TestGoal (eBook)

Derk-Jan de Grood has broad, hands-on experience as a test engineer, test manager and advisor in a large range of industries. As manager of a test department he learned how to implement test methods the practical way. He gives lectures at various Dutch universities and is author of the first educational book specially written for teaching software testing at Dutch universities. As an ISTQB/ISEB practitioner certified test manager, he coaches the test experts of Collis. Besides that, he is a passionate, inspiring speaker at major testing conferences all over the world such as the STAR conferences in the USA and Europe

Preface by Lee Copeland 5
Preface by Martin Pol 7
Acknowledgements 9
Content 11
Introduction 19
1 Result-driven Testing 25
1.1 The Importance of IT 25
1.2 A Statement about Quality 27
1.3 The Perception of Testing 30
1.4 A Common Goal 31
1.5 Tying in with the Business 34
1.6 Result-driven Testing 35
1.7 Focus on the Goal 37
2 TestGoal and the Ten Test Principles 39
2.1 Test Principles 39
2.2 Focus on Result 40
2.3 Build Trust 41
2.4 Take Responsibility 43
2.5 Master the Testing Profession 44
2.6 Build Bridges 46
2.7 Test in Phases 47
2.8 Facilitate the Entire Product Life Cycle 48
2.9 Provide Overview and Insight 49
2.10 Ensure Reusability 51
2.11 Keep in Mind: Testing is Fun 52
2.12 Applying the Test Principles 53
3 Test Expertise 55
3.1 The Test Manager 56
3.2 The Test Coordinator 56
3.3 The Test Analyst 57
3.4 The Test Engineer 57
3.5 The Test Specialist 57
4 The Approach 61
4.1 Context of the Test Project 62
4.2 Test Levels 66
4.3 The Details of the Test Project 68
4.4 Testing a New Program 71
4.5 Testing in a Maintenance Environment 85
4.6 Testing Conformity and Interoperability 89
4.7 Testing Performance 95
4.8 Testing Security 101
5 Getting Started 107
6 Assessing the Anticipated Goal 111
6.1 Introduction 111
6.2 Aim of the Assessment 112
6.3 Goal Description 114
6.4 Information Gathering 117
7 Test Risk Analysis 125
7.1 Introduction 125
7.2 The 1D Test Risk Analysis 128
7.3 The 2D Test Risk Analysis 137
8 Generic Test Strategy 143
8.1 Introduction 143
8.2 The Generic Test Strategy 144
8.3 Test Strategy in the DTP and MTP 147
9 Test Budget and Planning 149
9.1 Introduction 149
9.2 Create the Test Budget 150
9.3 Test Planning 161
9.4 Key Indicators 165
10 Test Plan 167
10.1 Introduction 167
10.2 Description of the Assignment 169
10.3 Test Base 170
10.4 Test Strategy 172
10.5 Planning 190
10.6 Test Organization 191
10.7 Deliverables 194
10.8 Requisites for the Test Process 195
10.9 Changes and Deviations 195
11 Sanity Check 199
11.1 Introduction 199
11.2 Filling out the Sanity Check Checklist 200
11.3 Continuous Learning 202
11.4 Test Base Review 202
11.5 Registration 204
11.6 Formal Review and Inspection Procedures 205
12 Logical Test Design 207
12.1 Introduction 207
12.2 Test Design Techniques 209
12.3 Use Test Design Techniques Cleverly 215
12.4 Little Experience with Test Design Techniques? 215
12.5 No Test Design Techniques 216
12.6 Using Test Design Techniques 217
12.7 Test Design Techniques and Security Testing 258
13 The Physical Test Design 261
13.1 Introduction 261
13.2 Relationship Between the TRA and the Logical Test Design 261
13.3 Physical Test Case 262
13.4 Test Actions 267
13.5 The Physical Test Scenario 269
13.6 Test Data 270
14 Test Data 271
14.1 Test Data Elements 271
14.2 Test Data Repository 273
14.3 Live Data Versus Test Data 274
14.4 Test Data Management Strategy 275
14.5 Including Data in the Physical Test Design 278
14.6 Automated Tests 279
14.7 Test Data and Exploratory Testing 280
14.8 Back-up and Restore 280
15 Test Environment 281
15.1 Introduction 281
15.2 Determine the Requirements of the Test Environment 282
15.3 Test Environment Requirements Checklist 291
15.4 Setting up the Test Environment 294
15.5 Configuration and Smoke Test 295
15.6 Maintaining the Test Environment 296
16 Test Automation 301
16.1 Introduction 301
16.2 What is Test Automation? 302
16.3 Dynamic Test Tools 302
16.4 Static Test Tools 306
16.5 Supporting Tools 306
16.6 Test Automation: Yes/No 307
16.7 Developing Test Scripts 309
16.8 Automated Testing for Systems with More Than One Interface 313
17 Smoke Test 317
17.1 Introduction 317
17.2 Filling out the Checklist 319
17.3 Maintaining the Checklist 320
18 Test Execution 323
18.1 Test Execution and its Activities 323
18.2 Activities During the Test Execution 325
18.3 Test Run and Regression Tests 327
18.4 Leaving the Beaten Track 329
18.5 When is Testing Finished? 330
19 Error Logging and Management 333
19.1 Introduction 333
19.2 Filling out the Error Log 334
19.3 Error Attributes 335
19.4 Error Management 340
20 Test Reporting 345
20.1 Introduction 345
20.2 Elements in the Test Report 347
20.3 The Dashboard 364
20.4 Clarity of the Test Report 366
21 Assurance 373
21.1 Introduction 373
21.2 Evaluating the Test Project 373
21.3 Determining the Regression Test Set 377
21.4 Archiving and Securing the Testware 378
21.5 Handover 378
21.6 Discharging the Test Team 379
Appendix A – Checklist: Sanity Check on the Design 381
A.1 Conclusion 381
A.2 Result 382
A.3 Control 382
A.4 Structure 382
A.5 Content 383
Appendix B – Checklist: Sanity Check on the Testware 387
B.1 Conclusion 387
B.2 Result 388
B.3 Logical tests 388
B.4 Physical test 389
B.5 Test cases 389
B.6 Test tools 390
Appendix C – Checklist: Checklist smoke test system 391
C.1 Conclusion 391
C.2 Delivered products 392
C.3 General 392
C.4 QuickScan 392
Appendix D – Checklist: Test charter exploratory testing 393
D.1 Preparation 393
D.2 Test log 394
D.3 Errors 394
Appendix E – Glossary 395
References 413
Index 417