Master Thesis Seminar: Introducing Structured Testing
Date: June 16, 2008 (Monday) at 10:15
Hanna Färnstrand presenterar sitt arbete som är gjort på Apptus i samverkan
med Sogeti.
Opponenter: Sigurdur Birgisson och Andreas Lundgren
Abstract
Software development often runs on a tight schedule. When facing a fast
approaching deadline, few companies want to spend time on formal test
processes, but would rather focus their effort on adding the required
functionality into the system. Testing is often viewed as a ‘necessary
evil’. However, with testing costs often reaching half of the project costs,
more and more software companies become aware of the advantages of
structuring the test process to save money and at the same time lessen the
risks of releasing faulty products on the market.
This Master’s thesis strives to introduce a structured testing process in a
company where the testing is currently performed ad-hoc. A comparison of
five existing test process framework models was done. Then, a summary of
test process elements viewed as basic in all of the framework models was
drawn up. These elements were considered necessary to introduce in the
start-up phase of the process improvement. An action research was then
performed through interviews, document studies, observations and
questionnaires in order to assess the strong and the weak parts of the
current test process, followed by improvement suggestions to the weak parts.
The improvement actions were influenced by the start-up test process
elements while considering the development process. The result is a set of
templates, diagrams and instructions guiding the user in how to introduce
some first important steps of structured software testing. Some of the
improvement actions were then implemented in a chosen project and later
evaluated.
The introductory test process elements in the improved test process model
include recognizing testing as its own process, early access to test basis,
review of requirements for testability, early test planning, use of test
techniques, test case specification and scripting, defect management and
test reporting.
The difficulties in the studied test process are thought to be common in
immature test processes, and the improved test process elements suggested in
this thesis could thus be generalized for use in other organizations.
The thesis report provides the reader with some basic understanding of the
concepts of software testing. Also, existing models on test process
improvement are described.
Room: E:2405
Last modified Dec 9, 2011 12:59 pm by Mikael.Antic@cs.lth.se
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