Software Testing

ISEB Foundation Certificate Course

Principles of Testing

1 Principles 2 Lifecycle 3 Static testing

4 Dynamic test
5 Management 6 Tools
techniques
Principles

1 2 3 ISEB Foundation Certificate Course

4 5 6

Contents
Why testing is necessary
Fundamental test process
Psychology of testing
Re-testing and regression testing
Expected results
Prioritisation of tests
Testing terminology

■ No generally accepted set of testing

definitions used world wide
■ New standard BS 7925-1
- Glossary of testing terms (emphasis on component
testing)
- most recent
- developed by a working party of the BCS SIGIST
- adopted by the ISEB
What is a “bug”?
■ Error: a human action that produces an
incorrect result
■ Fault: a manifestation of an error in software
- also known as a defect or bug
- if executed, a fault may cause a failure
■ Failure: deviation of the software from its
expected delivery or service
- (found defect)
Failure is an event; fault is a state of
the software, caused by an error
Error - Fault - Failure
A person makes
an error ...

… that creates a
fault in the
software ...

… that can cause

a failure
in operation
Reliability versus faults

■ Reliability: the probability that software will

not cause the failure of the system for a
specified time under specified conditions
- Can a system be fault-free? (zero faults, right first
time)
- Can a software system be reliable but still have
faults?
- Is a “fault-free” software application always
reliable?
Why do faults occur in software?

■ software is written by human beings

- who know something, but not everything
- who have skills, but aren’t perfect
- who do make mistakes (errors)
■ under increasing pressure to deliver to strict
deadlines
- no time to check but assumptions may be wrong
- systems may be incomplete
■ if you have ever written software ...
What do software faults cost?

■ huge sums
- Ariane 5 ($7billion)
- Mariner space probe to Venus ($250m)
- American Airlines ($50m)
■ very little or nothing at all
- minor inconvenience
- no visible or physical detrimental impact
■ software is not “linear”:
- small input may have very large effect
Safety-critical systems

■ software faults can cause death or injury

- radiation treatment kills patients (Therac-25)
- train driver killed
- aircraft crashes (Airbus & Korean Airlines)
- bank system overdraft letters cause suicide
So why is testing necessary?

- because software is likely to have faults

- to learn about the reliability of the software
- to fill the time between delivery of the software and
the release date
- to prove that the software has no faults
- because testing is included in the project plan
- because failures can be very expensive
- to avoid being sued by customers
- to stay in business
 Why not just "test everything"?
Avr. 4 menus
3 options / menu

system has Average: 10 fields / screen

20 screens 2 types input / field
(date as Jan 3 or 3/1)
(number as integer or decimal)
Around 100 possible values

Total for 'exhaustive' testing:

20 x 4 x 3 x 10 x 2 x 100 = 480,000 tests
If 1 second per test, 8000 mins, 133 hrs, 17.7 days
(not counting finger trouble, faults or retest)

10 secs = 34 wks, 1 min = 4 yrs, 10 min = 40 yrs

Exhaustive testing?

■ What is exhaustive testing?

- when all the testers are exhausted
- when all the planned tests have been executed
- exercising all combinations of inputs and
preconditions
■ How much time will exhaustive testing take?
- infinite time
- not much time
- impractical amount of time
How much testing is enough?

- it’s never enough

- when you have done what you planned
- when your customer/user is happy
- when you have proved that the system works
correctly
- when you are confident that the system works
correctly
- it depends on the risks for your system
How much testing?

■
It depends on RISK
- risk of missing important faults
- risk of incurring failure costs
- risk of releasing untested or under-tested software
- risk of losing credibility and market share
- risk of missing a market window
- risk of over-testing, ineffective testing
So little time, so much to test ..

■ test time will always be limited

■
use RISK to determine:
- what to test first
- what to test most
- how thoroughly to test each item } i.e. where to
place emphasis
- what not to test (this time)
■
use RISK to
- allocate the time available for testing by
prioritising testing ...
Most important principle

Prioritise tests
so that,
whenever you stop testing,
you have done the best testing
in the time available.
Testing and quality

■ testing measures software quality

■ testing can find faults; when they are
removed, software quality (and possibly
reliability) is improved
■ what does testing test?
- system function, correctness of operation
- non-functional qualities: reliability, usability,
maintainability, reusability, testability, etc.
Other factors that influence testing

■ contractual requirements
■ legal requirements
■ industry-specific requirements
- e.g. pharmaceutical industry (FDA), compiler
standard tests, safety-critical or safety-related such
as railroad switching, air traffic control

It is difficult to determine
how much testing is enough
but it is not impossible
Principles

1 2 3 ISEB Foundation Certificate Course

4 5 6

Contents
Why testing is necessary
Fundamental test process
Psychology of testing
Re-testing and regression testing
Expected results
Prioritisation of tests
Test Planning - different levels
Test
Policy
Company level
Test
Strategy

