SOFTWARE TESTING

Module Number: 04

Module Name: Test Management

Test Management

AIM:
To equip students with the fundamental of test management of software testing.

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Test Management

Objectives:
The Objectives of this module are:
• Designed to enable a clear understanding and knowledge of the various approaches and
strategies involved in test management.
• As a consequence, a student will have an idea on how to manage people and organization issues
from testing perspective.

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Test Management

Outcome:
At the end of this module, you are expected to:
• Have an idea on maturity goals that must be designed and adopted while dealing with people
and organizational issues in testing.
• Have an idea about various test plan strategies, their components, attachments and what is their
important in the context of test management.
• Have a better understanding about test process.
• Gain an idea about how to report Test Results and what must be their components in order to
report better test results.
• Evaluate the importance of test specialist and the skillset that acquire.
• Build a Testing Group to achieve better test management efficiency.
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Test Management

Contents
1. People and organizational issues in testing
2. Organization structures for testing team
3. Test Planning, its components
4. Test Plan Attachments
5. Locating Test Items
6. Test process
7. Reporting Test Results
8. The role of three groups in Test Planning and Policy Development in software testing
9. Exploring the test specialist and figuring out the set of skills needed by a test specialist.
10. Building a Testing Group.
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People and organizational issues in

testing

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Test Management

People and organizational issues in testing

This topic focuses on preparing two fundamental maturity goals:

developing
organizational goals/ test planning
policies relating to testing
and debugging

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People and organizational issues in testing
• These maturity goals are managerial in nature.
• They are essential to support testing as a managed process.
• A managed process is one that is planned, monitored, directed, staffed, and organized.
• At Testing Maturity Model level 2, the planning component of a managed process is instituted.
• At Testing Maturity Model levels 3 and 4 the remaining managerial components are integrated
into the process.
• By instituting all of the managerial components in an incremental manner, an organization is
able to establish the high-quality testing process described at higher levels of the Testing
Maturity Model.
• The test specialist has a key role in developing and implementing these managerial components.
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Test Management
People and organizational issues in testing
• The goals/policies may be:
• business-related,
• technical, or
• political in nature.
• They are the basis for decision making therefore setting goals and policies requires
the participation and support of upper management.
• Technical staff and other interested parties also participate in goal and policy
development.
• Simple examples of the three types of goals mentioned are shown in the next slide.
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People and organizational issues in testing

Examples of the three types of goals mentioned are:
• Business goal: to increase market share 10% in the next 2 years in the area of financial software.
• Technical goal: to reduce defects by 2% per year over the next 3 years.
• Business/technical goal: to reduce hotline calls by 5% over the next 2 years.
• Political goal: to increase the number of women and minorities in high management positions by
15% in the next 3 years.

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People and organizational issues in testing

• Planning is guided by policy, supports goal achievement, and is a vital part of all engineering
activities.
• In the software domain, plans to achieve goals associated with a specific project are usually
developed by a project manager.
• In the testing domain, test plans support achieving testing goals for a project, and are either
developed by the project manager as part of the overall project plan, or by a test or quality
specialist in conjunction with the project planner.
• Test planning requires the planner to articulate the testing goals for a given project, to select tools
and techniques needed to achieve the goals, and to estimate time and resources needed for testing
tasks so that testing is effective, on time, within budget, and consistent with project goals.
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Self Assessment Question

1.State True or false:
“In the software domain, plans to achieve goals associated with a specific project are usually
developed by a project manager”

a. False
b. True

Answer: True

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Test Management

Self Assessment Question

2. State True or false:
“In the testing domain, test plans support achieving testing goals for a project, and are either
developed by the project manager as part of the overall project plan, or by a test or quality specialist in
conjunction with the project planner”

a. True
b. False

Answer: True

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Organization structures for testing

teams

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Test Management

Organization structures for testing teams

• A goal can be described as
(i) a statement of intent, or
(ii) a statement of a accomplishment that an individual or an organization wants to achieve.
• In an organization there is often a hierarchy of goals.
• At the top level are general organizational goals.
• There are intermediate-level goals that may be associated with a particular organizational
functional unit.

