entries, Execution Description, Procedure Results, Environmental Information, Anomalous Events, Incident-Report Identifiers
3. A Test Incident report describes any event that occurs during the test execution that requires further investigation Details to be included in the report - Purpose, Outline, Test-Incident-Report Identifier, Summary, Impact
4. A Test summary report summarizes the testing activities associated with one or more test-design specifications Details to be included in the report - Purpose, Outline, Test-Summary-Report Identifier, Summary, Variances, Comprehensiveness Assessment, Summary of Results, Summary of Activities, and Approvals
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Test reporting covers four document types:
1. A Test Item Transmittal Report identifies the test items being transmitted for testing from the development to the testing group in the event that a formal beginning of test execution is desired Details to be included in the report - Purpose, Outline, Transmittal-Report Identifier, Transmitted Items, Location, Status, and Approvals.
2. A Test Log is used by the test team to record what occurred during test execution Details to be included in the report - Purpose, Outline, Test-Log Identifier, Description, Activity and Event Entries, Execution Description, Procedure Results, Environmental Information, Anomalous Events, Incident-Report Identifiers
3. A Test Incident report describes any event that occurs during the test execution that requires further investigation Details to be included in the report - Purpose, Outline, Test-Incident-Report Identifier, Summary, Impact
4. A Test summary report summarizes the testing activities associated with one or more test-design specifications Details to be included in the report - Purpose, Outline, Test-Summary-Report Identifier, Summary, Variances, Comprehensiveness Assessment, Summary of Results, Summary of Activities, and Approvals
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ISTQB Sample papers
Question
NOTE: Only one answer per question
1
We split testing into distinct stages primarily because:
a) Each test stage has a different purpose.
b) It is easier to manage testing in stages.
c) We can run different tests in different environments.
d) The more stages we have, the better the testing.
2
Which of the following is likely to benefit most from the use of test tools providing test capture and replay facilities?
a) Regression testing
b) Integration testing
c) System testing
d) User acceptance testing
3
Which of the following statements is NOT correct?
a) A minimal test set that achieves 100% LCSAJ coverage will also achieve 100% branch coverage.
b) A minimal test set that achieves 100% path coverage will also achieve 100% statement coverage.
c) A minimal test set that achieves 100% path coverage will generally detect more faults than one that achieves 100% statement coverage.
d) A minimal test set that achieves 100% statement coverage will generally detect more faults than one that achieves 100% branch coverage.
4
Which of the following requirements is testable?
a) The system shall be user friendly.
b) The safety-critical parts of the system shall contain 0 faults.
c) The response time shall be less than one second for the specified design load.
d) The system shall be built to be portable.
5
Analyse the following highly simplified procedure:
Ask: “What type of ticket do you require, single or return?”
IF the customer wants ‘return’
Ask: “What rate, Standard or Cheap-day?”
IF the customer replies ‘Cheap-day’
Say: “That will be £11:20”
ELSE
Say: “That will be £19:50”
ENDIF
ELSE
Say: “That will be £9:75”
ENDIF
Now decide the minimum number of tests that are needed to ensure that all
the questions have been asked, all combinations have occurred and all
replies given.
a) 3
b) 4
c) 5
d) 6
6
Error guessing:
a) supplements formal test design techniques.
b) can only be used in component, integration and system testing.
c) is only performed in user acceptance testing.
d) is not repeatable and should not be used.
7
Which of the following is NOT true of test coverage criteria?
a) Test coverage criteria can be measured in terms of items exercised by a test suite.
b) A measure of test coverage criteria is the percentage of user requirements covered.
c) A measure of test coverage criteria is the percentage of faults found.
d) Test coverage criteria are often used when specifying test completion criteria.
8
In prioritising what to test, the most important objective is to:
a) find as many faults as possible.
b) test high risk areas.
c) obtain good test coverage.
d) test whatever is easiest to test.
9
Given the following sets of test management terms (v-z), and activity descriptions (1-5), which one of the following best pairs the two sets?
v – test control
w – test monitoring
x - test estimation
y - incident management
z - configuration control
1 - calculation of required test resources
2 - maintenance of record of test results
3 - re-allocation of resources when tests overrun
4 - report on deviation from test plan
5 - tracking of anomalous test results
a) v-3,w-2,x-1,y-5,z-4
b) v-2,w-5,x-1,y-4,z-3
c) v-3,w-4,x-1,y-5,z-2
d) v-2,w-1,x-4,y-3,z-5
10
Which one of the following statements about system testing is NOT true?
a) System tests are often performed by independent teams.
b) Functional testing is used more than structural testing.
c) Faults found during system tests can be very expensive to fix.
d) End-users should be involved in system tests.
11
Which of the following is false?
a) Incidents should always be fixed.
b) An incident occurs when expected and actual results differ.
c) Incidents can be analysed to assist in test process improvement.
d) An incident can be raised against documentation.
12
Enough testing has been performed when:
a) time runs out.
b) the required level of confidence has been achieved.
c) no more faults are found.
d) the users won’t find any serious faults.
13
Which of the following is NOT true of incidents?
a) Incident resolution is the responsibility of the author of the software under test.
b) Incidents may be raised against user requirements.
c) Incidents require investigation and/or correction.
d) Incidents are raised when expected and actual results differ.
14
Which of the following is not described in a unit test standard?
a) syntax testing
b) equivalence partitioning
c) stress testing
d) modified condition/decision coverage
15
Which of the following is false?
a) In a system two different failures may have different severities.
b) A system is necessarily more reliable after debugging for the removal of a fault.
c) A fault need not affect the reliability of a system.
d) Undetected errors may lead to faults and eventually to incorrect behaviour.
16
Which one of the following statements, about capture-replay tools, is NOT correct?
a) They are used to support multi-user testing.
b) They are used to capture and animate user requirements.
c) They are the most frequently purchased types of CAST tool.
d) They capture aspects of user behaviour.
17
How would you estimate the amount of re-testing likely to be required?
a) Metrics from previous similar projects
b) Discussions with the development team
c) Time allocated for regression testing
d) a & b
18
Which of the following is true of the V-model?
a) It states that modules are tested against user requirements.
b) It only models the testing phase.
c) It specifies the test techniques to be used.
d) It includes the verification of designs.
19
The oracle assumption:
a) is that there is some existing system against which test output may be checked.
b) is that the tester can routinely identify the correct outcome of a test.
c) is that the tester knows everything about the software under test.
d) is that the tests are reviewed by experienced testers.
20
Which of the following characterises the cost of faults?
a) They are cheapest to find in the early development phases and the most expensive to fix in the latest test phases.
b) They are easiest to find during system testing but the most expensive to fix then.
c) Faults are cheapest to find in the early development phases but the most expensive to fix then.
d) Although faults are most expensive to find during early development phases, they are cheapest to fix then.
21
Which of the following should NOT normally be an objective for a test?
a) To find faults in the software.
b) To assess whether the software is ready for release.
c) To demonstrate that the software doesn’t work.
d) To prove that the software is correct.
22
Which of the following is a form of functional testing?
a) Boundary value analysis
b) Usability testing
c) Performance testing
d) Security testing
23
Which of the following would NOT normally form part of a test plan?
a) Features to be tested
b) Incident reports
c) Risks
d) Schedule
24
Which of these activities provides the biggest potential cost saving from the use of CAST?
a) Test management
b) Test design
c) Test execution
d) Test planning
25
Which of the following is NOT a white box technique?
a) Statement testing
b) Path testing
c) Data flow testing
d) State transition testing
26
Data flow analysis studies:
a) possible communications bottlenecks in a program.
b) the rate of change of data values as a program executes.
c) the use of data on paths through the code.
d) the intrinsic complexity of the code.
27
In a system designed to work out the tax to be paid:An employee has £4000 of salary tax free. The next £1500 is taxed at 10%The next £28000 is taxed at 22%Any further amount is taxed at 40%To the nearest whole pound, which of these is a valid Boundary Value Analysis test case?
a) £1500
b) £32001
c) £33501
d) £28000
28
An important benefit of code inspections is that they:
a) enable the code to be tested before the execution environment is ready.
b) can be performed by the person who wrote the code.
c) can be performed by inexperienced staff.
d) are cheap to perform.
29
Which of the following is the best source of Expected Outcomes for User Acceptance Test scripts?
a) Actual results
b) Program specification
c) User requirements
d) System specification
30
What is the main difference between a walkthrough and an inspection?
a) An inspection is lead by the author, whilst a walkthrough is lead by a trained moderator.
b) An inspection has a trained leader, whilst a walkthrough has no leader.
c) Authors are not present during inspections, whilst they are during walkthroughs.
d) A walkthrough is lead by the author, whilst an inspection is lead by a trained moderator.
31
Which one of the following describes the major benefit of verification early in the life cycle?
a) It allows the identification of changes in user requirements.
b) It facilitates timely set up of the test environment.
c) It reduces defect multiplication.
d) It allows testers to become involved early in the project.
32
Integration testing in the small:
a) tests the individual components that have been developed.
b) tests interactions between modules or subsystems.
c) only uses components that form part of the live system.
d) tests interfaces to other systems.