High
HighLevel
Level Project level (IEEE 829)
Test
TestPlan
Plan (one for each project)

Detailed Test stage level (IEEE 829)

Detailed
Detailed
Test Plan (one for each stage within a project,
Detailed
Test Plan
Test
TestPlan
Plan e.g. Component, System, etc.)
The test process

Planning (detailed level)

check
specification execution recording
completion
Test planning

■ how the test strategy and project test plan

apply to the software under test
■ document any exceptions to the test strategy
- e.g. only one test case design technique needed for
this functional area because it is less critical
■ other software needed for the tests, such as
stubs and drivers, and environment details
■ set test completion criteria
Test specification

Planning (detailed level)

check
specification execution recording
completion

Identify conditions
Design test cases
Build tests
A good test case
Finds faults
■ effective

■ exemplary
Represents others
■ evolvable
Easy to maintain
■ economic

Cheap to use
 Test specification

■ test specification can be broken down into three

distinct tasks:
1. identify: determine ‘what’ is to be tested (identify
test conditions) and prioritise
2. design: determine ‘how’ the ‘what’ is to be tested
(i.e. design test cases)
3. build: implement the tests (data, scripts, etc.)
Task 1: identify conditions
(determine ‘what’ is to be tested and prioritise)
■ list the conditions that we would like to test:
- use the test design techniques specified in the test plan
- there may be many conditions for each system function
or attribute
- e.g.
• “life assurance for a winter sportsman”
• “number items ordered > 99”
• “date = 29-Feb-2004”
■ prioritise the test conditions
- must ensure most important conditions are covered
Selecting test conditions
Importance

✔
Best set

✘
First set Time
Task 2: design test cases
(determine ‘how’ the ‘what’ is to be tested)
■ design test input and test data
- each test exercises one or more test conditions
■ determine expected results
- predict the outcome of each test case, what is
output, what is changed and what is not changed
■ design sets of tests
- different test sets for different objectives such as
regression, building confidence, and finding faults
 Most important
Designing test cases test conditions
Least important
Importance test conditions
Test cases

Time
Task 3: build test cases
(implement the test cases)
■ prepare test scripts
- less system knowledge tester has the more detailed
the scripts will have to be
- scripts for tools have to specify every detail
■ prepare test data
- data that must exist in files and databases at the start
of the tests
■ prepare expected results
- should be defined before the test is executed
Test execution

Planning (detailed level)

check
specification execution recording
completion
Execution

■ Execute prescribed test cases

- most important ones first
- would not execute all test cases if
• testing only fault fixes
• too many faults found by early test cases
• time pressure
- can be performed manually or automated
Test recording

Planning (detailed level)

check
specification execution recording
completion
Test recording 1

■ The test record contains:

- identities and versions (unambiguously) of
• software under test
• test specifications
■ Follow the plan
- mark off progress on test script
- document actual outcomes from the test
- capture any other ideas you have for new test cases
- note that these records are used to establish that all
test activities have been carried out as specified
Test recording 2

■ Compare actual outcome with expected

outcome. Log discrepancies accordingly:
- software fault
- test fault (e.g. expected results wrong)
- environment or version fault
- test run incorrectly
■ Log coverage levels achieved (for measures
specified as test completion criteria)
■ After the fault has been fixed, repeat the
required test activities (execute, design, plan)
Check test completion

Planning (detailed level)

check
specification execution recording
completion
Check test completion

■ Test completion criteria were specified in the

test plan
■ If not met, need to repeat test activities, e.g.
test specification to design more tests

Coverage too low

check
specification execution recording
completion
Coverage
OK
Test completion criteria

■ Completion or exit criteria apply to all levels of

testing - to determine when to stop
- coverage, using a measurement technique, e.g.
• branch coverage for unit testing
• user requirements
• most frequently used transactions
- faults found (e.g. versus expected)
- cost or time
 Governs the
Comparison of tasks
quality of tests

Planning Intellectual
one-off
Specification activity Good to
activity automate
Execute repeated
many times
Recording Clerical
Principles

1 2 3 ISEB Foundation Certificate Course

4 5 6

Contents
Why testing is necessary
Fundamental test process
Psychology of testing
Re-testing and regression testing
Expected results
Prioritisation of tests
Why test?

■ build confidence
■ prove that the software is correct
■ demonstrate conformance to requirements
■ find faults
■ reduce costs
■ show system meets user needs
■ assess the software quality
Confidence
Confidence
Fault
Faultsfound
found

Time

No faults found = confidence?