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Organization structures for testing teams

• Individual projects have specific goals.
• These usually reflect organizational goals.
• Each individual in an organization has a set of goals for self-improvement so that he or she
can more effectively contribute to the project, functional unit, and organization as a whole

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Organization structures for testing teams

• A policy can be defined as a high-level statement of principle or course of action that is used to
govern a set of activities in an organization.
• Policy provides the vision and framework for decision making, it is important to have the policy
formally adopted by the organization, documented, and available for all interested parties.
• A policy statement should be formulated by a team or task force consisting of upper management,
executive personnel, and technical staff.
• In the case of testing, a testing policy statement is used to guide the course of testing activities and
test process evolution. It should be agreed upon as workable by all concerned.
• Testing policy statements reflect, integrate, and support achievement of testing goals.
• These goals in turn often target increasing software quality and improving customer satisfaction
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Organization structures for testing teams

• Test policies also provide high-level guidance as to how testing is to be done in the organization,
how its effectiveness will be evaluated, who will be responsible, and what choices of resources are
possible.
• They should be explicit enough to guide decisions on all important testing issues, for example, how
to test, what to test, and who will test.
• Policies are not written in stone, and as an organization grows in maturity its policies will change
and mature.
• The task force should establish documented procedures for policy change.
• A brief outline of a sample testing policy statement appropriate for a Testing Maturity Model level
2 organization is given in the subsequent slides.
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Organization structures for testing teams

Testing Policy : Organization X
• Assuming an organization X, realizes that testing is an important component of the software
development process, quality testing policy statements must be developed and adopted
accordingly.
• They are:
• Delivering software of the highest quality is our company goal.
• A set of testing standards must be available to all interested parties on an intra-organizational
web site.

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Organization structures for testing teams

Testing policy statements ( continue ):
• In the organization the following apply to all software development/ maintenance projects:
• Execution-based tests must be performed at several levels such as unit , integration, system,
and acceptance tests as appropriate for each software product.
• Systematic approaches to test design must be employed that include application of both
white and black box testing methods.
• Reviews of all major product deliverables such as requirements and design documents,
code, and test plans are required.
• Testing must be planned for all projects.
• Testing activities must be monitored using measurements and milestones to ensure that
they are proceeding according to plan.
• Testing activities must be integrated into the software life cycle and carried out in parallel
with other development activities.
• Defects uncovered during each test must be classified and recorded.
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Organization structures for testing teams

Testing policy statements ( continue ):
• Because testing is an activity that requires special training and an impartial view of the software,
it must be carried out by an independent testing group
• Testing must be supported by tools, and, test-related measurements must be collected and used to
evaluate and improve the testing process and the software product.
• Resources must be provided for continous test process improvement.
• Clients/developer/tester communication is important, and clients must be involved in acceptance
test planning, operational profile development, and usage testing when applicable to the project.
• A permanent committee consisting of managerial and technical staff must be appointed to be
responsible for distribution and maintenance of organizational test policy statements.
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Organization structures for testing teams

Debugging Policy : Organization X:
• A debugging policy is founded on our quality goal to remove all defects from the software that
impact on our customers‘ ability to use our software effectively, safely, and economically.
• To achieve this goal, the following debugging policy statement have been developed.
• Testing and debugging are two separate processes.
• Testing is the process used to detect (reveal) defects.
• Debugging is the process dedicated to locating the defects, repairing the code, and retesting
the software.
• Defects are anomalies that impact on software functionality as well as on quality attributes
such as performance, security, ease of use, correctness, and reliability.
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Organization structures for testing teams

Debugging policy statement (continue):
• As debugging is a timely activity, all project schedules must allow for adequate time to make
repairs, and retest the repaired software.
• Debugging tools, and the training necessary to use the tools, must be available to developers
to support debugging activities and tasks
• Developers/testers and SQA staff must define and document a set of defect classes and defect
severity levels. These must be available to all interested parties on an intra-organizational web
site, and applied to all projects.
• All defects identified for each project must be cataloged according to class and severity level
and stored as a part of the project history
• Measurement such as total number of defects, total number of defects/ KLOC, and time to
repair a defect are saved for each project.
• A permanent committee consisting of managerial and technical staff must be appointed to be
responsible for distribution and maintenance of organizational debugging policy statements.
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Self Assessment Question

3. A goal can be described as

a. a statement of intent
b. a statement of a accomplishment that an individual or an organization wants to achieve.
c. All of the above.
d. None of the above.