33
Static analysis is best described as:
a) the analysis of batch programs.
b) the reviewing of test plans.
c) the analysis of program code.
d) the use of black box testing.
34
Alpha testing is:
a) post-release testing by end user representatives at the developer’s site.
b) the first testing that is performed.
c) pre-release testing by end user representatives at the developer’s site.
d) pre-release testing by end user representatives at their sites.
35
A failure is:
a) found in the software; the result of an error.
b) departure from specified behaviour.
c) an incorrect step, process or data definition in a computer program.
d) a human action that produces an incorrect result.
36
In a system designed to work out the tax to be paid:An employee has £4000 of salary tax free. The next £1500 is taxed at 10%The next £28000 is taxed at 22%Any further amount is taxed at 40%Which of these groups of numbers would fall into the same equivalence class?
a) £4800; £14000; £28000
b) £5200; £5500; £28000
c) £28001; £32000; £35000
d) £5800; £28000; £32000
37
The most important thing about early test design is that it:
a) makes test preparation easier.
b) means inspections are not required.
c) can prevent fault multiplication.
d) will find all faults.
38
Which of the following statements about reviews is true?
a) Reviews cannot be performed on user requirements specifications.
b) Reviews are the least effective way of testing code.
c) Reviews are unlikely to find faults in test plans.
d) Reviews should be performed on specifications, code, and test plans.
39
Test cases are designed during:
a) test recording.
b) test planning.
c) test configuration.
d) test specification.
40
A configuration management system would NOT normally provide:
a) linkage of customer requirements to version numbers.
b) facilities to compare test results with expected results.
c) the precise differences in versions of software component source code.
d) restricted access to the source code library.
Question number
Correct answer
1
A
2
A
3
D
4
C
5
A
6
A
7
C
8
B
9
C
10
D
11
A
12
B
13
A
14
C
15
B
16
B
17
D
18
D
19
B
20
A
21
D
22
A
23
B
24
C
25
D
26
C
27
C
28
A
29
C
30
D
31
C
32
B
33
C
34
C
35
B
36
D
37
C
38
D
39
D
40
B
NOTE: Only one answer per question
1
We split testing into distinct stages primarily because:
a) Each test stage has a different purpose.
b) It is easier to manage testing in stages.
c) We can run different tests in different environments.
d) The more stages we have, the better the testing.
2
Which of the following is likely to benefit most from the use of test tools providing test capture and replay facilities?
a) Regression testing
b) Integration testing
c) System testing
d) User acceptance testing
3
Which of the following statements is NOT correct?
a) A minimal test set that achieves 100% LCSAJ coverage will also achieve 100% branch coverage.
b) A minimal test set that achieves 100% path coverage will also achieve 100% statement coverage.
c) A minimal test set that achieves 100% path coverage will generally detect more faults than one that achieves 100% statement coverage.
d) A minimal test set that achieves 100% statement coverage will generally detect more faults than one that achieves 100% branch coverage.
4
Which of the following requirements is testable?
a) The system shall be user friendly.
b) The safety-critical parts of the system shall contain 0 faults.
c) The response time shall be less than one second for the specified design load.
d) The system shall be built to be portable.
5
Analyse the following highly simplified procedure:
Ask: “What type of ticket do you require, single or return?”
IF the customer wants ‘return’
Ask: “What rate, Standard or Cheap-day?”
IF the customer replies ‘Cheap-day’
Say: “That will be £11:20”
ELSE
Say: “That will be £19:50”
ENDIF
ELSE
Say: “That will be £9:75”
ENDIF
Now decide the minimum number of tests that are needed to ensure that all
the questions have been asked, all combinations have occurred and all
replies given.
a) 3
b) 4
c) 5
d) 6
6
Error guessing:
a) supplements formal test design techniques.
b) can only be used in component, integration and system testing.
c) is only performed in user acceptance testing.
d) is not repeatable and should not be used.
7
Which of the following is NOT true of test coverage criteria?
a) Test coverage criteria can be measured in terms of items exercised by a test suite.
b) A measure of test coverage criteria is the percentage of user requirements covered.
c) A measure of test coverage criteria is the percentage of faults found.
d) Test coverage criteria are often used when specifying test completion criteria.
8
In prioritising what to test, the most important objective is to:
a) find as many faults as possible.
b) test high risk areas.
c) obtain good test coverage.
d) test whatever is easiest to test.
9
Given the following sets of test management terms (v-z), and activity descriptions (1-5), which one of the following best pairs the two sets?
v – test control
w – test monitoring
x - test estimation
y - incident management
z - configuration control
1 - calculation of required test resources
2 - maintenance of record of test results
3 - re-allocation of resources when tests overrun
4 - report on deviation from test plan
5 - tracking of anomalous test results
a) v-3,w-2,x-1,y-5,z-4
b) v-2,w-5,x-1,y-4,z-3
c) v-3,w-4,x-1,y-5,z-2
d) v-2,w-1,x-4,y-3,z-5
10
Which one of the following statements about system testing is NOT true?
a) System tests are often performed by independent teams.
b) Functional testing is used more than structural testing.
c) Faults found during system tests can be very expensive to fix.
d) End-users should be involved in system tests.
11
Which of the following is false?
a) Incidents should always be fixed.
b) An incident occurs when expected and actual results differ.
c) Incidents can be analysed to assist in test process improvement.
d) An incident can be raised against documentation.
12
Enough testing has been performed when:
a) time runs out.
b) the required level of confidence has been achieved.
c) no more faults are found.
d) the users won’t find any serious faults.
13
Which of the following is NOT true of incidents?
a) Incident resolution is the responsibility of the author of the software under test.
b) Incidents may be raised against user requirements.
c) Incidents require investigation and/or correction.
d) Incidents are raised when expected and actual results differ.
14
Which of the following is not described in a unit test standard?
a) syntax testing
b) equivalence partitioning
c) stress testing
d) modified condition/decision coverage
15
Which of the following is false?
a) In a system two different failures may have different severities.
b) A system is necessarily more reliable after debugging for the removal of a fault.
c) A fault need not affect the reliability of a system.
d) Undetected errors may lead to faults and eventually to incorrect behaviour.
16
Which one of the following statements, about capture-replay tools, is NOT correct?
a) They are used to support multi-user testing.
b) They are used to capture and animate user requirements.
c) They are the most frequently purchased types of CAST tool.
d) They capture aspects of user behaviour.
17
How would you estimate the amount of re-testing likely to be required?
a) Metrics from previous similar projects
b) Discussions with the development team
c) Time allocated for regression testing
d) a & b
18
Which of the following is true of the V-model?
a) It states that modules are tested against user requirements.
b) It only models the testing phase.
c) It specifies the test techniques to be used.
d) It includes the verification of designs.
19
The oracle assumption:
a) is that there is some existing system against which test output may be checked.
b) is that the tester can routinely identify the correct outcome of a test.
c) is that the tester knows everything about the software under test.
d) is that the tests are reviewed by experienced testers.
20
Which of the following characterises the cost of faults?
a) They are cheapest to find in the early development phases and the most expensive to fix in the latest test phases.
b) They are easiest to find during system testing but the most expensive to fix then.
c) Faults are cheapest to find in the early development phases but the most expensive to fix then.
d) Although faults are most expensive to find during early development phases, they are cheapest to fix then.
21
Which of the following should NOT normally be an objective for a test?
a) To find faults in the software.
b) To assess whether the software is ready for release.
c) To demonstrate that the software doesn’t work.
d) To prove that the software is correct.
22
Which of the following is a form of functional testing?
a) Boundary value analysis
b) Usability testing
c) Performance testing
d) Security testing
23
Which of the following would NOT normally form part of a test plan?
a) Features to be tested
b) Incident reports
c) Risks
d) Schedule
24
Which of these activities provides the biggest potential cost saving from the use of CAST?
a) Test management
b) Test design
c) Test execution
d) Test planning
25
Which of the following is NOT a white box technique?
a) Statement testing
b) Path testing
c) Data flow testing
d) State transition testing
26
Data flow analysis studies:
a) possible communications bottlenecks in a program.
b) the rate of change of data values as a program executes.
c) the use of data on paths through the code.
d) the intrinsic complexity of the code.
27
In a system designed to work out the tax to be paid:An employee has £4000 of salary tax free. The next £1500 is taxed at 10%The next £28000 is taxed at 22%Any further amount is taxed at 40%To the nearest whole pound, which of these is a valid Boundary Value Analysis test case?
a) £1500
b) £32001
c) £33501
d) £28000
28
An important benefit of code inspections is that they:
a) enable the code to be tested before the execution environment is ready.
b) can be performed by the person who wrote the code.
c) can be performed by inexperienced staff.
d) are cheap to perform.
29
Which of the following is the best source of Expected Outcomes for User Acceptance Test scripts?
a) Actual results
b) Program specification
c) User requirements
d) System specification
30
What is the main difference between a walkthrough and an inspection?
a) An inspection is lead by the author, whilst a walkthrough is lead by a trained moderator.
b) An inspection has a trained leader, whilst a walkthrough has no leader.
c) Authors are not present during inspections, whilst they are during walkthroughs.
d) A walkthrough is lead by the author, whilst an inspection is lead by a trained moderator.