 Assessing software quality You think
you are here

Many High Few

Few
Faults Faults
Faults

Low High
Software Quality

Few Test Few

Faults Quality Faults

You may
be here

Low
A traditional testing approach
■ Show that the system:
- does what it should
- doesn't do what it shouldn't
Goal: show working
Success: system works

Fastest achievement: easy test cases

Result: faults left in

A better testing approach

■ Show that the system:

- does what it shouldn't
- doesn't do what it should
Goal: find faults
Success: system fails

Fastest achievement: difficult test cases

Result: fewer faults left in

The testing paradox

Purpose of testing: to find faults

Finding faults destroys confidence
Purpose of testing: destroy confidence

Purpose of testing: build confidence

The best way to build confidence

is to try to destroy it
Who wants to be a tester?

■ A destructive process
■ Bring bad news (“your baby is ugly”)
■ Under worst time pressure (at the end)
■ Need to take a different view, a different
mindset (“What if it isn’t?”, “What could go
wrong?”)
■ How should fault information be
communicated (to authors and managers?)
Tester’s have the right to:
- accurate information about progress and changes
- insight from developers about areas of the software
- delivered code tested to an agreed standard
- be regarded as a professional (no abuse!)
- find faults!
- challenge specifications and test plans
- have reported faults taken seriously (unreproducible)
- make predictions about future fault levels
- improve your own testing process
Testers have responsibility to:

- follow the test plans, scripts etc. as documented

- report faults objectively and factually (no abuse!)
- check tests are correct before reporting s/w faults
- remember it is the software, not the programmer,
that you are testing
- assess risk objectively
- prioritise what you report
- communicate the truth
Independence

■ Test your own work?

- find 30% - 50% of your own faults
- same assumptions and thought processes
- see what you meant or want to see, not what is there
- emotional attachment
• don’t want to find faults
• actively want NOT to find faults
Levels of independence

■ None: tests designed by the person who wrote

the software
■ Tests designed by a different person
■ Tests designed by someone from a different
department or team (e.g. test team)
■ Tests designed by someone from a different
organisation (e.g. agency)
■ Tests generated by a tool (low quality tests?)
Principles

1 2 3 ISEB Foundation Certificate Course

4 5 6

Contents
Why testing is necessary
Fundamental test process
Psychology of testing
Re-testing and regression testing
Expected results
Prioritisation of tests
Re-testing after faults are fixed

■ Run a test, it fails, fault reported

■ New version of software with fault “fixed”
■ Re-run the same test (i.e. re-test)
- must be exactly repeatable
- same environment, versions (except for the software
which has been intentionally changed!)
- same inputs and preconditions
■ If test now passes, fault has been fixed
correctly - or has it?
Re-testing (re-running failed tests)
New faults introduced by the first
fault fix not found during re-testing

x
x

x

Fault now fixed
Re-test to check
Regression test

■ to look for any unexpected side-effects

x
x

x

Can’t guarantee
to find them all
Regression testing 1

■ misnomer: "anti-regression" or "progression"

■ standard set of tests - regression test pack
■ at any level (unit, integration, system,
acceptance)
■ well worth automating
■ a developing asset but needs to be maintained
Regression testing 2

■ Regression tests are performed

- after software changes, including faults fixed
- when the environment changes, even if application
functionality stays the same
- for emergency fixes (possibly a subset)
■ Regression test suites
- evolve over time
- are run often
- may become rather large
Regression testing 3

■ Maintenance of the regression test pack

- eliminate repetitive tests (tests which test the same
test condition)
- combine test cases (e.g. if they are always run
together)
- select a different subset of the full regression suite
to run each time a regression test is needed
- eliminate tests which have not found a fault for a
long time (e.g. old fault fix tests)
Regression testing and automation

■ Test execution tools (e.g. capture replay) are

regression testing tools - they re-execute tests
which have already been executed
■ Once automated, regression tests can be run
as often as desired (e.g. every night)
■ Automating tests is not trivial (generally takes
2 to 10 times longer to automate a test than to
run it manually
■ Don’t automate everything - plan what to
automate first, only automate if worthwhile
Principles

1 2 3 ISEB Foundation Certificate Course

4 5 6

Contents
Why testing is necessary
Fundamental test process
Psychology of testing
Re-testing and regression testing
Expected results
Prioritisation of tests
Expected results

■ Should be predicted in advance as part of the

test design process
- ‘Oracle Assumption’ assumes that correct outcome
can be predicted.
■ Why not just look at what the software does
and assess it at the time?
- subconscious desire for the test to pass - less work
to do, no incident report to write up
- it looks plausible, so it must be OK - less rigorous
than calculating in advance and comparing
 A test expected
inputs outputs

A Program:
3 6?
Read A
IF (A = 8) THEN
PRINT (“10”)
ELSE 8 10?
PRINT (2*A)

Source: Carsten Jorgensen, Delta, Denmark

Principles

1 2 3 ISEB Foundation Certificate Course

4 5 6

Contents
Why testing is necessary
Fundamental test process
Psychology of testing
Re-testing and regression testing
Expected results
Prioritisation of tests
Prioritising tests

■ We can’t test everything

■ There is never enough time to do all the
testing you would like
■ So what testing should you do?
Most important principle

Prioritise tests
so that,
whenever you stop testing,
you have done the best testing
in the time available.
How to prioritise?

