What is Testing?

1. What is Testing? Testing is the process of exercising or evaluating a system or system component by manual or automated means to verify that it satisfies specified requirements, or to identify differences between expected and actual results.

2. Useful URLs • Tutorials: www.w3schools.com • Reference: www.wikipedia.org • Testing Articles: • prosoftqa.blogspot.com • www.wilsonmar.com • Questions & Answers • www.genixpress.com/answers • www.geekinterview.com • Software: www.mercury.com

3. Software Development Life Cycle • Requirements Analysis • Design • Coding/Implementation • Testing • Deployment/Maintenance

4. Requirements Analysis • The gathering of details about what needs to be done, and how the application should perform those tasks. • Actors: Business Analysts • Products: Requirements Documents • Functional Requirements • Non-functional requirements • Service-Level Agreements

5. Design • High-level design of the application to specify how the application will be created. • Actors: Software Architect/Database Administrator • Products: Design Documents • Software • Software Architecture • Development/Production Environment Layout • Use Case Realization documents • Data • Database Schema • Data Dictionary

6. Coding/Implementation • Involves writing the code for the application using the chosen programming language and software platform from the design phase. • Actors: Programmers • Products: Software Application

7. Testing • The testing phase covers the process of planning tests that will be run on the application to examine its functionality. • Actors: Quality Assurance Staff • Products: Testing Documentation • Test Plan • Test Scripts (automated testing) • Defects

8. Deployment/Maintenance • Release the application to users and manage any problems that might occur when the users are using the software. • Actors: Support Staff

9. Test/Plan • Test Plan Identifier (TPI) • References • Introduction • Test Items • Software Risk Issues • Features to be Tested • Features not to be Tested • Approach • Item Pass/Fail Criteria • Entry & Exit Criteria • Suspension Criteria and Resumption Requirements • Test Deliverables • Remaining Test Tasks • Environmental Needs • Staffing and Training Needs • Responsibilities • Schedule • Planning Risks and Contingencies • Approvals • Glossary

10. Test Case • Test Name • Purpose • Pre-condition (Initialization) • List of actions • Expected Results for each action • Post-condition (Finalization) • Test Data • Exceptions

11. Testing Types • Automated • If you’re using a tool • Manual • If you’re NOT using a tool • White box/Glass box • If you have access to the source code • Black box • If you don’t have access to the source code • Unit • If you’re testing the source code (function level) • Business Process • If you’re testing the requirements process • Ad-hoc • If you don’t have a test plan • Performance • If you’re testing how the application responds

12. Testing Types (Cont) • Load • If you’re testing how the application responds under normal load • Stress • If you’re testing how the application responds under high load • Smoke / Sanity • Pre-testing • User Acceptance • If you’re deciding whether the application is correct • End User • If you’re testing with actual users • Integration • Testing before the entire pieces are built • System • Testing after the entire pieces are built • Alpha • Early stage of system testing • Beta • Late stage of system testing

13. Testing Types (Cont) • Functional • Testing how the application works • Regression • Comparing 2 versions to see what changed • Security • How the application prevents unauthorized access • Usability • How friendly is the application • Accessibility • Can differently-abled individuals use the application?

14. Expense Calculator • Windows based application written in Visual Basic • Available at http://www.genixcorp.com/testing/ExpenseCalculator.zip • Allows individuals to track expenses • Uses a local Access database