31
Which one of the following describes the major benefit of verification early in the life cycle?
a) It allows the identification of changes in user requirements.
b) It facilitates timely set up of the test environment.
c) It reduces defect multiplication.
d) It allows testers to become involved early in the project.
32
Integration testing in the small:
a) tests the individual components that have been developed.
b) tests interactions between modules or subsystems.
c) only uses components that form part of the live system.
d) tests interfaces to other systems.
33
Static analysis is best described as:
a) the analysis of batch programs.
b) the reviewing of test plans.
c) the analysis of program code.
d) the use of black box testing.
34
Alpha testing is:
a) post-release testing by end user representatives at the developer’s site.
b) the first testing that is performed.
c) pre-release testing by end user representatives at the developer’s site.
d) pre-release testing by end user representatives at their sites.
35
A failure is:
a) found in the software; the result of an error.
b) departure from specified behaviour.
c) an incorrect step, process or data definition in a computer program.
d) a human action that produces an incorrect result.
36
In a system designed to work out the tax to be paid:An employee has £4000 of salary tax free. The next £1500 is taxed at 10%The next £28000 is taxed at 22%Any further amount is taxed at 40%Which of these groups of numbers would fall into the same equivalence class?
a) £4800; £14000; £28000
b) £5200; £5500; £28000
c) £28001; £32000; £35000
d) £5800; £28000; £32000
37
The most important thing about early test design is that it:
a) makes test preparation easier.
b) means inspections are not required.
c) can prevent fault multiplication.
d) will find all faults.
38
Which of the following statements about reviews is true?
a) Reviews cannot be performed on user requirements specifications.
b) Reviews are the least effective way of testing code.
c) Reviews are unlikely to find faults in test plans.
d) Reviews should be performed on specifications, code, and test plans.
39
Test cases are designed during:
a) test recording.
b) test planning.
c) test configuration.
d) test specification.
40
A configuration management system would NOT normally provide:
a) linkage of customer requirements to version numbers.
b) facilities to compare test results with expected results.
c) the precise differences in versions of software component source code.
d) restricted access to the source code library.
Question number
Correct answer
1
A
2
A
3
D
4
C
5
A
6
A
7
C
8
B
9
C
10
D
11
A
12
B
13
A
14
C
15
B
16
B
17
D
18
D
19
B
20
A
21
D
22
A
23
B
24
C
25
D
26
C
27
C
28
A
29
C
30
D
31
C
32
B
33
C
34
C
35
B
36
D
37
C
38
D
39
D
40
B
Jul 7, 2008
TESTING STRATEGY
Test Strategy
Actual writing of a strategy involves aspects, which define other issues between the Testing organization and the client. Testers must basically understand some of the issues that are discussed in the strategy document, which are outlined below.
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Testing Approach
The testing process may take the form of an End-to-End approach or individual segment testing using various values.
End-to-End: The test path uses the entire flow provided in the application for completion of a specified task. Within this process various test conditions and values are covered and results analyzed. There maybe a possibility of reporting several defects relating to the segments while covering the test path. The advantage of using this approach is to minimize combination and permutation of conditions/values and ensure coverage and integration.
Individual Segment Testing: Several conditions and values are identified for testing at the unit level for testing. These are tested as separate cases.
Automation Strategy
Automation of testing process is done to reduce the effort during regression testing. In some cases automating the entire testing process may not possible due to technical and time constraints. The possible automation strategies that could be adopted depending on the type of the project are
Selective: Critical and complex cases are identified. These test cases are generally automated to simplify the testing process and save time.
Complete: As the term suggests, all test cases technically possible are automated.
Performance Strategy
The client specifies the standards for the performance testing. It generally contains
· Response time
· Number of Virtual Users
Using the above information, a Usage Pattern of the application is derived and documented in the strategy. Issues discussed in the performance strategy document are
Resources: Personnel trained in Performance testing tool identified. Datewise utilization of the resources is laid down.
Infrastructure: Generation of virtual users require huge amount of RAM. The performance team should be given a machine, which is suitable for the performance tool.
Report: The type of report that will be generated after the tests are discussed. Reports are ideally in the form of graphs. Reports generated are:
· Detailed Transaction Report (By Virtual user)
· Throughput Graph
· Hits per second Graph
· Transaction per second
· Transaction Response Time Graph
· Transaction Performance Summary Graph
· Transaction Distribution Graph
· Transaction Performance Summary Graph
Risk Analysis
Risk’s associated with projects are analyzed and mitigation’s are documented in this document. Types of risk that are associated are
Schedule Risk: Factors that may affect the schedule of testing are discussed.
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Technology Risk: Risks on the hardware and software of the application are discussed here
Resource Risk: Test team availability on slippage of the project schedule is discussed.
Support Risk: Clarifications required on the specification and availability of personnel for the same is discussed.
Effort Estimation
The function points in the Functional Specifications will be used, as the basis for the purpose of estimating the effort needed for the project. The average of the different estimates from the Peers in the test team will be taken as the basis for calculation of the effort required.
There could be some variation in the planned to actual effort. An effort estimation review will be done by a Senior Consultant to identify gaps, if any.
In case of the UAT, function points are taken from the Business Requirement document.
Infrastructure
Hardware and software requirements for the testing the application are documented. Apart from this, any other requirement should also be documented. Infrastructure that has to be provided by the client is also specified.
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Actual writing of a strategy involves aspects, which define other issues between the Testing organization and the client. Testers must basically understand some of the issues that are discussed in the strategy document, which are outlined below.
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Testing Approach
The testing process may take the form of an End-to-End approach or individual segment testing using various values.
End-to-End: The test path uses the entire flow provided in the application for completion of a specified task. Within this process various test conditions and values are covered and results analyzed. There maybe a possibility of reporting several defects relating to the segments while covering the test path. The advantage of using this approach is to minimize combination and permutation of conditions/values and ensure coverage and integration.
Individual Segment Testing: Several conditions and values are identified for testing at the unit level for testing. These are tested as separate cases.
Automation Strategy
Automation of testing process is done to reduce the effort during regression testing. In some cases automating the entire testing process may not possible due to technical and time constraints. The possible automation strategies that could be adopted depending on the type of the project are
Selective: Critical and complex cases are identified. These test cases are generally automated to simplify the testing process and save time.
Complete: As the term suggests, all test cases technically possible are automated.
Performance Strategy
The client specifies the standards for the performance testing. It generally contains
· Response time
· Number of Virtual Users
Using the above information, a Usage Pattern of the application is derived and documented in the strategy. Issues discussed in the performance strategy document are
Resources: Personnel trained in Performance testing tool identified. Datewise utilization of the resources is laid down.
Infrastructure: Generation of virtual users require huge amount of RAM. The performance team should be given a machine, which is suitable for the performance tool.
Report: The type of report that will be generated after the tests are discussed. Reports are ideally in the form of graphs. Reports generated are:
· Detailed Transaction Report (By Virtual user)
· Throughput Graph
· Hits per second Graph
· Transaction per second
· Transaction Response Time Graph
· Transaction Performance Summary Graph
· Transaction Distribution Graph
· Transaction Performance Summary Graph
Risk Analysis
Risk’s associated with projects are analyzed and mitigation’s are documented in this document. Types of risk that are associated are
Schedule Risk: Factors that may affect the schedule of testing are discussed.
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Technology Risk: Risks on the hardware and software of the application are discussed here
Resource Risk: Test team availability on slippage of the project schedule is discussed.
Support Risk: Clarifications required on the specification and availability of personnel for the same is discussed.
Effort Estimation
The function points in the Functional Specifications will be used, as the basis for the purpose of estimating the effort needed for the project. The average of the different estimates from the Peers in the test team will be taken as the basis for calculation of the effort required.
There could be some variation in the planned to actual effort. An effort estimation review will be done by a Senior Consultant to identify gaps, if any.
In case of the UAT, function points are taken from the Business Requirement document.
Infrastructure
Hardware and software requirements for the testing the application are documented. Apart from this, any other requirement should also be documented. Infrastructure that has to be provided by the client is also specified.
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Jul 6, 2008
Defect Management
WHAT IS A DEFECT?
A Defect is a product anomaly or flaw. Defects include such things as omissions and imperfections found during testing phases. Symptoms (flaws) of faults contained in software that is sufficiently mature for production will be considered as defects. Deviations from expectation that is to be tracked and resolved is also termed a defect.
Types of Defects
Defects that are detected by the tester are classified into categories by the nature of the defect. The following are the classification
Showstopper (X): The impact of the defect is severe and the system cannot go into the production environment without resolving the defect since an interim solution may not be available.
Critical (C): The impact of the defect is severe, however an interim solution is available. The defect should not hinder the test process in any way.
Non critical (N): All defects that are not in the X or C category are deemed to be in the N category. These are also the defects that could potentially be resolved via documentation and user training. These can be Graphic User Interface (GUI) defects are some minor field level observations.