Answer: All of the above.

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Test Management

Self Assessment Question

4. State True or false:
“A policy can be defined as a high-level statement of principle or course of action that is used to
govern a set of activities in an organization.”

a. False
b. True

Answer: True

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Test Management

Self Assessment Question

5. State True or false:
“Testing policy statements reflect, integrate, and support achievement of testing goals.”

a. False
b. True

Answer: True

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Test Management

Self Assessment Question

6. The statement “All defects identified for each project must be cataloged according to class and
severity level and stored as a part of the project history” belongs to

a. debugging policy
b. testing policy
c. All of the above.
d. None of the above.

Answer: debugging policy

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Test Management

Self Assessment Question

7. The statement “Clients/developer/tester communication is important, and clients must be involved
in acceptance test planning, operational profile development, and usage testing when applicable to
the project” belongs to

a. debugging policy
b. Testing policy
c. All of the above.
d. None of the above.

Answer: Testing policy

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Test Management

Self Assessment Question

8. The statement “Reviews of all major product deliverables such as requirements and design
documents, code, and test plans are required” belongs to

a. debugging policy
b. Testing policy
c. All of the above.
d. None of the above.

Answer: Testing policy

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Test planning

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Test Management

Test planning:
• A plan is a document that provides a framework or approach for achieving a set of goals.
• In order to meet a set of goals, a plan describes what specific tasks must be accomplished, who is
responsible for each task, what tools, procedures, and techniques must be used, how much time
and effort is needed, and what resources are essential.
• A plan also contains milestones.
• Milestones are tangible events that are expected to occur at a certain time in the project’s
lifetime.
• Managers use them to determine project status.

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Test planning:
Test plans for software projects are very complex and detailed documents.The planner usually
includes the following essential high-level items.
• Overall test objectives
• What to test (scope of the tests)
• Who will test.
• How to test
• When to test
• When to stop testing

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Test Management

Test planning:
• A sample test plan package with diagram

Software quality assurance plan

Master test plan Review plan

Unit test Integration System Acceptance

plan test plan test plan test plan

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Self Assessment Question

9. In order to meet a set of goals, a plan describes

a. what specific tasks must be accomplished

b. who is responsible for each task
c. what tools, procedures, and techniques must be used
d. how much time and effort is needed
e. what resources are essential.
f. All of the above.

Answer: All of the above

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Test Management

Self Assessment Question

10. Which of the following will not come in Configuration Management?

a. Operating system
b. Test documentation
c. Test Cases
d. Improvement suggested by users

Answer: Test Cases

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Test Management

Self Assessment Question

11. Which of the following is included in master test planning.

a. Unit test plan

b. Integration test plan
c. System test plan
d. Acceptance test plan
e. All of the above

Answer: All of the Above

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Test Management

Test plan components

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Test Management

Test plan components:

The test plan components as described in IEEE Std 829-1983 [5] is discussed.

1. Test plan identifier

2. Introduction

3. Items to be tested

4. Features to be tested

5. Approach

6. Item Pass/Fail Criteria

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Test Management

Test plan components:

The test plan components as described in IEEE Std 829-1983 [5] is discussed.

7. Suspension and Resumption Criteria

8. Test deliverables

9. Testing tasks

10. Testing environment

11. Responsibilities

12. Staffing and training needs

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Test Management

Test plan components:

The test plan components as described in IEEE Std 829-1983 [5] is discussed.