■ Possible ranking criteria (all risk based)

- test where a failure would be most severe
- test where failures would be most visible
- test where failures are most likely
- ask the customer to prioritise the requirements
- what is most critical to the customer’s business
- areas changed most often
- areas with most problems in the past
- most complex areas, or technically critical
Principles

1 2 3 ISEB Foundation Certificate Course

4 5 6

Summary: Key Points

Testing is necessary because people make errors
The test process: planning, specification, execution,
recording, checking completion
Independence & relationships are important in testing
Re-test fixes; regression test for the unexpected
Expected results from a specification in advance
Prioritise to do the best testing in the time you have
 Software Testing Foundations

Testing in the Lifecycle

1 Principles 2 Lifecycle 3 Static testing

4 Dynamic test
5 Management 6 Tools
techniques
 Lifecycle

1 2 3 ISEB Foundation Certificate Course

4 5 6

Contents
Models for testing, economics of testing
High level test planning
Component Testing
Integration testing in the small
System testing (non-functional and functional)
Integration testing in the large
Acceptance testing
Maintenance testing
V-Model: test levels
Business Acceptance
Requirements Testing

Project Integration Testing

Specification in the Large

System System
Specification Testing

Design Integration Testing

Specification in the Small

Component
Code
Testing
V-Model: late test design
Tests
Business Acceptance
Requirements Testing
Tests
Project “We don’t have Integration Testing
Specification time to design in the Large
tests early”Tests
System System
Specification Testing
Tests
Design Integration Testing
Specification in the Small
Tests
Component
Code
Testing Design
Tests?
 V-Model: early test design
Tests Tests
Business Acceptance
Requirements Testing
Tests Tests
Project Integration Testing
Specification in the Large
Tests Tests
System System
Specification Testing
Tests Tests
Design Integration Testing
Specification in the Small
Tests Tests
Component
Design Code
Testing Run
Tests Tests
Early test design

■ test design finds faults

■ faults found early are cheaper to fix
■ most significant faults found first
■ faults prevented, not built in
■ no additional effort, re-schedule test design
■ changing requirements caused by test design

Early test design helps to build quality,

stops fault multiplication
Experience report: Phase 1

2 mo 2 mo
Phase 1: Plan
dev test
"has to go in"
but didn't work

Actual
fraught, lots of dev overtime

test 1st mo. users

Quality not
150 faults 50 faults happy
 Experience report: Phase 2

2 mo
22 mo 662wks
mo
Phase
Phase1: Plan mo wks
Phase 2:
2: Plan
Plan dev test
dev
dev test
test "has totest:
go in"
acc
acc test: full
full
but didn't
week work
week (vs
(vs half
half day)
day)

Actual
Actual on
Actual on time
time
fraught, lots of dev overtime
smooth,
smooth, not
not much
much for
for dev
dev to
to do
do

test
test 1st1st
mo. users
Quality
Quality test 1st mo.
mo. not
happy
Quality 150 faults 500 faults happy
happy
50
50 faults
faults 0 faults
faults users!
users!

Source: Simon Barlow & Alan Veitch, Scottish Widows, Feb 96

VV&T
■ Verification
• the process of evaluating a system or component to
determine whether the products of the given
development phase satisfy the conditions imposed
at the start of that phase [BS 7925-1]
■ Validation
• determination of the correctness of the products of
software development with respect to the user
needs and requirements [BS 7925-1]
■ Testing
• the process of exercising software to verify that it
satisfies specified requirements and to detect faults
Verification, Validation and Testing

Validation

Testing
Any

Verification
V-model exercise
The V Model - Exercise
Build Assembly
VD Review VD
Assemblage Test

Build System
DS Review DS
System Test

Build Integration
FD Review FD
Components Test

Build Exceptions:
TD Review TD FUT
Units
Conversion Test
FOS: DN/Gldn
Code TUT
How would you test this spec?

■ A computer program plays chess with one

user. It displays the board and the pieces on
the screen. Moves are made by dragging
pieces.
“Testing is expensive”

■ Compared to what?
■ What is the cost of NOT testing, or of faults
missed that should have been found in test?
- Cost to fix faults escalates the later the fault is found
- Poor quality software costs more to use
• users take more time to understand what to do
• users make more mistakes in using it
• morale suffers
• => lower productivity
■ Do you know what it costs your organisation?
What do software faults cost?

■ Have you ever accidentally destroyed a PC?