A Defect is a product anomaly or flaw. Defects include such things as omissions and imperfections found during testing phases. Symptoms (flaws) of faults contained in software that is sufficiently mature for production will be considered as defects. Deviations from expectation that is to be tracked and resolved is also termed a defect.
Types of Defects
Defects that are detected by the tester are classified into categories by the nature of the defect. The following are the classification
Showstopper (X): The impact of the defect is severe and the system cannot go into the production environment without resolving the defect since an interim solution may not be available.
Critical (C): The impact of the defect is severe, however an interim solution is available. The defect should not hinder the test process in any way.
Non critical (N): All defects that are not in the X or C category are deemed to be in the N category. These are also the defects that could potentially be resolved via documentation and user training. These can be Graphic User Interface (GUI) defects are some minor field level observations.
Defect Reporting By Tester
Defects or Bugs when detected in the application by the tester must be duly reported through an automated tool. Particulars that have to be filled by a tester are
Defect Id: Number associated with a particular defect, and henceforth referred by its ID
Date of execution: The date on which the test case which resulted in a defect was executed
Defect Category: These are explained in the next section, ideally decided by the test leader
Severity: As explained, it can be Critical, Non-Critical and Showstopper
Module ID: Module in which the defect occurred
Status: Raised, Authorised, Deferred, Fixed, Re-raised, Closed and Duplicate.
Defect description: Description as to how the defect was found, the exact steps that should be taken to simulate the defect, other notes and attachments if any.
Test Case Reference No: The number of the test case and script in combination which resulted in the defect
Owner: The name of the tester who executed the test case
Test case description: The instructions in the test cases for the step in which the error occurred
Expected Result: The expected result after the execution of the instructions in the test case descriptions
History of the defect: Normally taken care of the automated tool used for defect tracking and reporting.
Attachments: The screen shot showing the defect should be captured and attached
Responsibility: Identified team member of the development team for fixing the defect.
Jul 5, 2008
Testing Types
White Box Testing
· Aims to establish that the code works as designed
· Examines the internal structure and implementation of the program
· Target specific paths through the program
· Needs accurate knowledge of the design, implementation and code
Black Box Testing
· Aims to establish that the code meets the requirements
· Tends to be applied later in the lifecycle
· Mainly aimed at finding deviations in behavior from the specification or requirement
· Causes are inputs, effects are observable outputs
Alpha Testing
•Tested at developer site by customer
•Developer "looks over shoulder" and records errors & usage problems
•Tests are conducted in a controlled environment.
Beta Testing
•Conducted at one or more customer sites by end user of software
•Live application environment cannot be controlled by developer
•Customer records all problems encountered and reports to developer at regular intervals.
· Aims to establish that the code works as designed
· Examines the internal structure and implementation of the program
· Target specific paths through the program
· Needs accurate knowledge of the design, implementation and code
Black Box Testing
· Aims to establish that the code meets the requirements
· Tends to be applied later in the lifecycle
· Mainly aimed at finding deviations in behavior from the specification or requirement
· Causes are inputs, effects are observable outputs
Alpha Testing
•Tested at developer site by customer
•Developer "looks over shoulder" and records errors & usage problems
•Tests are conducted in a controlled environment.
Beta Testing
•Conducted at one or more customer sites by end user of software
•Live application environment cannot be controlled by developer
•Customer records all problems encountered and reports to developer at regular intervals.
Parallel Testing
•The new system is used in parallel with the existing system for certain period
•Thorough cross-checking of the outputs and comparison with outputs from existing system.
Important Question/Answer about Testing
What makes a good Software Test engineer?
A good test engineer has a 'test to break' attitude, an ability to take the point of view of the customer, a strong desire for quality, and an attention to detail. Tact and diplomacy are useful in maintaining a cooperative relationship with developers, and an ability to communicate with both technical (developers) and non-technical (customers,management) people is useful. Previous software development experience can be helpful as it provides a deeper understanding of the software development process, gives the tester an appreciation for the developers' point of view, and reduce the learning curve in automated test tool programming. Judgement skills are needed to assess high-risk areas of an application on which to focus testing efforts when time is limited.
What makes a good Software QA engineer?
The same qualities a good tester has are useful for a QA engineer. Additionally, they must be able to understand the entire software development process and how it can fit into the business approach and goals of the organization. Communication skills and the ability to understand various sides of issues are important. In organizations in the early stages of implementing QA processes, patience and diplomacy are especially needed. An ability to find problems as well as to see 'what's missing' is important for inspections and reviews.
What makes a good QA or Test manager?
A good QA, test, or QA/Test(combined) manager should:
• be familiar with the software development process
• be able to maintain enthusiasm of their team and promote a positive atmosphere,despite what is a somewhat 'negative' process (e.g., looking for or preventing problems)
• be able to promote teamwork to increase productivity
• be able to promote cooperation between software, test, and QA engineers
• have the diplomatic skills needed to promote improvements in QA processes
• have the ability to withstand pressures and say 'no' to other managers when
quality is insufficient or QA processes are not being adhered to
• have people judgement skills for hiring and keeping skilled personnel
• be able to communicate with technical and non-technical people, engineers,
managers, and customers.
• be able to run meetings and keep them focused.
What's the role of documentation in QA?
Critical. (Note that documentation can be electronic, not necessarily paper, may be embedded in code comments, etc.) QA practices should be documented such that they are repeatable. Specifications, designs, business rules, inspection reports, configurations, code changes, test plans, test cases, bug reports, user manuals, etc. should all be documented in some form. There should ideally be a system for easily finding and obtaining information and determining what documentation will have a particular piece of information. Change management for documentation should be used if possible.
What's the big deal about 'requirements'?
One of the most reliable methods of ensuring problems, or failure, in a large, complex software project is to have poorly documented requirements specifications. Requirements are the details describing an application's externally-perceived functionality and properties. Requirements should be clear, complete, reasonably detailed, cohesive,attainable, and testable. A non-testable requirement would be, for example, 'user-friendly' (too subjective). A testable requirement would be something like 'the user must enter their previously-assigned password to access the application'. Determining and organizing requirements details in a useful and efficient way can be a difficult effort;
different methods are available depending on the particular project. Many books are available that describe various approaches to this task.
Care should be taken to involve ALL of a project's significant 'customers' in the
requirements process. 'Customers' could be in-house personnel or out, and could include end-users, customer acceptance testers, customer contract officers, customer management, future software maintenance engineers, salespeople, etc. Anyone who could later derail the project if their expectations aren't met should be included if possible.
Organizations vary considerably in their handling of requirements specifications. Ideally,the requirements are spelled out in a document with statements such as 'The product shall.....'. 'Design' specifications should not be confused with 'requirements'; design specifications should be traceable back to the requirements.
In some organizations requirements may end up in high level project plans, functionalspecification documents, in design documents, or in other documents at various levels of detail. No matter what they are called, some type of documentation with detailed requirements will be needed by testers in order to properly plan and execute tests.
Without such documentation, there will be no clear-cut way to determine if a softwareapplication is performing correctly.
'Agile' methods such as XP use methods requiring close interaction and cooperation between programmers and customers/end-users to iteratively develop requirements. In the XP 'test first' approach developmers create automated unit testing code before the application code, and these automated unit tests essentially embody the requirements.
What steps are needed to develop and run software tests?
The following are some of the steps to consider:
• Obtain requirements, functional design, and internal design specifications and
other necessary documents
• Obtain budget and schedule requirements
• Determine project-related personnel and their responsibilities, reporting
requirements, required standards and processes (such as release processes, change processes, etc.)
• Determine project context, relative to the existing quality culture of the
organization and business, and how it might impact testing scope, aproaches, and
methods.
• Identify application's higher-risk aspects, set priorities, and determine scope and limitations of tests
• Determine test approaches and methods - unit, integration, functional, system,
load, usability tests, etc.
• Determine test environment requirements (hardware, software, communications,etc.)
• Determine testware requirements (record/playback tools, coverage analyzers, test tracking, problem/bug tracking, etc.)
• Determine test input data requirements
• Identify tasks, those responsible for tasks, and labor requirements
• Set schedule estimates, timelines, milestones
• Determine input equivalence classes, boundary value analyses, error classes
• Prepare test plan document and have needed reviews/approvals
• Write test cases
• Have needed reviews/inspections/approvals of test cases
• Prepare test environment and testware, obtain needed user manuals/reference
documents/configuration guides/installation guides, set up test tracking processes, set up logging and archiving processes, set up or obtain test input data
• Obtain and install software releases
• Perform tests
• Evaluate and report results
• Track problems/bugs and fixes
• Retest as needed
• Maintain and update test plans, test cases, test environment, and testware through life cycle
What's a 'test plan'?
