[cena]

· Pilot Testing: Testing that involves the users just before actual release to ensure that users become familiar with the release contents and ultimately accept it. Typically involves many users, is conducted over a short period of time and is tightly controlled. (See beta testing)
· Parallel/Audit Testing: Testing where the user reconciles the output of the new system to the output of the current system to verify the new system performs the operations correctly.
· Glass Box/Open Box Testing: Glass box testing is the same as white box testing. It is a testing approach that examines the application's program structure, and derives test cases from the application's program logic.
· Closed Box Testing: Closed box testing is same as black box testing. A type of testing that considers only the functionality of the application.
· Bottom-up Testing: Bottom-up testing is a technique for integration testing. A test engineer creates and uses test drivers for components that have not yet been developed, because, with bottom-up testing, low-level components are tested first. The objective of bottom-up testing is to call low-level components first, for testing purposes.
· Smoke Testing: A random test conducted before the delivery and after complete testing.

Testing Terms

· Bug: A software bug may be defined as a coding error that causes an unexpected defect, fault or flaw. In other words, if a program does not perform as intended, it is most likely a bug.
· Error: A mismatch between the program and its specification is an error in the program.
· Defect: Defect is the variance from a desired product attribute (it can be a wrong, missing or extra data). It can be of two types – Defect from the product or a variance from customer/user expectations. It is a flaw in the software system and has no impact until it affects the user/customer and operational system. 90% of all the defects can be caused by process problems.
· Failure: A defect that causes an error in operation or negatively impacts a user/ customer.
· Quality Assurance: Is oriented towards preventing defects. Quality Assurance ensures all parties concerned with the project adhere to the process and procedures, standards and templates and test readiness reviews.
· Quality Control: quality control or quality engineering is a set of measures taken to ensure that defective products or services are not produced, and that the design meets performance requirements.
· Verification: Verification ensures the product is designed to deliver all functionality to the customer; it typically involves reviews and meetings to evaluate documents, plans, code, requirements and specifications; this can be done with checklists, issues lists, walkthroughs and inspection meetings.
· Validation: Validation ensures that functionality, as defined in requirements, is the intended behavior of the product; validation typically involves actual testing and takes place after verifications are completed. [/size]


4. Most common software errors

Following are the most common software errors that aid you in software testing. This helps you to identify errors systematically and increases the efficiency and productivity of software testing.

Types of errors with examples

· User Interface Errors: Missing/Wrong Functions, Doesn’t do what the user expects, Missing information, Misleading, Confusing information, Wrong content in Help text, Inappropriate error messages. Performance issues - Poor responsiveness, Can't redirect output, Inappropriate use of key board
· Error Handling: Inadequate - protection against corrupted data, tests of user input, version control; Ignores – overflow, data comparison, Error recovery – aborting errors, recovery from hardware problems.
· Boundary related errors: Boundaries in loop, space, time, memory, mishandling of cases outside boundary.
· Calculation errors: Bad Logic, Bad Arithmetic, Outdated constants, Calculation errors, Incorrect conversion from one data representation to another, Wrong formula, Incorrect approximation.
· Initial and Later states: Failure to - set data item to zero, to initialize a loop-control variable, or re-initialize a pointer, to clear a string or flag, Incorrect initialization.
· Control flow errors: Wrong returning state assumed, Exception handling based exits, Stack underflow/overflow, Failure to block or un-block interrupts, Comparison sometimes yields wrong result, Missing/wrong default, Data Type errors.
· Errors in Handling or Interpreting Data: Un-terminated null strings, Overwriting a file after an error exit or user abort.
· Race Conditions: Assumption that one event or task finished before another begins, Resource races, Tasks starts before its prerequisites are met, Messages cross or don't arrive in the order sent.
· Load Conditions: Required resources are not available, No available large memory area, Low priority tasks not put off, Doesn't erase old files from mass storage, Doesn't return unused memory.
· Hardware: Wrong Device, Device unavailable, Underutilizing device intelligence, Misunderstood status or return code, Wrong operation or instruction codes.
· Source, Version and ID Control: No Title or version ID, Failure to update multiple copies of data or program files.
· Testing Errors: Failure to notice/report a problem, Failure to use the most promising test case, Corrupted data files, Misinterpreted specifications or documentation, Failure to make it clear how to reproduce the problem, Failure to check for unresolved problems just before release, Failure to verify fixes, Failure to provide summary report.


5. The Test Planning Process


What is a Test Strategy? What are its Components?

Test Policy - A document characterizing the organization’s philosophy towards software testing.

Test Strategy - A high-level document defining the test phases to be performed and the testing within those phases for a programme. It defines the process to be followed in each project. This sets the standards for the processes, documents, activities etc. that should be followed for each project.

For example, if a product is given for testing, you should decide if it is better to use black-box testing or white-box testing and if you decide to use both, when will you apply each and to which part of the software? All these details need to be specified in the Test Strategy.

