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Acceptance Testing for ROME. Pete Castle Test & Quality Manager. Agenda . What is software testing/ Who does it? Why software testing is important Some fundamentals of testing Test Plans & Scripts Sample Testing Techniques. What is software Testing?.
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Acceptance Testing for ROME Pete Castle Test & Quality Manager
Agenda • What is software testing/ Who does it? • Why software testing is important • Some fundamentals of testing • Test Plans & Scripts • Sample Testing Techniques
What is software Testing? • “Software testing is an empiricaltechnicalinvestigation conducted to provide stakeholders with information about the quality of the product or service under test” Professor Cem Kaner - Director of Florida Tech's Center for Software Testing Education & Research • Empirical - derived from experiment, experience, and observation • Technical - Having special skill or practical knowledge • Investigation - A detailed inquiry or systematic examination
Why testing is Important • All Software has defects (bugs) • All software products are ‘prototypes’ (in my view) • Software products are getting larger and more complicated - Vista 40% larger than XP @ over 50 million LOC • Software Engineering is not as mature as other disciplines e.g. Civil Engineering • Software is written by people – people make mistakes • Software testing looks to find the most important defects as early as possible – increasing confidence that the software meets specification
Who’s involved in testing? • Requirements Analysts – Inspections, Peer Reviews • Developers – Code Inspection, Unit Testing • Testers – System & Integration Testing • Trainers – Training materials production • Users – User Acceptance Testing • Project Managers – Scheduling, Resourcing, Risks, Issues, Defect Stats • Everybody is responsible for quality - NASA
Plan Specify Execute Record Check Fundamentals of Software Testing • Software testing needs planning, tests need specifying, once executed they need results recording, and post completion should be easily auditable
The importance of a planned approach • Important to map out a strategy that will give the greatest level of confidence in the product • ‘Ad hoc’ testing may find errors, but may not be cost effective • Testing should focus on areas where defects are most likely • All testing should have a reason • Question “Is a test that doesn’t find an error a good test or not?” • Essential to plan what needs to be done and then itemise how it is to be achieved.
Testing Mantra • Mantra - Spiritual conduit, words or vibrations that instil concentration in the devotee. • Test as early as possible • Gather as much knowledge of the application under test as possible • Look for vulnerabilities • Build ‘Bug Taxonomies’ (Classification) • Use Quicktests (and publicise the fact)
Testing Mantra • You can always think of another test – but should you? • Concept of ‘Good enough Testing’ • Practicality over dogma • Everybody has responsibility for ‘shipping’ the product • Record all tests/defects/issues/recommendations • Testers are not the sole arbiters of quality • Testing only shows problems exist – not their absence • Never, ever, ever make it personal • Defects are issues with products and process not people • Good working relationship is essential for good products
What is a Test Plan - 1 • Test plan is • tool to help plan the testing activity • product to inform others of test process • Includes • Document control • Objectives • Scope • Approach – Schedule, Priorities, Deliverables, Resources, Responsibilities • Risks/Contingences • Sign-off/Approval
What is a Test Plan - 2 • Produced by Test Lead/Project Manager • Published to Project/Programme • Not constrained by format – living document • Enough information to be used by anyone to test the product
Rome Test Plan • Ready for review • Written by Tim Wells
Test Scripts • Test Script - Is a collection of test cases for the software under test (manual or automated) • Test Case - A set of inputs, execution preconditions, and expected outcomes developed for a particular objective, such as to exercise a particular program path or to verify compliance with a specific requirement.
Pre-conditions/Information • Browsers – IE, Firefox, Safari • O/S – Linux, Windows • Access Control – Logins, Roles • Test Data requirements • Date/Time considerations • Other document references
Example Test Script - 1 • System Test of input of numeric month into data field
Test Scripts • Readable • Accessible • Usable by anyone – standards • Can vary depending upon the type of testing being undertaken
Testing Techniques • Quicktests • Negative Testing • Integration Testing
Techniques 1- Quick Tests • Quicktests - Investigation more important than Confirmation • A quicktest is a cheap test that has some value but requires little preparation, knowledge, or time to perform • Focus on common coding errors
Techniques 1- Quick Tests • Things that have failed before – Defect data • Tab order (particularly when adding new functions) • Addresses (BFPO, new Post Codes) • Short cut keys • Boundaries – Ages, Dates, Values, Increments, Page Breaks • Interrupts, Duplications, Ordering of tasks • Generate Order before setup – no cost codes, cost centres, suppliers, budgets • Exit/Interrupt before completion • Consume resource (Dog Piling) • Never close a window • Never exit an option
Techniques 1- Quick Tests • Force all error messages • Informative messages - Spelling • Debug information? • Capacity/Files – Files to fill all available space, large files, empty files, incorrect format • Dependencies – e.g. same student many functions • Integration Quicktest • Comparisons – screens, data, reports • Tools e.g. Beyond Compare, Screen Capture, Redgate Toolset, InCtrl3
Negative Testing • Testing the system using negative data – to generate exceptions that cause the software to fail • Going against knowledge of ‘How the system should work’ • For Example - Testing the password where it should be minimum of 8 characters - so test it using 7 and 9 characters • Emphasis on breaking not confirmation
Negative Testing • Embedded single quote and other ‘special’ characters e.g. John’s Car, John & Erin, 99%, Straße (German Addresses) • Required Data Input – Don’t • Field Size – Shoe test (also Quick Test) • Field ‘Types’ – Characters in numeric field • Boundaries (Upper/Lower) – underage job applications, 101 lines on an order with a maximum of 100 lines • Invalid dates e.g. 31/04/08 • Addresses – BFPO, Hong Kong Addresses, ‘New Post Codes’ • Web Session Testing – Access web page but not logged in • Switch off during upgrade – what happens, does the application know there is a problem?
Integration Testing (In the large) • “Testing performed to expose faults in the interfaces and in the interaction between integrated components and products” Sue Myler – Integration Team Lead • Usually scenario based rather than low level test cases • Relies upon testers having system knowledge & testing expertise – ability to think ‘outside of the box’, develop new tests during testing • Relies on successful unit, integration in the small and system testing • Can mimic business processes
Integration Testing (In the large) Integration Test Cases • 3 Applicants • 1 applies for 1 post • 1 applies for 2 posts - also applies for the same post twice (by accident) • 1 applies for 3 posts • do their records appear correctly across ROME • Delete a Vacancy – what happens to that applicant records?
Integration Testing (In the large) • Short list applicant for post he entered twice, deleting one application • Invite for interview but candidate withdraws • Candidate then re-applies • Data exported, ROME updated, then re-exported, does data appear correctly in target application
Review • Software Testing is important for increasing confidence that the software meets specification • To get the best results from testing certain fundamentals should be followed • Testing is part of software development • Different software testing techniques enhance our ability to test • Many different types of software testing exist – which we can combine into single test cases/scenarios
Test Example – Data Entry Screen • Create Test cases to negatively test (break) the data entry screen
Next Steps • ROME - Kick off meeting • Testing required who/when • Test Script Template • Mantis - Issue/Defect Logging