A software project test plan is a document that describes the objectives, scope, approach,and focus of a software testing effort. The process of preparing a test plan is a useful wayto think through the efforts needed to validate the acceptability of a software product. Thecompleted document will help people outside the test group understand the 'why' and 'how' of product validation. It should be thorough enough to be useful but not so thorough that no one outside the test group will read it. The following are some of the items that might be included in a test plan, depending on the particular project:
• Title
• Identification of software including version/release numbers
• Revision history of document including authors, dates, approvals
• Table of Contents
• Purpose of document, intended audience
• Objective of testing effort
• Software product overview
• Relevant related document list, such as requirements, design documents, other test plans, etc.
• Relevant standards or legal requirements
• Traceability requirements
• Relevant naming conventions and identifier conventions
• Overall software project organization and personnel/contact-info/responsibilties
• Test organization and personnel/contact-info/responsibilities
• Assumptions and dependencies
• Project risk analysis
• Testing priorities and focus
• Scope and limitations of testing
• Test outline - a decomposition of the test approach by test type, feature,
functionality, process, system, module, etc. as applicable
• Outline of data input equivalence classes, boundary value analysis, error classes
• Test environment - hardware, operating systems, other required software, data
configurations, interfaces to other systems
• Test environment validity analysis - differences between the test and production
systems and their impact on test validity.
• Test environment setup and configuration issues
• Software migration processes
• Software CM processes
• Test data setup requirements
• Database setup requirements
• Outline of system-logging/error-logging/other capabilities, and tools such as
screen capture software, that will be used to help describe and report bugs
• Discussion of any specialized software or hardware tools that will be used by
testers to help track the cause or source of bugs
• Test automation - justification and overview
• Test tools to be used, including versions, patches, etc.
• Test script/test code maintenance processes and version control
• Problem tracking and resolution - tools and processes
• Project test metrics to be used
• Reporting requirements and testing deliverables
• Software entrance and exit criteria
• Initial sanity testing period and criteria
• Test suspension and restart criteria
• Personnel allocation
• Personnel pre-training needs
• Test site/location
• Outside test organizations to be utilized and their purpose, responsibilties,
deliverables, contact persons, and coordination issues
• Relevant proprietary, classified, security, and licensing issues.
• Open issues
• Appendix - glossary, acronyms, etc.
What's a 'test case'?
• A test case is a document that describes an input, action, or event and an expected response, to determine if a feature of an application is working correctly.
A test case should contain particulars such as test case identifier, test case name,
objective, test conditions/setup, input data requirements, steps, and expected
results.
• Note that the process of developing test cases can help find problems in the
requirements or design of an application, since it requires completely thinking
through the operation of the application. For this reason, it's useful to prepare test cases early in the development cycle if possible.
What should be done after a bug is found?
The bug needs to be communicated and assigned to developers that can fix it. After the problem is resolved, fixes should be re-tested, and determinations made regarding requirements for regression testing to check that fixes didn't create problems elsewhere. If a problem-tracking system is in place, it should encapsulate these processes. A variety of commercial problem-tracking/management software tools are available :
• Complete information such that developers can understand the bug, get an idea of it's severity, and reproduce it if necessary.
• Bug identifier (number, ID, etc.)
• Current bug status (e.g., 'Released for Retest', 'New', etc.)
• The application name or identifier and version
• The function, module, feature, object, screen, etc. where the bug occurred
• Environment specifics, system, platform, relevant hardware specifics
• Test case name/number/identifier
• One-line bug description
• Full bug description
• Description of steps needed to reproduce the bug if not covered by a test case or if the developer doesn't have easy access to the test case/test script/test tool
• Names and/or descriptions of file/data/messages/etc. used in test
• File excerpts/error messages/log file excerpts/screen shots/test tool logs that
would be helpful in finding the cause of the problem
• Severity estimate (a 5-level range such as 1-5 or 'critical'-to-'low' is common)
• Was the bug reproducible?
• Tester name
• Test date
• Bug reporting date
• Name of developer/group/organization the problem is assigned to
• Description of problem cause
• Description of fix
• Code section/file/module/class/method that was fixed
• Date of fix
• Application version that contains the fix
• Tester responsible for retest
• Retest date
• Retest results
• Regression testing requirements
• Tester responsible for regression tests
• Regression testing results
A reporting or tracking process should enable notification of appropriate personnel at various stages. For instance, testers need to know when retesting is needed, developers need to know when bugs are found and how to get the needed information, and reporting/summary capabilities are needed for managers.
What is 'configuration management'?
Configuration management covers the processes used to control, coordinate, and track:code, requirements, documentation, problems, change requests, designs,
tools/compilers/libraries/patches, changes made to them, and who makes the changes.
What if the software is so buggy it can't really be tested at all?
The best bet in this situation is for the testers to go through the process of reporting whatever bugs or blocking-type problems initially show up, with the focus being on critical bugs. Since this type of problem can severely affect schedules, and indicates deeper problems in the software development process (such as insufficient unit testing or insufficient integration testing, poor design, improper build or release procedures, etc.) managers should be notified, and provided with some documentation as evidence of the problem.
How can it be known when to stop testing?
This can be difficult to determine. Many modern software applications are so complex,and run in such an interdependent environment, that complete testing can never be done.
Common factors in deciding when to stop are:
• Deadlines (release deadlines, testing deadlines, etc.)
• Test cases completed with certain percentage passed
• Test budget depleted
• Coverage of code/functionality/requirements reaches a specified point
• Bug rate falls below a certain level
• Beta or alpha testing period ends
What if there isn't enough time for thorough testing?
Use risk analysis to determine where testing should be focused.
Since it's rarely possible to test every possible aspect of an application, every possible combination of events, every dependency, or everything that could go wrong, risk analysis is appropriate to most software development projects. This requires judgement skills, common sense, and experience. (If warranted, formal methods are also available.)
Considerations can include:
• Which functionality is most important to the project's intended purpose?
• Which functionality is most visible to the user?
• Which functionality has the largest safety impact?
• Which functionality has the largest financial impact on users?
• Which aspects of the application are most important to the customer?
• Which aspects of the application can be tested early in the development cycle?
• Which parts of the code are most complex, and thus most subject to errors?
• Which parts of the application were developed in rush or panic mode?
• Which aspects of similar/related previous projects caused problems?
• Which aspects of similar/related previous projects had large maintenance
expenses?
• Which parts of the requirements and design are unclear or poorly thought out?
• What do the developers think are the highest-risk aspects of the application?
• What kinds of problems would cause the worst publicity?
• What kinds of problems would cause the most customer service complaints?
• What kinds of tests could easily cover multiple functionalities?
• Which tests will have the best high-risk-coverage to time-required ratio?
What if the project isn't big enough to justify extensive testing?
Consider the impact of project errors, not the size of the project. However, if extensive testing is still not justified, risk analysis is again needed and the same considerations as described previously in 'What if there isn't enough time for thorough testing?' apply.
Thetester might then do ad hoc testing, or write up a limited test plan based on the risk analysis.
How does a client/server environment affect testing?
Client/server applications can be quite complex due to the multiple dependencies among clients, data communications, hardware, and servers, especially in multi-tier systems.
Thus testing requirements can be extensive. When time is limited (as it usually is) the focus should be on integration and system testing. Additionally, load/stress/performance testing may be useful in determining client/server application limitations and capabilities.
There are commercial tools to assist with such testing.
How can World Wide Web sites be tested?
Web sites are essentially client/server applications - with web servers and 'browser' clients. Consideration should be given to the interactions between html pages, TCP/IP communications, Internet connections, firewalls, applications that run in web pages (such as applets, javascript, plug-in applications), and applications that run on the server side (such as cgi scripts, database interfaces, logging applications, dynamic page generators, asp, etc.). Additionally, there are a wide variety of servers and browsers, various versions of each, small but sometimes significant differences between them, variations in connection speeds, rapidly changing technologies, and multiple standards and protocols.
The end result is that testing for web sites can become a major ongoing effort. Other considerations might include:
• What are the expected loads on the server (e.g., number of hits per unit time?),
and what kind of performance is required under such loads (such as web server
response time, database query response times). What kinds of tools will be needed
for performance testing (such as web load testing tools, other tools already in
house that can be adapted, web robot downloading tools, etc.)?
• Who is the target audience? What kind of browsers will they be using? What kind
of connection speeds will they by using? Are they intra- organization (thus with
likely high connection speeds and similar browsers) or Internet-wide (thus with a
wide variety of connection speeds and browser types)?
• What kind of performance is expected on the client side (e.g., how fast should
pages appear, how fast should animations, applets, etc. load and run)?
• Will down time for server and content maintenance/upgrades be allowed? how
much?
• What kinds of security (firewalls, encryptions, passwords, etc.) will be required
and what is it expected to do? How can it be tested?
• How reliable are the site's Internet connections required to be? And how does that affect backup system or redundant connection requirements and testing?
• What processes will be required to manage updates to the web site's content, and
what are the requirements for maintaining, tracking, and controlling page content, graphics, links, etc.?
• Which HTML specification will be adhered to? How strictly? What variations
will be allowed for targeted browsers?
• Will there be any standards or requirements for page appearance and/or graphics throughout a site or parts of a site??
• How will internal and external links be validated and updated? how often?