- knocked it off your desk?
- poured coffee into the hard disc drive?
- dropped it out of a 2nd storey window?
■ How would you feel?
■ How much would it cost?
 Hypothetical Cost - 1
(Loaded Salary cost: £50/hr)
Fault Cost Developer User
- detect ( .5 hr) £25
- report ( .5 hr) £25
- receive & process (1 hr) £50
- assign & bkgnd (4 hrs) £200
- debug ( .5 hr) £25
- test fault fix ( .5 hr) £25
- regression test (8 hrs) £400

£700 £50
 Hypothetical Cost - 2

Fault Cost Developer User

£700 £50
- update doc'n, CM (2 hrs) £100
- update code library (1 hr) £50
- inform users (1 hr) £50
- admin(10% = 2 hrs) £100
Total (20 hrs) £1000
 Hypothetical Cost - 3
Fault Cost Developer User
£1000 £50
(suppose affects only 5 users)
- work x 2, 1 wk £4000
- fix data (1 day) £350
- pay for fix (3 days maint) £750
- regr test & sign off (2 days) £700
- update doc'n / inform (1 day) £350
- double check + 12% 5 wks £5000
- admin (+7.5%) £800
Totals £1000 £12000
 Cost of fixing faults

1000

100

10

Req Des Test Use

How expensive for you?

■ Do your own calculation

- calculate cost of testing
• people’s time, machines, tools
- calculate cost to fix faults found in testing
- calculate cost to fix faults missed by testing
■ Estimate if no data available
- your figures will be the best your company has!

(10 minutes)
 Lifecycle

1 2 3 ISEB Foundation Certificate Course

4 5 6

Contents
Models for testing, economics of testing
High level test planning
Component Testing
Integration testing in the small
System testing (non-functional and functional)
Integration testing in the large
Acceptance testing
Maintenance testing
 (Before planning for a set of tests)

■ set organisational test strategy

■ identify people to be involved (sponsors,
testers, QA, development, support, et al.)
■ examine the requirements or functional
specifications (test basis)
■ set up the test organisation and infrastructure
■ defining test deliverables & reporting
structure

See: Structured Testing, an introduction to TMap®, Pol & van Veenendaal, 1998
High level test planning

■ What is the purpose of a high level test plan?

- Who does it communicate to?
- Why is it a good idea to have one?
■ What information should be in a high level test
plan?
- What is your standard for contents of a test plan?
- Have you ever forgotten something important?
- What is not included in a test plan?
 Test Plan 1

■ 1 Test Plan Identifier

■ 2 Introduction
- software items and features to be tested
- references to project authorisation, project plan, QA
plan, CM plan, relevant policies & standards
■ 3 Test items
- test items including version/revision level
- how transmitted (net, disc, CD, etc.)
- references to software documentation
Source: ANSI/IEEE Std 829-1998, Test Documentation
Test Plan 2

■ 4 Features to be tested
- identify test design specification / techniques
■ 5 Features not to be tested
- reasons for exclusion
Test Plan 3
■ 6 Approach
- activities, techniques and tools
- detailed enough to estimate
- specify degree of comprehensiveness (e.g.
coverage) and other completion criteria (e.g. faults)
- identify constraints (environment, staff, deadlines)
■ 7 Item Pass/Fail Criteria
■ 8 Suspension criteria and resumption criteria
- for all or parts of testing activities
- which activities must be repeated on resumption
Test Plan 4

■ 9 Test Deliverables
- Test plan
- Test design specification
- Test case specification
- Test procedure specification
- Test item transmittal reports
- Test logs
- Test incident reports
- Test summary reports
Test Plan 5

■ 10 Testing tasks
- including inter-task dependencies & special skills
■ 11 Environment
- physical, hardware, software, tools
- mode of usage, security, office space
■ 12 Responsibilities
- to manage, design, prepare, execute, witness, check,
resolve issues, providing environment, providing
the software to test
Test Plan 6
■ 13 Staffing and Training Needs
■ 14 Schedule
- test milestones in project schedule
- item transmittal milestones
- additional test milestones (environment ready)
- what resources are needed when
■ 15 Risks and Contingencies
- contingency plan for each identified risk
■ 16 Approvals
- names and when approved
 Lifecycle

1 2 3 ISEB Foundation Certificate Course

4 5 6

Contents
Models for testing, economics of testing
High level test planning
Component Testing
Integration testing in the small
System testing (non-functional and functional)
Integration testing in the large
Acceptance testing
Maintenance testing
Component testing

■ lowest level
■ tested in isolation
■ most thorough look at detail
- error handling
- interfaces
■ usually done by programmer
■ also known as unit, module, program testing
 Component test strategy 1

■ specify test design techniques and rationale

- from Section 3 of the standard*
■ specify criteria for test completion and
rationale
- from Section 4 of the standard
■ document the degree of independence for test
design
- component author, another person, from different
section, from different organisation, non-human
*Source: BS 7925-2, Software Component Testing Standard
Component test strategy 2

■ component integration and environment

- isolation, top-down, bottom-up, or mixture
- hardware and software
■ document test process and activities
- including inputs and outputs of each activity
■ affected activities are repeated after any fault
fixes or changes
■ project component test plan
- dependencies between component tests
Component Component
Test Strategy