13. Scheduling

14. Risk and contingencies

15. Testing costs

16. Approvals

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Test Management

Test plan components:

1. Test Plan Identifier:
• Each test plan should have a unique identifier so that it can be associated with a specific
project and become a part of the project history.
2. Introduction:
• Here, the test planner gives an overall description of the project, the software system being
developed or maintained, and the software items and/or features to be tested.
• It is useful to include a high-level description of testing goals and the testing approaches to be
used.
• References to related or supporting documents should also be included in this section.

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Test plan components:

3. Items to Be Tested:
• This is a listing of the entities to be tested and should include names, identifiers, and
version/revision numbers for each entity.
• The items listed could include procedures, classes, modules, libraries, subsystems, and
systems.
4. Features to Be Tested:
• In this component of the test plan the tester gives another view of the entities to be tested by
describing them in terms of the features they encompass.
• Features may be described as distinguishing characteristics of a software component or
system.
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Test plan components:

5. Approach:
• Here, the test plan provides broad coverage of the issues to be addressed when testing the
target software.
• Testing activities are described as:
• The level of descriptive detail should be sufficient so that the major testing tasks and task
durations can be identified.
• More details will appear in the accompanying test design specifications.

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Test plan components:

6. Item Pass/Fail Criteria:
• Given a test item and a test case, the tester must have a set of criteria to decide on whether
the test has been passed or failed upon execution.
• The master test plan should provide a general description of these criteria.
• We can also verdict that a failure occurs when the actual output produced by the software
does not agree with what was expected, under the conditions specified by the test.
• The differences in output behavior (the failure) are caused by one or more defects.

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Test plan components:

7. Suspension and Resumption Criteria:
• Here, the criteria to suspend and resume testing are described.
• In the simplest of cases testing is suspended at the end of a working day and resumed the
following morning.
• For some test items this condition may not apply and additional details need to be provided
by the test planner.
• The test plan should also specify conditions to suspend testing based on the effects or
criticality level of the failures/defects observed.
• Conditions for resuming the test after there has been a suspension should also be specified.
For some test items resumption may require certain tests to be repeated.
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Test Management

Test plan components:

8. Test Deliverables:
• Execution-based testing has a set of deliverables that includes the test plan along with its
associated test design specifications, test procedures, and test cases.
• Deliverables may also include other documents that result from testing such as test logs, test
transmittal reports, test incident reports, and a test summary report.
• Each organization should decide which of these documents is required for a given project
• Another test deliverable is the test harness.
• This is supplementary code that is written specifically to support the test efforts.
• Other support code, for example, testing tools that will be developed especially for this project,
should also be described in this section of the test plan.
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Test Management

Test plan components:

9. Testing Tasks:
• Here, the test planner should identify all testing-related tasks and their dependencies. Using a
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is useful here.
• A Work Breakdown Structure is a hierarchical or treelike representation of all the tasks that
are required to complete a project.
• High-level tasks sit at the top of the hierarchical task tree.
• Leaves are detailed tasks sometimes called work packages that can be done by 1-2 people in a
short time period, typically 3-5 days.
• The WBS is used by project managers for defining the tasks and work packages needed for
project planning.
• The test planner can use the same hierarchical task model but has to focus only on defining
testing tasks. 47
Test Management

Test plan components:

10. Testing Environment:
• Here the test planner describes the software and hardware needs for the testing effort.
• For example, any special equipment or hardware needed such as emulators, telecommunication
equipment, or other devices should be noted.
• The planner must also indicate any laboratory space containing the equipment that needs to be
reserved.
• The planner also needs to specify any special software needs such as coverage tools, databases,
and test data generators.
• Security requirements for the testing environment may also need to be described.