• Can testing be done on the production system, or will a separate test system be
required? How are browser caching, variations in browser option settings, dial-up
connection variabilities, and real-world internet 'traffic congestion' problems to be accounted for in testing?
• How extensive or customized are the server logging and reporting requirements;
are they considered an integral part of the system and do they require testing?
• How are cgi programs, applets, javascripts, ActiveX components, etc. to be
maintained, tracked, controlled, and tested?
• Pages should be 3-5 screens max unless content is tightly focused on a single
topic. If larger, provide internal links within the page.
• The page layouts and design elements should be consistent throughout a site, so
that it's clear to the user that they're still within a site.
• Pages should be as browser-independent as possible, or pages should be provided or generated based on the browser-type.
• All pages should have links external to the page; there should be no dead-end
pages.
• The page owner, revision date, and a link to a contact person or organization
should be included on each page.
A good test engineer has a 'test to break' attitude, an ability to take the point of view of the customer, a strong desire for quality, and an attention to detail. Tact and diplomacy are useful in maintaining a cooperative relationship with developers, and an ability to communicate with both technical (developers) and non-technical (customers,management) people is useful. Previous software development experience can be helpful as it provides a deeper understanding of the software development process, gives the tester an appreciation for the developers' point of view, and reduce the learning curve in automated test tool programming. Judgement skills are needed to assess high-risk areas of an application on which to focus testing efforts when time is limited.
What makes a good Software QA engineer?
The same qualities a good tester has are useful for a QA engineer. Additionally, they must be able to understand the entire software development process and how it can fit into the business approach and goals of the organization. Communication skills and the ability to understand various sides of issues are important. In organizations in the early stages of implementing QA processes, patience and diplomacy are especially needed. An ability to find problems as well as to see 'what's missing' is important for inspections and reviews.
What makes a good QA or Test manager?
A good QA, test, or QA/Test(combined) manager should:
• be familiar with the software development process
• be able to maintain enthusiasm of their team and promote a positive atmosphere,despite what is a somewhat 'negative' process (e.g., looking for or preventing problems)
• be able to promote teamwork to increase productivity
• be able to promote cooperation between software, test, and QA engineers
• have the diplomatic skills needed to promote improvements in QA processes
• have the ability to withstand pressures and say 'no' to other managers when
quality is insufficient or QA processes are not being adhered to
• have people judgement skills for hiring and keeping skilled personnel
• be able to communicate with technical and non-technical people, engineers,
managers, and customers.
• be able to run meetings and keep them focused.
What's the role of documentation in QA?
Critical. (Note that documentation can be electronic, not necessarily paper, may be embedded in code comments, etc.) QA practices should be documented such that they are repeatable. Specifications, designs, business rules, inspection reports, configurations, code changes, test plans, test cases, bug reports, user manuals, etc. should all be documented in some form. There should ideally be a system for easily finding and obtaining information and determining what documentation will have a particular piece of information. Change management for documentation should be used if possible.
What's the big deal about 'requirements'?
One of the most reliable methods of ensuring problems, or failure, in a large, complex software project is to have poorly documented requirements specifications. Requirements are the details describing an application's externally-perceived functionality and properties. Requirements should be clear, complete, reasonably detailed, cohesive,attainable, and testable. A non-testable requirement would be, for example, 'user-friendly' (too subjective). A testable requirement would be something like 'the user must enter their previously-assigned password to access the application'. Determining and organizing requirements details in a useful and efficient way can be a difficult effort;
different methods are available depending on the particular project. Many books are available that describe various approaches to this task.
Care should be taken to involve ALL of a project's significant 'customers' in the
requirements process. 'Customers' could be in-house personnel or out, and could include end-users, customer acceptance testers, customer contract officers, customer management, future software maintenance engineers, salespeople, etc. Anyone who could later derail the project if their expectations aren't met should be included if possible.
Organizations vary considerably in their handling of requirements specifications. Ideally,the requirements are spelled out in a document with statements such as 'The product shall.....'. 'Design' specifications should not be confused with 'requirements'; design specifications should be traceable back to the requirements.
In some organizations requirements may end up in high level project plans, functionalspecification documents, in design documents, or in other documents at various levels of detail. No matter what they are called, some type of documentation with detailed requirements will be needed by testers in order to properly plan and execute tests.
Without such documentation, there will be no clear-cut way to determine if a softwareapplication is performing correctly.
'Agile' methods such as XP use methods requiring close interaction and cooperation between programmers and customers/end-users to iteratively develop requirements. In the XP 'test first' approach developmers create automated unit testing code before the application code, and these automated unit tests essentially embody the requirements.
What steps are needed to develop and run software tests?
The following are some of the steps to consider:
• Obtain requirements, functional design, and internal design specifications and
other necessary documents
• Obtain budget and schedule requirements
• Determine project-related personnel and their responsibilities, reporting
requirements, required standards and processes (such as release processes, change processes, etc.)
• Determine project context, relative to the existing quality culture of the
organization and business, and how it might impact testing scope, aproaches, and
methods.
• Identify application's higher-risk aspects, set priorities, and determine scope and limitations of tests
• Determine test approaches and methods - unit, integration, functional, system,
load, usability tests, etc.
• Determine test environment requirements (hardware, software, communications,etc.)
• Determine testware requirements (record/playback tools, coverage analyzers, test tracking, problem/bug tracking, etc.)
• Determine test input data requirements
• Identify tasks, those responsible for tasks, and labor requirements
• Set schedule estimates, timelines, milestones
• Determine input equivalence classes, boundary value analyses, error classes
• Prepare test plan document and have needed reviews/approvals
• Write test cases
• Have needed reviews/inspections/approvals of test cases
• Prepare test environment and testware, obtain needed user manuals/reference
documents/configuration guides/installation guides, set up test tracking processes, set up logging and archiving processes, set up or obtain test input data
• Obtain and install software releases
• Perform tests
• Evaluate and report results
• Track problems/bugs and fixes
• Retest as needed
• Maintain and update test plans, test cases, test environment, and testware through life cycle
What's a 'test plan'?
A software project test plan is a document that describes the objectives, scope, approach,and focus of a software testing effort. The process of preparing a test plan is a useful wayto think through the efforts needed to validate the acceptability of a software product. Thecompleted document will help people outside the test group understand the 'why' and 'how' of product validation. It should be thorough enough to be useful but not so thorough that no one outside the test group will read it. The following are some of the items that might be included in a test plan, depending on the particular project:
• Title
• Identification of software including version/release numbers
• Revision history of document including authors, dates, approvals
• Table of Contents
• Purpose of document, intended audience
• Objective of testing effort
• Software product overview
• Relevant related document list, such as requirements, design documents, other test plans, etc.
• Relevant standards or legal requirements
• Traceability requirements
• Relevant naming conventions and identifier conventions
• Overall software project organization and personnel/contact-info/responsibilties
• Test organization and personnel/contact-info/responsibilities
• Assumptions and dependencies
• Project risk analysis
• Testing priorities and focus
• Scope and limitations of testing
• Test outline - a decomposition of the test approach by test type, feature,
functionality, process, system, module, etc. as applicable
• Outline of data input equivalence classes, boundary value analysis, error classes
• Test environment - hardware, operating systems, other required software, data
configurations, interfaces to other systems
• Test environment validity analysis - differences between the test and production
systems and their impact on test validity.
• Test environment setup and configuration issues
• Software migration processes
• Software CM processes
• Test data setup requirements
• Database setup requirements
• Outline of system-logging/error-logging/other capabilities, and tools such as
screen capture software, that will be used to help describe and report bugs
• Discussion of any specialized software or hardware tools that will be used by
testers to help track the cause or source of bugs
• Test automation - justification and overview
• Test tools to be used, including versions, patches, etc.
• Test script/test code maintenance processes and version control
• Problem tracking and resolution - tools and processes
• Project test metrics to be used
• Reporting requirements and testing deliverables
• Software entrance and exit criteria
• Initial sanity testing period and criteria
• Test suspension and restart criteria
• Personnel allocation
• Personnel pre-training needs
• Test site/location
• Outside test organizations to be utilized and their purpose, responsibilties,
deliverables, contact persons, and coordination issues
• Relevant proprietary, classified, security, and licensing issues.
• Open issues
• Appendix - glossary, acronyms, etc.
What's a 'test case'?
• A test case is a document that describes an input, action, or event and an expected response, to determine if a feature of an application is working correctly.
A test case should contain particulars such as test case identifier, test case name,
objective, test conditions/setup, input data requirements, steps, and expected
results.
• Note that the process of developing test cases can help find problems in the
requirements or design of an application, since it requires completely thinking
through the operation of the application. For this reason, it's useful to prepare test cases early in the development cycle if possible.
What should be done after a bug is found?
The bug needs to be communicated and assigned to developers that can fix it. After the problem is resolved, fixes should be re-tested, and determinations made regarding requirements for regression testing to check that fixes didn't create problems elsewhere. If a problem-tracking system is in place, it should encapsulate these processes. A variety of commercial problem-tracking/management software tools are available :
• Complete information such that developers can understand the bug, get an idea of it's severity, and reproduce it if necessary.