Test Document
Project
Hierarchy Component
Test Plan

Component
Test Plan
Source: BS 7925-2,
Software Component
Testing Standard, Component
Annex A Test
Specification

Component
Test Report
Component test process
BEGIN

Component
Test Planning

Component
Test Specification

Component
Test Execution

Component
Test Recording

Checking for
Component END
Test Completion
Component test process
BEGIN Component test planning
- how the test strategy and
Component
Test Planning
project test plan apply to
the component under test
Component - any exceptions to the strategy
Test Specification - all software the component
will interact with (e.g. stubs
Component
Test Execution
and drivers

Component
Test Recording

Checking for
Component END
Test Completion
Component test process
BEGIN

Component Component test specification

Test Planning
- test cases are designed
Component using the test case design
Test Specification techniques specified in the
test plan (Section 3)
Component - Test case:
Test Execution
objective
Component initial state of component
Test Recording input
expected outcome
Checking for - test cases should be
Component END
Test Completion repeatable
Component test process
BEGIN

Component
Test Planning

Component
Test Specification
Component test execution
Component - each test case is executed
Test Execution - standard does not specify
whether executed manually
Component
Test Recording or using a test execution
tool
Checking for
Component END
Test Completion
Component test process
Component test recording
BEGIN
- identities & versions of
Component component, test specification
Test Planning - actual outcome recorded &
compared to expected outcome
Component - discrepancies logged
Test Specification
- repeat test activities to establish
Component removal of the discrepancy
Test Execution (fault in test or verify fix)
- record coverage levels achieved
Component for test completion criteria
Test Recording
specified in test plan
Checking for
Component Sufficient
END to show test
Test Completion activities carried out
Component test process
BEGIN

Component Checking for component

Test Planning
test completion
Component - check test records against
Test Specification specified test completion
criteria
Component - if not met, repeat test
Test Execution
activities
Component - may need to repeat test
Test Recording specification to design test
cases to meet completion
Checking for criteria (e.g. white box)
Component END
Test Completion
 Also a measurement
Test design techniques technique? = Yes
= No
■ “Black box” ■ “White box”
- Equivalence partitioning - Statement testing
- Boundary value analysis - Branch / Decision testing
- State transition testing - Data flow testing
- Cause-effect graphing - Branch condition testing
- Syntax testing - Branch condition
- Random testing combination testing
■ How to specify other - Modified condition
techniques decision testing
- LCSAJ testing
 Lifecycle

1 2 3 ISEB Foundation Certificate Course

4 5 6

Contents
Models for testing, economics of testing
High level test planning
Component Testing
Integration testing in the small
System testing (non-functional and functional)
Integration testing in the large
Acceptance testing
Maintenance testing
Integration testing
in the small
■ more than one (tested) component
■ communication between components
■ what the set can perform that is not possible
individually
■ non-functional aspects if possible
■ integration strategy: big-bang vs incremental
(top-down, bottom-up, functional)
■ done by designers, analysts, or
independent testers
Big-Bang Integration

■ In theory:
- if we have already tested components why not just
combine them all at once? Wouldn’t this save time?
- (based on false assumption of no faults)
■ In practice:
- takes longer to locate and fix faults
- re-testing after fixes more extensive
- end result? takes more time
Incremental Integration

■ Baseline 0: tested component

■ Baseline 1: two components
■ Baseline 2: three components, etc.
■ Advantages:
- easier fault location and fix
- easier recovery from disaster / problems
- interfaces should have been tested in component
tests, but ..
- add to tested baseline
Top-Down Integration

■ Baselines:
- baseline 0: component a a
- baseline 1: a + b
b c
- baseline 2: a + b + c
- baseline 3: a + b + c + d
- etc. d e f g
■ Need to call to lower h i j k l m
level components not
yet integrated
n o
■ Stubs: simulate missing
components
Stubs

■ Stub (Baan: dummy sessions) replaces a called

component for integration testing
■ Keep it Simple
- print/display name (I have been called)
- reply to calling module (single value)
- computed reply (variety of values)
- prompt for reply from tester
- search list of replies
- provide timing delay
Pros & cons of top-down approach

■ Advantages:
- critical control structure tested first and most often
- can demonstrate system early (show working
menus)
■ Disadvantages:
- needs stubs
- detail left until last
- may be difficult to "see" detailed output (but should
have been tested in component test)
- may look more finished than it is
Bottom-up Integration

■ Baselines: a
- baseline 0: component n
- baseline 1: n + i b c
- baseline 2: n + i + o
- baseline 3: n + i + o + d d e f g
- etc.
h i j k l m
■ Needs drivers to call
the baseline configuration
n o
■ Also needs stubs
for some baselines
Drivers