Project Test Plan - a document defining the test phases to be performed and the testing within those phases for a particular project.

A Test Strategy should cover more than one project and should address the following issues: An approach to testing high risk areas first, Planning for testing, How to improve the process based on previous testing, Environments/data used, Test management - Configuration management, Problem management, What Metrics are followed, Will the tests be automated and if so which tools will be used, What are the Testing Stages and Testing Methods, Post Testing Review process, Templates.

Test planning needs to start as soon as the project requirements are known. The first document that needs to be produced then is the Test Strategy/Testing Approach that sets the high level approach for testing and covers all the other elements mentioned above.

Test Planning – Sample Structure

Once the approach is understood, a detailed test plan can be written. Usually, this test plan can be written in different styles. Test plans can completely differ from project to project in the same organization.

IEEE SOFTWARE TEST DOCUMENTATION Std 829-1998 - TEST PLAN

Purpose
To describe the scope, approach, resources, and schedule of the testing activities. To identify the items being tested, the features to be tested, the testing tasks to be performed, the personnel responsible for each task, and the risks associated with this plan.

OUTLINE
A test plan shall have the following structure:
· Test plan identifier. A unique identifier assign to the test plan.
· Introduction: Summarized the software items and features to be tested and the need for them to be included.
· Test items: Identify the test items, their transmittal media which impact their
· Features to be tested
· Features not to be tested
· Approach
· Item pass/fail criteria
· Suspension criteria and resumption requirements
· Test deliverables
· Testing tasks
· Environmental needs
· Responsibilities
· Staffing and training needs
· Schedule
· Risks and contingencies
· Approvals

Major Test Planning Tasks

Like any other process in software testing, the major tasks in test planning are to – Develop Test Strategy, Critical Success Factors, Define Test Objectives, Identify Needed Test Resources, Plan Test Environment, Define Test Procedures, Identify Functions To Be Tested, Identify Interfaces With Other Systems or Components, Write Test Scripts, Define Test Cases, Design Test Data, Build Test Matrix, Determine Test Schedules, Assemble Information, Finalize the Plan


6. Test Case Development

A test case is a detailed procedure that fully tests a feature or an aspect of a feature. While the test plan describes what to test, a test case describes how to perform a particular test. You need to develop test cases for each test listed in the test plan.

General Guidelines

As a tester, the best way to determine the compliance of the software to requirements is by designing effective test cases that provide a thorough test of a unit. Various test case design techniques enable the testers to develop effective test cases. Besides, implementing the design techniques, every tester needs to keep in mind general guidelines that will aid in test case design:

a. The purpose of each test case is to run the test in the simplest way possible. [Suitable techniques - Specification derived tests, Equivalence partitioning]

b. Concentrate initially on positive testing i.e. the test case should show that the software does what it is intended to do. [Suitable techniques - Specification derived tests, Equivalence partitioning, State-transition testing]

c. Existing test cases should be enhanced and further test cases should be designed to show that the software does not do anything that it is not specified to do i.e. Negative Testing [Suitable techniques - Error guessing, Boundary value analysis, Internal boundary value testing, State-transition testing]

d. Where appropriate, test cases should be designed to address issues such as performance, safety requirements and security requirements [Suitable techniques - Specification derived tests]

e. Further test cases can then be added to the unit test specification to achieve specific test coverage objectives. Once coverage tests have been designed, the test procedure can be developed and the tests executed [Suitable techniques - Branch testing, Condition testing, Data definition-use testing, State-transition testing]

Test Case – Sample Structure

The manner in which a test case is depicted varies between organizations. Anyhow, many test case templates are in the form of a table, for example, a 5-column table with fields:

Test Case ID
Test Case Description
Test Dependency/Setup
Input Data Requirements/Steps
Expected Results
Pass/Fail

Test Case Design Techniques

The test case design techniques are broadly grouped into two categories: Black box techniques, White box techniques and other techniques that do not fall under either category.

Black Box (Functional)
- Specification derived tests
- Equivalence partitioning
- Boundary Value Analysis
- State-Transition Testing
White Box (Structural)
- Branch Testing
- Condition Testing
- Data Definition - Use Testing
- Internal boundary value testing
Other- Error guessing


Specification Derived Tests
As the name suggests, test cases are designed by walking through the relevant specifications. It is a positive test case design technique.

Equivalence Partitioning
Equivalence partitioning is the process of taking all of the possible test values and placing them into classes (partitions or groups). Test cases should be designed to test one value from each class. Thereby, it uses fewest test cases to cover the maximum input requirements.

For example, if a program accepts integer values only from 1 to 10. The possible test cases for such a program would be the range of all integers. In such a program, all integers upto to 0 and above 10 will cause an error. So, it is reasonable to assume that if 11 will fail, all values above it will fail and vice versa.

If an input condition is a range of values, let one valid equivalence class be the range (0 or 10 in this example). Let the values below and above the range be two respective invalid equivalence values (i.e. -1 and 11). Therefore, the above three partition values can be used as test cases for the above example.