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Test plan components:

11. Responsibilities:
• The staff who will be responsible for test-related tasks should be identified.
• This includes personnel who will be:
• transmitting the software-under-test
• developing test design specifications, and test cases
• executing the tests and recording results
• tracking and monitoring the test efforts
• checking results
• interacting with developers
• managing and providing equipment
• developing the test harnesses
• interacting with the users/customers

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Test Management

Test plan components:

12. Staffing and Training Needs:
• Here, the test planner should describe the staff and the skill levels needed to carry out
test-related responsibilities.
13. Scheduling:
• Task durations should be established and recorded with the aid of a task networking tool.
• Test milestones should be established, recorded, and scheduled.
• These milestones usually appear in the project plan as well as the test plan.
• They are necessary for tracking testing efforts to ensure that actual testing is proceeding as
planned.
• Schedules for use of staff, tools, equipment, and laboratory space should also be specified.
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Test plan components:

14. Risks and Contingencies:
• Every testing effort has risks associated with it.
• Testing software with a high degree of criticality, complexity, or a tight delivery
deadline all impose risks that may have negative impacts on project goals.
• These risks should be:
1. Identified
2. evaluated in terms of their probability of occurrence
3. Prioritized
4. contingency plans should be developed that can be activated if the risk occurs.

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Test plan components:

15. Testing Costs:
• Test costs that should included in the plan are:
• costs of planning and designing the tests
• costs of acquiring the hardware and software necessary for the tests
• costs to support the test environment
• costs of executing the tests
• costs of recording and analyzing test results
• tear-down costs to restore the environment

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Test Management

Self Assessment Question

12. Which of the following is not the component of test plan as described in IEEE Std 829-1983 [5].

a. introduction
b. Approach
c. climax
d. Features to be tested

Answer: climax

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Test Management

Self Assessment Question

13. Which of the following does not fall under scheduling test plan.

a. Task durations should be established and recorded with the aid of a task networking tool.
b. Test milestones should be established, recorded
c. All of the above
d. None of the above

Answer: All of the above

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Test Management

Self Assessment Question

14. Which of the following cost must be included while preparing test costs?

a. tear-down costs to restore the environment.

b. costs of planning and designing the tests
c. costs of acquiring the hardware and software necessary for the tests
d. costs to support the test environment
e. All of the above.

Answer: All of the above

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Test Plan Attachments

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Test plan attachments:

• Is a set of specifications that involves general discussion of technical issues such as test designs
and test cases for the items under test.
• Diagrammatically, it is shown below.

Test plan attachments

Test Design Test Case Test Procedure

Specifications Specifications Specifications

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Test Management

Test plan attachments:

• Test Design Specifications:
• According to IEEE standard, test design specification Test Design Specification
Identifier
as a test deliverable that specifies the requirements of
the test approach . Features to Be Tested
• It is used to identity the features covered by this
design and associated tests for the features. Approach Refinements

• It also has links to the associated test cases and test

procedures needed to test the features, and also Test Case Identification

describes in detail pass/fail criteria for the features.

Pass/Fail Criteria
• There are several components involved. They are
shown in the right diagram: 58
Test Management

Test plan attachments:

Test Case Specification
• Test Case Specifications: Identifier
• Set of specification attached to the test plan Test Items
defines the test cases required to execute the
Input Specifications
test items named in the associated test design
specification Output Specifications
• There are several components involved.
Special Environmental Needs
• They are shown in the right diagram:
Special Procedural
Requirements

Intercase Dependencies.
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Test Management

Test plan attachments:

• Test Procedure Specifications :
• A procedure in general is a sequence of steps Test Procedure
Specification Identifier
required to carry out a specific task.
• There are several components involved. Purpose
• They are shown in the right diagram:
Specific Requirements

Procedure Steps

Note: Procedure Steps are discussed in the next slide

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Test plan attachments:

• Procedure Steps:

setup wrap up

Stop

start
contingencies
restart

proceed

shut down

measure
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Test plan attachments:

Procedure Steps Description

1. Setup to prepare for execution of the procedure
2. Start to begin execution of the procedure
3. Proceed to continue the execution of the procedure
4. measure to describe how test measurements related to outputs will be made
to describe actions needed to suspend the test when unexpected events
5. shut down
occur
to describe restart points and actions needed to restart the procedure
6. restart
from these points
7. stop to describe actions needed to bring the procedure to an orderly halt
8. wrap up to describe actions necessary to restore the environment
plans for handling anomalous events if they occur during execution of this
9. contingencies
procedure. 62
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Self Assessment Question