■ Driver (Baan: dummy sessions): test harness:

scaffolding
■ specially written or general purpose
(commercial tools)
- invoke baseline
- send any data baseline expects
- receive any data baseline produces (print)
■ each baseline has different requirements from
the test driving software
Pros & cons of bottom-up approach
■ Advantages:
- lowest levels tested first and most thoroughly (but
should have been tested in unit testing)
- good for testing interfaces to external environment
(hardware, network)
- visibility of detail
■ Disadvantages
- no working system until last baseline
- needs both drivers and stubs
- major control problems found last
Minimum Capability Integration
(also called Functional)
■ Baselines: a
- baseline 0: component a
- baseline 1: a + b b c
- baseline 2: a + b + d
- baseline 3: a + b + d + i d e f g
- etc.
h i j k l m
■ Needs stubs
■ Shouldn't need drivers
n o
(if top-down)
Pros & cons of Minimum Capability

■ Advantages:
- control level tested first and most often
- visibility of detail
- real working partial system earliest
■ Disadvantages
- needs stubs
Thread Integration
(also called functional)
■ order of processing some event
determines integration order a
■ interrupt, user transaction b c
■ minimum capability in time
■ advantages: d e f g
- critical processing first
h i j k l m
- early warning of
performance problems
n o
■ disadvantages:
- may need complex drivers and stubs
Integration Guidelines

■ minimise support software needed

■ integrate each component only once
■ each baseline should produce an easily
verifiable result
■ integrate small numbers of components at
once
- one at a time for critical or fault-prone components
- combine simple related components
Integration Planning

■ integration should be planned in the

architectural design phase
■ the integration order then determines the
build order
- components completed in time for their baseline
- component development and integration testing can
be done in parallel - saves time
 Lifecycle

1 2 3 ISEB Foundation Certificate Course

4 5 6

Contents
Models for testing, economics of testing
High level test planning
Component Testing
Integration testing in the small
System testing (non-functional and functional)
Integration testing in the large
Acceptance testing
Maintenance testing
System testing
■ last integration step
■ functional
- functional requirements and requirements-based
testing
- business process-based testing
■ non-functional
- as important as functional requirements
- often poorly specified
- must be tested
■ often done by independent test group
Functional system testing

■ Functional requirements
- a requirement that specifies a function that a system
or system component must perform (ANSI/IEEE
Std 729-1983, Software Engineering Terminology)
■ Functional specification
- the document that describes in detail the
characteristics of the product with regard to its
intended capability (BS 4778 Part 2, BS 7925-1)
Requirements-based testing

■ Uses specification of requirements as the

basis for identifying tests
- table of contents of the requirements spec provides
an initial test inventory of test conditions
- for each section / paragraph / topic / functional area,
• risk analysis to identify most important / critical
• decide how deeply to test each functional area
Business process-based testing
■ Expected user profiles
- what will be used most often?
- what is critical to the business?
■ Business scenarios
- typical business transactions (birth to death)
■ Use cases
- prepared cases based on real situations
Non-functional system testing

■ different types of non-functional system tests:

- usability - configuration / installation
- security - reliability / qualities
- documentation - back-up / recovery
- storage - performance, load, stress
- volume
Performance Tests
■ Timing Tests
- response and service times
- database back-up times
■ Capacity & Volume Tests
- maximum amount or processing rate
- number of records on the system
- graceful degradation
■ Endurance Tests (24-hr operation?)
- robustness of the system
- memory allocation
Multi-User Tests
■ Concurrency Tests
- small numbers, large benefits
- detect record locking problems
■ Load Tests
- the measurement of system behaviour under
realistic multi-user load
■ Stress Tests
- go beyond limits for the system - know what will
happen
- particular relevance for e-commerce
Source: Sue Atkins, Magic Performance Management
Usability Tests

■ messages tailored and meaningful to (real)

users?
■ coherent and consistent interface?
■ sufficient redundancy of critical information?
■ within the "human envelope"? (7±2 choices)
■ feedback (wait messages)?
■ clear mappings (how to escape)?

Who should design / perform these tests?

Security Tests

■ passwords
■ encryption
■ hardware permission devices
■ levels of access to information
■ authorisation
■ covert channels
■ physical security
Configuration and Installation

■ Configuration Tests
- different hardware or software environment
- configuration of the system itself
- upgrade paths - may conflict
■ Installation Tests
- distribution (CD, network, etc.) and timings
- physical aspects: electromagnetic fields, heat,
humidity, motion, chemicals, power supplies
- uninstall (removing installation)
Reliability / Qualities

■ Reliability
- "system will be reliable" - how to test this?
- "2 failures per year over ten years"
- Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF)
- reliability growth models
■ Other Qualities
- maintainability, portability, adaptability, etc.
Back-up and Recovery

■ Back-ups
- computer functions
- manual procedures (where are tapes stored)
■ Recovery
- real test of back-up
- manual procedures unfamiliar
- should be regularly rehearsed
- documentation should be detailed, clear and
thorough
Documentation Testing