Boundary Value Analysis
This is a selection technique where the test data are chosen to lie along the boundaries of the input domain or the output range. This technique is often called as stress testing and incorporates a degree of negative testing in the test design by anticipating that errors will occur at or around the partition boundaries.

For example, a field is required to accept amounts of money between $0 and $10. As a tester, you need to check if it means upto and including $10 and $9.99 and if $10 is acceptable. So, the boundary values are $0, $0.01, $9.99 and $10.

Now, the following tests can be executed. A negative value should be rejected, 0 should be accepted (this is on the boundary), $0.01 and $9.99 should be accepted, null and $10 should be rejected. In this way, it uses the same concept of partitions as equivalence partitioning.

State Transition Testing
As the name suggests, test cases are designed to test the transition between the states by creating the events that cause the transition.

Branch Testing
In branch testing, test cases are designed to exercise control flow branches or decision points in a unit. This is usually aimed at achieving a target level of Decision Coverage. Branch Coverage, need to test both branches of IF and ELSE. All branches and compound conditions (e.g. loops and array handling) within the branch should be exercised at least once.

Condition Testing
The object of condition testing is to design test cases to show that the individual components of logical conditions and combinations of the individual components are correct. Test cases are designed to test the individual elements of logical expressions, both within branch conditions and within other expressions in a unit.

Data Definition – Use Testing
Data definition-use testing designs test cases to test pairs of data definitions and uses. Data definition is anywhere that the value of a data item is set. Data use is anywhere that a data item is read or used. The objective is to create test cases that will drive execution through paths between specific definitions and uses.

Internal Boundary Value Testing
In many cases, partitions and their boundaries can be identified from a functional specification for a unit, as described under equivalence partitioning and boundary value analysis above. However, a unit may also have internal boundary values that can only be identified from a structural specification.

Error Guessing
It is a test case design technique where the testers use their experience to guess the possible errors that might occur and design test cases accordingly to uncover them.

Using any or a combination of the above described test case design techniques; you can develop effective test cases.

What is a Use Case?

A use case describes the system’s behavior under various conditions as it responds to a request from one of the users. The user initiates an interaction with the system to accomplish some goal. Different sequences of behavior, or scenarios, can unfold, depending on the particular requests made and conditions surrounding the requests. The use case collects together those different scenarios.

Use cases are popular largely because they tell coherent stories about how the system will behave in use. The users of the system get to see just what this new system will be and get to
react early.

7. Defect Tracking

What is a defect?

As discussed earlier, defect is the variance from a desired product attribute (it can be a wrong, missing or extra data). It can be of two types – Defect from the product or a variance from customer/user expectations. It is a flaw in the software system and has no impact until it affects the user/customer and operational system.

What are the defect categories?

With the knowledge of testing so far gained, you can now be able to categorize the defects you have found. Defects can be categorized into different types basing on the core issues they address. Some defects address security or database issues while others may refer to functionality or UI issues.

Security Defects: Application security defects generally involve improper handling of data sent from the user to the application. These defects are the most severe and given highest priority for a fix.
Examples:
- Authentication: Accepting an invalid username/password
- Authorization: Accessibility to pages though permission not given

Data Quality/Database Defects: Deals with improper handling of data in the database.
Examples:
- Values not deleted/inserted into the database properly
- Improper/wrong/null values inserted in place of the actual values

Critical Functionality Defects: The occurrence of these bugs hampers the crucial functionality of the application.
Examples:- Exceptions

Functionality Defects: These defects affect the functionality of the application.
Examples:
- All Javascript errors
- Buttons like Save, Delete, Cancel not performing their intended functions
- A missing functionality (or) a feature not functioning the way it is intended to
- Continuous execution of loops

User Interface Defects: As the name suggests, the bugs deal with problems related to UI are usually considered less severe.
Examples:
- Improper error/warning/UI messages
- Spelling mistakes
- Alignment problems

How is a defect reported?

Once the test cases are developed using the appropriate techniques, they are executed which is when the bugs occur. It is very important that these bugs be reported as soon as possible because, the earlier you report a bug, the more time remains in the schedule to get it fixed.

Simple example is that you report a wrong functionality documented in the Help file a few months before the product release, the chances that it will be fixed are very high. If you report the same bug few hours before the release, the odds are that it wont be fixed. The bug is still the same though you report it few months or few hours before the release, but what matters is the time.

It is not just enough to find the bugs; these should also be reported/communicated clearly and efficiently, not to mention the number of people who will be reading the defect.

Defect tracking tools (also known as bug tracking tools, issue tracking tools or problem trackers) greatly aid the testers in reporting and tracking the bugs found in software applications. They provide a means of consolidating a key element of project information in one place. Project managers can then see which bugs have been fixed, which are outstanding and how long it is taking to fix defects. Senior management can use reports to understand the state of the development process.