15. State True or false:
“________ is a set of documents that involves general discussion of technical issues such as test
designs and test cases for the items under test.”

a. Test Plan Components

b. Test Plan Attachments
c. All of the above
d. None of the above

Answer: Test Plan Attachments

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Self Assessment Question

16. Which of the following document falls under Test Plan Attachments ?

a. Test Design Specifications

b. Test Case Specifications
c. Test Procedure Specifications
d. All of the above

Answer: All of the above

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Self Assessment Question

17. ________ identity the features covered by this design and associated tests for the features

a. Test Design Specifications

b. Test Case Specifications
c. Test Procedure Specifications
d. All of the above

Answer: Test Design Specifications

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Self Assessment Question

18. Arrange the following in the correct sequence that involve in Test Procedure Specifications.

i. Measure
ii. Setup
iii. Restart
iv. Stop
v. Start
vi. Proceed
vii. Shutdown
viii. Wrap-up
ix. Contingency

Answer: ii-v-vi-i-vii-iii-iv-viii-ix

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Locating test items Test process and

Reporting Test Results

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Locating test items:

• In order to locate the item(which is under test)and 1. version/revision number of
the item
have knowledge of its current status, some procedures
must be followed. 2. location of the item

• It is necessary to locate and track the items that are 3. persons responsible for the
item
submitted for test.
• Following information must be included for each item 4. references to item
documentation and the test plan
that is tracked.(shown in the right diagram) it is related to

5. status of the item

6. approvals
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Test process:
• A Process Driven Approach to Testing - 'The Seven Steps'

Test Strategy defines the test stages and testing types

Planning of test activities Test Plan

Analysis What to test

How to test Design

Schedule When to test scripts

Execute the scripts and record Execute

What happened

Manage the Process Introduce control of the whole process 69

Test Management

Reporting Test Results:

• The IEEE Standard for Software Test Documentation describes the following documents:
• Test Log
• Test Incident Report
• Test Summary Report

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Reporting Test Results:

• Test Log:
• The test log should be prepared by the person executing the tests.
• It is a diary of the events that take place during the test.
• It is valuable for
• regression testing that takes place in the development of future releases of a software product
• circumstances where code from a reuse library is to be reused.
• Test log components are described in the next slide.

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Reporting Test Results:

• Test Log components:
• Test Log Identifier:
• Each test log should have a unique identifier.
• Description:
• Here, the tester should identify the items being tested, their version/revision number, and their
associated Test Item/Transmittal Report.
• The environment in which the test is conducted should be described including hardware and
operating system details
• Activity and Event Entries:
• The tester should provide dates and names of test log authors for each event and activity.
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Reporting Test Results:

• Test Incident Report:
• The tester should record in a test incident report if any event that occurs during the execution of
the tests that is unexpected, unexplainable, and that requires a follow-up investigation.
• The IEEE Standard for Software Test Documentation recommends the following sections in the
report:
• Test Incident Report identifier
• Summary
• Incident description
• Impact

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Reporting Test Results:

• Test Summary Report:
• This report is prepared when testing is complete.
• It is a summary of the results of the testing efforts.
• The IEEE test documentation standard describes the following sections for the Test Summary
Report:
• Test Summary Report identifier
• Variances
• Comprehensiveness assessment
• Summary of results
• Evaluation
• Summary of activities
• Approvals
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Self Assessment Question

19. Which of the following information must be included for each item that is tracked

a. location of the item

b. Status of the item
c. version/revision number of the item
d. All of the above

Answer: All of the above

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Self Assessment Question

20. Arrange the following steps in the correct sequence that involve in Test Process.

a. Design
b. Test Analysis
c. Test strategy
d. Test plan
e. Schedule
f. Execute
g. Manage the process

Answer: C-D-B-A-E-F-G 76
Test Management

The role of three groups in Test Planning

and Policy Development

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The role of three groups in Test Planning and Policy Development:

• Three groups were identified as critical players in the testing process.
• These groups were shown diagrammatically.