■ Documentation review
- check for accuracy against other documents
- gain consensus about content
- documentation exists, in right format
■ Documentation tests
- is it usable? does it work?
- user manual
- maintenance documentation
 Lifecycle

1 2 3 ISEB Foundation Certificate Course

4 5 6

Contents
Models for testing, economics of testing
High level test planning
Component Testing
Integration testing in the small
System testing (non-functional and functional)
Integration testing in the large
Acceptance testing
Maintenance testing
Integration testing in the large

■ Tests the completed system working in

conjunction with other systems, e.g.
- LAN / WAN, communications middleware
- other internal systems (billing, stock, personnel,
overnight batch, branch offices, other countries)
- external systems (stock exchange, news, suppliers)
- intranet, internet / www
- 3rd party packages
- electronic data interchange (EDI)
Approach

■ Identify risks
- which areas missing or malfunctioning would be
most critical - test them first
■ “Divide and conquer”
- test the outside first (at the interface to your system,
e.g. test a package on its own)
- test the connections one at a time first
(your system and one other)
- combine incrementally - safer than “big bang”
(non-incremental)
Planning considerations

■ resources
- identify the resources that will be needed
(e.g. networks)
■ co-operation
- plan co-operation with other organisations
(e.g. suppliers, technical support team)
■ development plan
- integration (in the large) test plan could influence
development plan (e.g. conversion software needed
early on to exchange data formats)
 Lifecycle

1 2 3 ISEB Foundation Certificate Course

4 5 6

Contents
Models for testing, economics of testing
High level test planning
Component Testing
Integration testing in the small
System testing (non-functional and functional)
Integration testing in the large
Acceptance testing
Maintenance testing
User acceptance testing

■ Final stage of validation

- customer (user) should perform or be closely
involved
- customer can perform any test they wish, usually
based on their business processes
- final user sign-off
■ Approach
- mixture of scripted and unscripted testing
- ‘Model Office’ concept sometimes used
Why customer / user involvement

■ Users know:
- what really happens in business situations
- complexity of business relationships
- how users would do their work using the system
- variants to standard tasks (e.g. country-specific)
- examples of real cases
- how to identify sensible work-arounds

Benefit: detailed understanding of the new system

User Acceptance testing
Acceptance testing
distributed over
this line

80% of function
by 20% of code
20% of function
by 80% of code

System testing
distributed over
this line
Contract acceptance testing

■ Contract to supply a software system

- agreed at contract definition stage
- acceptance criteria defined and agreed
- may not have kept up to date with changes
■ Contract acceptance testing is against the
contract and any documented agreed changes
- not what the users wish they had asked for!
- this system, not wish system
Alpha and Beta tests: similarities

■ Testing by [potential] customers or

representatives of your market
- not suitable for bespoke software
■ When software is stable
■ Use the product in a realistic way in its
operational environment
■ Give comments back on the product
- faults found
- how the product meets their expectations
- improvement / enhancement suggestions?
Alpha and Beta tests: differences

■ Alpha testing
- simulated or actual operational testing at an in-
house site not otherwise involved with the software
developers (i.e. developers’ site)
■ Beta testing
■ operational testing at a site not otherwise involved
with the software developers (i.e. testers’ site,
their own location)
Acceptance testing motto

If you don't have patience to test the system

the system will surely test your patience

 Lifecycle

1 2 3 ISEB Foundation Certificate Course

4 5 6

Contents
Models for testing, economics of testing
High level test planning
Component Testing
Integration testing in the small
System testing (non-functional and functional)
Integration testing in the large
Acceptance testing
Maintenance testing
Maintenance testing

■ Testing to preserve quality:

- different sequence
• development testing executed bottom-up
• maintenance testing executed top-down
• different test data (live profile)
- breadth tests to establish overall confidence
- depth tests to investigate changes and critical areas
- predominantly regression testing
What to test in maintenance testing

■ Test any new or changed code

■ Impact analysis
- what could this change have an impact on?
- how important is a fault in the impacted area?
- test what has been affected, but how much?
• most important affected areas?
• areas most likely to be affected?
• whole system?
■ The answer: “It depends”
Poor or missing specifications

■ Consider what the system should do

- talk with users
■ Document your assumptions
- ensure other people have the opportunity to review
them
■ Improve the current situation
- document what you do know and find out
■ Track cost of working with poor specifications
- to make business case for better specifications
What should the system do?

■ Alternatives
- the way the system works now must be right (except
for the specific change) - use existing system as the
baseline for regression tests
- look in user manuals or guides (if they exist)
- ask the experts - the current users
■ Without a specification, you cannot really test,
only explore. You can validate, but not verify.
 Lifecycle

1 2 3 ISEB Foundation Certificate Course

4 5 6

Summary: Key Points

V-model shows test levels, early test design
High level test planning
Component testing using the standard
Integration testing in the small: strategies
System testing (non-functional and functional)
Integration testing in the large
Acceptance testing: user responsibility
Maintenance testing to preserve quality