• Bug identifier (number, ID, etc.)
• Current bug status (e.g., 'Released for Retest', 'New', etc.)
• The application name or identifier and version
• The function, module, feature, object, screen, etc. where the bug occurred
• Environment specifics, system, platform, relevant hardware specifics
• Test case name/number/identifier
• One-line bug description
• Full bug description
• Description of steps needed to reproduce the bug if not covered by a test case or if the developer doesn't have easy access to the test case/test script/test tool
• Names and/or descriptions of file/data/messages/etc. used in test
• File excerpts/error messages/log file excerpts/screen shots/test tool logs that
would be helpful in finding the cause of the problem
• Severity estimate (a 5-level range such as 1-5 or 'critical'-to-'low' is common)
• Was the bug reproducible?
• Tester name
• Test date
• Bug reporting date
• Name of developer/group/organization the problem is assigned to
• Description of problem cause
• Description of fix
• Code section/file/module/class/method that was fixed
• Date of fix
• Application version that contains the fix
• Tester responsible for retest
• Retest date
• Retest results
• Regression testing requirements
• Tester responsible for regression tests
• Regression testing results
A reporting or tracking process should enable notification of appropriate personnel at various stages. For instance, testers need to know when retesting is needed, developers need to know when bugs are found and how to get the needed information, and reporting/summary capabilities are needed for managers.
What is 'configuration management'?
Configuration management covers the processes used to control, coordinate, and track:code, requirements, documentation, problems, change requests, designs,
tools/compilers/libraries/patches, changes made to them, and who makes the changes.
What if the software is so buggy it can't really be tested at all?
The best bet in this situation is for the testers to go through the process of reporting whatever bugs or blocking-type problems initially show up, with the focus being on critical bugs. Since this type of problem can severely affect schedules, and indicates deeper problems in the software development process (such as insufficient unit testing or insufficient integration testing, poor design, improper build or release procedures, etc.) managers should be notified, and provided with some documentation as evidence of the problem.
How can it be known when to stop testing?
This can be difficult to determine. Many modern software applications are so complex,and run in such an interdependent environment, that complete testing can never be done.
Common factors in deciding when to stop are:
• Deadlines (release deadlines, testing deadlines, etc.)
• Test cases completed with certain percentage passed
• Test budget depleted
• Coverage of code/functionality/requirements reaches a specified point
• Bug rate falls below a certain level
• Beta or alpha testing period ends
What if there isn't enough time for thorough testing?
Use risk analysis to determine where testing should be focused.
Since it's rarely possible to test every possible aspect of an application, every possible combination of events, every dependency, or everything that could go wrong, risk analysis is appropriate to most software development projects. This requires judgement skills, common sense, and experience. (If warranted, formal methods are also available.)
Considerations can include:
• Which functionality is most important to the project's intended purpose?
• Which functionality is most visible to the user?
• Which functionality has the largest safety impact?
• Which functionality has the largest financial impact on users?
• Which aspects of the application are most important to the customer?
• Which aspects of the application can be tested early in the development cycle?
• Which parts of the code are most complex, and thus most subject to errors?
• Which parts of the application were developed in rush or panic mode?
• Which aspects of similar/related previous projects caused problems?
• Which aspects of similar/related previous projects had large maintenance
expenses?
• Which parts of the requirements and design are unclear or poorly thought out?
• What do the developers think are the highest-risk aspects of the application?
• What kinds of problems would cause the worst publicity?
• What kinds of problems would cause the most customer service complaints?
• What kinds of tests could easily cover multiple functionalities?
• Which tests will have the best high-risk-coverage to time-required ratio?
What if the project isn't big enough to justify extensive testing?
Consider the impact of project errors, not the size of the project. However, if extensive testing is still not justified, risk analysis is again needed and the same considerations as described previously in 'What if there isn't enough time for thorough testing?' apply.
Thetester might then do ad hoc testing, or write up a limited test plan based on the risk analysis.
How does a client/server environment affect testing?
Client/server applications can be quite complex due to the multiple dependencies among clients, data communications, hardware, and servers, especially in multi-tier systems.
Thus testing requirements can be extensive. When time is limited (as it usually is) the focus should be on integration and system testing. Additionally, load/stress/performance testing may be useful in determining client/server application limitations and capabilities.
There are commercial tools to assist with such testing.
How can World Wide Web sites be tested?
Web sites are essentially client/server applications - with web servers and 'browser' clients. Consideration should be given to the interactions between html pages, TCP/IP communications, Internet connections, firewalls, applications that run in web pages (such as applets, javascript, plug-in applications), and applications that run on the server side (such as cgi scripts, database interfaces, logging applications, dynamic page generators, asp, etc.). Additionally, there are a wide variety of servers and browsers, various versions of each, small but sometimes significant differences between them, variations in connection speeds, rapidly changing technologies, and multiple standards and protocols.
The end result is that testing for web sites can become a major ongoing effort. Other considerations might include:
• What are the expected loads on the server (e.g., number of hits per unit time?),
and what kind of performance is required under such loads (such as web server
response time, database query response times). What kinds of tools will be needed
for performance testing (such as web load testing tools, other tools already in
house that can be adapted, web robot downloading tools, etc.)?
• Who is the target audience? What kind of browsers will they be using? What kind
of connection speeds will they by using? Are they intra- organization (thus with
likely high connection speeds and similar browsers) or Internet-wide (thus with a
wide variety of connection speeds and browser types)?
• What kind of performance is expected on the client side (e.g., how fast should
pages appear, how fast should animations, applets, etc. load and run)?
• Will down time for server and content maintenance/upgrades be allowed? how
much?
• What kinds of security (firewalls, encryptions, passwords, etc.) will be required
and what is it expected to do? How can it be tested?
• How reliable are the site's Internet connections required to be? And how does that affect backup system or redundant connection requirements and testing?
• What processes will be required to manage updates to the web site's content, and
what are the requirements for maintaining, tracking, and controlling page content, graphics, links, etc.?
• Which HTML specification will be adhered to? How strictly? What variations
will be allowed for targeted browsers?
• Will there be any standards or requirements for page appearance and/or graphics throughout a site or parts of a site??
• How will internal and external links be validated and updated? how often?
• Can testing be done on the production system, or will a separate test system be
required? How are browser caching, variations in browser option settings, dial-up
connection variabilities, and real-world internet 'traffic congestion' problems to be accounted for in testing?
• How extensive or customized are the server logging and reporting requirements;
are they considered an integral part of the system and do they require testing?
• How are cgi programs, applets, javascripts, ActiveX components, etc. to be
maintained, tracked, controlled, and tested?
• Pages should be 3-5 screens max unless content is tightly focused on a single
topic. If larger, provide internal links within the page.
• The page layouts and design elements should be consistent throughout a site, so
that it's clear to the user that they're still within a site.
• Pages should be as browser-independent as possible, or pages should be provided or generated based on the browser-type.
• All pages should have links external to the page; there should be no dead-end
pages.
• The page owner, revision date, and a link to a contact person or organization
should be included on each page.
TEST PLANNING
What is Plan?
•“A road-map indicating when a work will be done and by whom.”
•Benefits of planning:
»reduces uncertainty
»increases understanding
»improves efficiency by optimum utilisation of resources
»involves people in the project
»helps in monitoring and control..
•A plan is description of events to come
•It is a model of the work to be done
•All plans are dynamic: are subject to change with changing circumstances - this should not be an excuse so as to avoid planning
IF YOU FAIL TO PLAN……. YOU SHOULD PLAN TO FAIL!!
STEPS IN PLANNING
•Identify all the activities and milestones
•Identify the inter-dependencies
•Identify the resources required
•Allocate the resources
•Schedule the activities with start date and end date of each activity
•Specify criteria for completion
•Specify authorities for approvals of deliverables.
Testing Process
Steps In Testing Process
•Establish test objectives
•Generate test ideas
•Design test cases
•Write test cases
•Review test cases
•Execute the tests
•Examine test results
•Repeat the tests (regression).
What Is Verification?
•Disciplined approach to evaluate whether a software product fulfils the requirements or conditions imposed on it (are we building the product right?)
•Method: walkthrough, formal inspection and review of each software product
•Also called static testing..
•Done by systematically reading the contents of a software product with the intention of detecting defects
•Helps in identifying not only presence of defects but also their location
•A ‘filter’ applied at various points during the SDLC to ‘purify’ the product as it progresses through various phases.
What Is Validation?
•Disciplined approach to evaluate whether the final, as-built software product fulfils its specific intended use (are we building the right product?)
•Method: testing each software product at each phase of life cycle using test plans, test cases for properly selected types of tests
•Also called dynamic testing..
•Done by systematically testing a software product with the intention of finding defects
•Helps in identifying the presence of defects, not their location
•Necessary to demonstrate not just that the software is doing what it is supposed to do, but also is not doing what it is not supposed to do
•Establish test objectives
•Generate test ideas
•Design test cases
•Write test cases
•Review test cases
•Execute the tests
•Examine test results
•Repeat the tests (regression).
What Is Verification?
