PDCA/Test

William Lewis

• Publisher: Auerbach Publications
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9780849399800
• eBook ISBN: 9781000170139
• Topic: Computer Science
• Subtopic: Information Technology
• Index: Computer Science

Most manuals assume software testing is being performed as part of a well-defined, structured development cycle based on clearly stated requirements and standards. Unfortunately, this is not often the case in the real world. Indeed, the one true constant in software development is change. PDCA/TEST presents a continuous quality framework bas

Section IV

Modern Testing Tools

Recent advances in client-server software tools enable developers to build applications quickly and with increased functionality. Quality assurance departments must cope with software that is dramatically improved, but increasingly complex. Testing tools have been developed to aid in the quality assurance process.

The objectives of this section are to:

• Describe when a testing tool is useful

• Describe when not to use a testing tool

• Provide a testing tool selection checklist

• Discuss types of testing tools

• Provide descriptions of modern and popular testing tools

• Describe a methodology to evaluate testing tools

Part 20

Introduction to Testing Tools

The objective of this section is to provide an overview of some popular test tools and demonstrate how they can improve the quality and productivity of a development effort.

JUSTIFYING TESTING TOOLS

There are numerous testing tools, each with specific capabilities and test objectives. The selection of the best testing tool for a particular development environment is a critical success factor for the testing activities. However, if the right testing tool is not selected and/or the organization is not positioned for a testing tool, it can easily become “shelfware,” as testing tools require a learning curve, skills, standards, and must be integrated into the development methodology.

When to Consider Using a Testing Tool

A testing tool should be considered based on the test objectives. As a general guideline, one should investigate the appropriateness of a testing tool when the human manual process is inadequate. For example, if a system needs to be stress tested, a group of testers could simultaneously logon to the system and attempt to simulate peak loads using stopwatches. However, this approach has limitations. One cannot systematically measure the performance precisely or repeatably. For this case, a load testing tool can simulate several virtual users under controlled stress conditions.

A regression testing tool might be needed under the following circumstances:

• Tests need to be run at every build of an application, e.g., time consuming, unreliable and inconsistent use of human resources

• Tests are required using multiple data values for the same actions

• Tests require detailed information from system internals such as SQL, GUI attributes

• There is a need to stress a system to see how it performs

Testing tools have the following benefits:

• Speedy and much faster then their human counterpart

• Run unattended without human intervention

• Provide code coverage analysis after a test run

• Precisely repeatable

• Reusable, just as programming subroutines

• Programmable

When to Not Consider Using a Testing Tool

Contrary to popular belief, it is not always wise to purchase a testing tool. Some factors that limit a testing tool include:

• Cost

A testing tool may not be affordable to the organization, e.g., the cost/performance tradeoff

• Culture

The development culture may not be ready for a testing tool, because it requires the proper skills and commitment to long-term quality

• Usability testing

There are no automated testing tools that can test usability

• One-time testing

If the test is going to be performed only once, a testing tool may not be worth the required time and expense

• ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• About the Author
• Acknowledgments
• Table of Contents
• Introduction
• Section I Software quality in Perspective
• Section II Life Cycle Testing Review
• Section III Client-Server and Internet Testing Methodology
• Section IV Modern Testing Tools
• Glossary
• Bibliography
• Index