Reliability Driven Software Test

Objectives

This course is designed to intentionally cover the testing strategies that have been found correlated to fewer escape defects.  For example, when software testers start writing the test plan as soon as the SRS is reviewable the software has on average half as many fielded defects than when they wait until later in the life cycle.  Traditional testing methods focus on traceability after the tests have been run.  This class will focus on traceability and coverage from the very beginning of the test process.

Prerequisites

                Basic knowledge or experience with software development or testing.

Tools/Equipment required

                A computer for every 2 students is nice to have but not required.

Outline

Getting started /introductions (15 minutes)

•     Understand the difference between developer and system level testing

•     Understand the difference between and white box, grey box and black box test

Developer level testing  (3.5 hours with breaks)

a)      How to determine what to test, when to test , the expected coverage and the tools that you will need

b)      White box tests               

• Path/Logic

• Domain/Boundary

• Mathematical testing

• Examples

c)       Grey box tests

• Design verification

• Unit level exceptions

• Examples

d)      Things that you shouldn’t do during developer testing

e)      Tools that you can use for white and grey box testing

System level testing (3.5 hours)

a)      When to start the test plan

• Know how to review the Software Requirements Spec (SRS)

• Know how to translate the SRS to a test strategy

• Know how to streamline the plans and reports to support traceability

• Know how to streamline the plans and reports to easily estimate coverage

• Know how to order the test plan so that most critical tests are run first

b)      Know what to put in the test plan and when to test

• Requirements validation

• Use cases

• State transitions/timing/sequence

• Stress

• System level exceptions

• Performance

• Special tests

• Client/Server

• Database

• Web

• Examples

c)       Things that you should not do with regards to systems testing

d)      Tools that you can use for testing

Know when to stop testing (.5 hours)

•  How to establish entrance and exit criteria for developer and systems level testing

•  Metrics that are useful to determining when to stop testing

Closing and Q&A (.5 hours)

About the instructor