•Disciplined approach to evaluate whether a software product fulfils the requirements or conditions imposed on it (are we building the product right?)
•Method: walkthrough, formal inspection and review of each software product
•Also called static testing..
•Done by systematically reading the contents of a software product with the intention of detecting defects
•Helps in identifying not only presence of defects but also their location
•A ‘filter’ applied at various points during the SDLC to ‘purify’ the product as it progresses through various phases.
What Is Validation?
•Disciplined approach to evaluate whether the final, as-built software product fulfils its specific intended use (are we building the right product?)
•Method: testing each software product at each phase of life cycle using test plans, test cases for properly selected types of tests
•Also called dynamic testing..
•Done by systematically testing a software product with the intention of finding defects
•Helps in identifying the presence of defects, not their location
•Necessary to demonstrate not just that the software is doing what it is supposed to do, but also is not doing what it is not supposed to do
Test Ideas
What Is Test Ideas?
•A test idea is a brief statement that identifies a test that might be useful
•A test idea differs from a test case, in that the test idea contains no specification of the test workings, only the essence of the idea behind the test..
•Test ideas are generators for test cases: potential test cases are derived from a test ideas list
•A key question for the tester or test analyst is which ones are the ones worth trying.
•Test Ideas can be derived from:
»Models
»Specifications
»Customer complaints
»Brainstorm sessions among colleagues
What is Test Idea Catalogue?
•A test-ideas catalogue is a list of related test ideas that are usable under many circumstances.
»For example, the test ideas for numeric input fields can be catalogued together and used for any numeric input field
•In many situations, these catalogs are sufficient test documentation. That is, an experienced tester can often proceed with testing directly from these without creating documented test cases.
•A test idea is a brief statement that identifies a test that might be useful
•A test idea differs from a test case, in that the test idea contains no specification of the test workings, only the essence of the idea behind the test..
•Test ideas are generators for test cases: potential test cases are derived from a test ideas list
•A key question for the tester or test analyst is which ones are the ones worth trying.
•Test Ideas can be derived from:
»Models
»Specifications
»Customer complaints
»Brainstorm sessions among colleagues
What is Test Idea Catalogue?
•A test-ideas catalogue is a list of related test ideas that are usable under many circumstances.
»For example, the test ideas for numeric input fields can be catalogued together and used for any numeric input field
•In many situations, these catalogs are sufficient test documentation. That is, an experienced tester can often proceed with testing directly from these without creating documented test cases.
Software Testing Concepts
What Is Software Testing?
Primary role of testing is not demonstration of correct performance, but the exposure of hidden defects." - G. J. Myers
•It is not sufficient to demonstrate that the software is doing what it is supposed to do.
•It is more important to demonstrate that the software is not doing what it is not supposed to do.
What Testing Actually Is?
•Identifying the differences between expected and actual results
•Process of executing a program (or part of it) with the intention or goal of finding defects
•Detecting specification errors and deviations from the specifications.
Essentials Of Software Testing
•TESTING IS DESTRUCTIVE PROCESS : A CREATIVE DESTRUCTION
•TESTING NEEDS A SADISTIC APPROACH
•If a test does not detect a defect actually present, is it successful or unsuccessful?
•Test that detects a defect is valuable investment: it has helped in improving the product..
•The quality of the test process determines the success of test effort
•The longer the defect remains, the more expensive it is to remove it
•Prevent defect migration by using early life cycle testing techniques..
•Use appropriate software testing tools where required
•Testing is largely a problem of economics
•Exhaustive input testing is impossible..
•Each test case should provide maximum yield (probability that the test case will expose a previously undetected error)
•Investment is measured by the time and cost to produce, execute and verify test and communicate
•Investment is limited by schedule and budget..
•If sole purpose of a test is to validate specifications were implemented, then:
» testing is an unnecessary and unproductive activity
»testing is designed to compensate for ineffective software development
•It is risky to develop software and not test it.
•High pressures to deliver software as quickly as possible: test process must provide maximum value in shortest time..
•Testing is no longer:
»after-programming evaluation
»adjunct to the SDLC
•It is:
»key integral part of EACH phase of SDLC
•Highest payback comes from detecting defects early or preventing defects:
»avoid incorrect design and coding so as to avoid correcting defects later..
•Aim is to reduce the time ‘wasted’ in defect removal: concentrate on defect prevention.
•Misconceptions:
»Anyone can test software: no particular skill is required!
»Testers can test for quality at the end of a project!
»Defects found mean blaming the developers.
•A programmer should avoid testing his or her own program
•A team should avoid testing its own program
•Thoroughly inspect the results of each test
•Establishing that a program does what it is supposed to do is only half the battle:
»The other, more important half is seeing whether the program is doing what it is not supposed to do..
•Good testing MUST examine:
»users’ requirements
»design objectives
»user interface
»internal structure
»AND then execute the code..
Primary role of testing is not demonstration of correct performance, but the exposure of hidden defects." - G. J. Myers
•It is not sufficient to demonstrate that the software is doing what it is supposed to do.
•It is more important to demonstrate that the software is not doing what it is not supposed to do.
What Testing Actually Is?
•Identifying the differences between expected and actual results
•Process of executing a program (or part of it) with the intention or goal of finding defects
•Detecting specification errors and deviations from the specifications.
Essentials Of Software Testing
•TESTING IS DESTRUCTIVE PROCESS : A CREATIVE DESTRUCTION
•TESTING NEEDS A SADISTIC APPROACH
•If a test does not detect a defect actually present, is it successful or unsuccessful?
•Test that detects a defect is valuable investment: it has helped in improving the product..
•The quality of the test process determines the success of test effort
•The longer the defect remains, the more expensive it is to remove it
•Prevent defect migration by using early life cycle testing techniques..
•Use appropriate software testing tools where required
•Testing is largely a problem of economics
•Exhaustive input testing is impossible..
•Each test case should provide maximum yield (probability that the test case will expose a previously undetected error)
•Investment is measured by the time and cost to produce, execute and verify test and communicate
•Investment is limited by schedule and budget..
•If sole purpose of a test is to validate specifications were implemented, then:
» testing is an unnecessary and unproductive activity
»testing is designed to compensate for ineffective software development
•It is risky to develop software and not test it.
•High pressures to deliver software as quickly as possible: test process must provide maximum value in shortest time..
•Testing is no longer:
»after-programming evaluation
»adjunct to the SDLC
•It is:
»key integral part of EACH phase of SDLC
•Highest payback comes from detecting defects early or preventing defects:
»avoid incorrect design and coding so as to avoid correcting defects later..
•Aim is to reduce the time ‘wasted’ in defect removal: concentrate on defect prevention.
•Misconceptions:
»Anyone can test software: no particular skill is required!
»Testers can test for quality at the end of a project!
»Defects found mean blaming the developers.
•A programmer should avoid testing his or her own program
•A team should avoid testing its own program
•Thoroughly inspect the results of each test
•Establishing that a program does what it is supposed to do is only half the battle:
»The other, more important half is seeing whether the program is doing what it is not supposed to do..
•Good testing MUST examine:
»users’ requirements
»design objectives
»user interface
»internal structure
»AND then execute the code..
Principles of Testing
•Testing is not something done as a formality at the end of development; it is done throughout the SDLC to detect defects as early as possible and prevent defect migration to subsequent phases
•SOFTWARE TESTING =
»Verification (Static Testing)
»+
»Validation (Dynamic Testing).
•Good testing does not just happen
•It must be planned
•Automation is not the only answer
•Avoid ‘Anti-testing’ messages.
Quality Basics
What Is Quality?
•A predictable degree of uniformity and dependability at low cost and suited to the market (Dr. Edward Deming)
•Degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfills the requirements (ISO 9000)..
•CONSISTENTLY MEETING AND EXCEEDING CUSTOMER NEEDS IN TERMS OF:
»REQUIREMENTS
»COST
»DELIVERY SCHEDULE
»SERVICE
•A predictable degree of uniformity and dependability at low cost and suited to the market (Dr. Edward Deming)
•Degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfills the requirements (ISO 9000)..
•CONSISTENTLY MEETING AND EXCEEDING CUSTOMER NEEDS IN TERMS OF:
»REQUIREMENTS
»COST
»DELIVERY SCHEDULE
»SERVICE
QUALITY CONTROL
•Part of quality management focussed on fulfilling quality requirements (ISO 9000)
•Process by which product quality is compared against standards and action is taken if there is nonconformance
»Involves detecting and fixing defects (management by outputs)..
•Relates to a product or service
•Verifies whether specific attributes are in or not in a particular product or service
•Identifies defects with the purpose of removing defects.
QUALITY ASSURANCE
•Part of quality management focussed on providing confidence that quality requirements will be fulfilled
•Set of planned and systematic activities to provide confidence that products and services will conform to specified requirements and meets user needs
»Involves preventing defects (management by inputs)..
•Helps establish processes
•Sets up measurement programs to evaluate processes
•Identifies weaknesses in a process and improves them
•Primarily a management responsibility, performed as staff function.
QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Management system to direct and control an organisation with regard to quality (ISO 9000).
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