Their view involves commitment and support for those activities

Managers
and tasks related to improving testing process quality

Developers Their view encompasses the technical activities and tasks that
or testers when applied, constitute best testing practices

Users or Their view is defined as a cooperating or supporting view.

clients
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The role of three groups in Test Planning and Policy Development:

• Activities, tasks, and responsibilities for the developers/testers include:
• Working with management to develop testing and debugging policies and goals
• Participating in the teams that oversee policy compliance and change management.
• Familiarizing themselves with the approved set of testing/debugging goals and policies, keeping
up-to-date with revisions, and making suggestions for changes when appropriate
• When developing test plans, setting testing goals for each project at each level of test that reflect
organizational testing goals and policies.
• Carrying out testing activities that are in compliance with organizational policies.

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Self Assessment Question

21. _______ view involves commitment and support for those activities and tasks related to improving
testing process quality

a. Managers’
b. Developers’
c. Clients’
d. None of the above

Answer: Managers’

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Test Management

Self Assessment Question

22. _______ view encompasses the technical activities and tasks that when applied, constitute best
testing practices

a. Managers’
b. Developers’
c. Clients’
d. None of the above

Answer: Developers’

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Self Assessment Question

23. _______ view is defined as a cooperating or supporting view

a. Managers’
b. Developers’
c. Clients’
d. None of the above

Answer: Clients’

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Introducing the test specialist

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Introducing the test specialist:

• By supporting a test group an organization acquires leadership in areas that relate to testing and
quality issues.
• For example, there will be staff with the necessary skills and motivation to be responsible for:
• maintenance and application of test policies
• development and application of test-related standards
• participating in requirements, design, and code reviews
• test planning, test design, test execution, test measurement, test monitoring
• defect tracking, and maintaining the defect repository
• defect tracking, and maintaining the defect repository
• identifying and applying new testing techniques, tools, and methodologies
• mentoring and training of new test personnel
• test reporting
• The staff members of such a group are called test specialists or test engineers.

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Self Assessment Question

24. A test specialist is responsible for

a. maintenance and application of test policies

b. test planning, test design, test execution, test measurement, test monitoring
c. identifying and applying new testing techniques, tools, and methodologies
d. All of the above

Answer: All of the above

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Skills needed by a test specialist

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Skills needed by a test specialist:

• From personal and managerial level perspective a test specialist must have:
• organizational, and planning skills
• the ability to keep track of, and pay attention to, details
• the determination to discover and solve problems
• the ability to work with others and be able to resolve conflicts
• the ability to mentor and train others

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Skills needed by a test specialist:

• From personal and managerial level perspective a test specialist must have (continue):
• the ability to work with users and clients
• strong written and oral communication skills
• the ability to work in a variety of environments
• the ability to think creatively

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Skills needed by a test specialist:

• From technical level perspective, testers need to have:
• an idea that includes an understanding of general software engineering principles, practices, and
methodologies.
• If possible, coding skills and an understanding of code structure and behavior
• a good understanding of testing principles and practices
• a good understanding of basic testing strategies, methods, and techniques
• the ability and experience to plan, design, and execute test cases and test procedures on multiple
levels (unit, integration, etc.)

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Skills needed by a test specialist:

• From technical level perspective, testers need to have (continue):
• a knowledge of process issues
• knowledge of how networks, databases, and operating systems are organized and how they work
• a knowledge of configuration management
• a knowledge of test-related documents and the role each documents plays in the testing process
• the ability to define, collect, and analyze test-related measurements
• the ability, training, and motivation to work with testing tools and equipment
• a knowledge of quality issues

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Test Management

Self Assessment Question

25. From personal and managerial level perspective a test specialist must have:

a. Organizational, and planning skills

b. The ability to work with others and be able to resolve conflicts
c. The ability to think creatively
d. Strong written and oral communication skills
e. All of the above

Answer: All of the above

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Self Assessment Question

26. From technical level perspective, testers need to have:

a. strong coding skills and an understanding of code structure and behavior.

b. a good understanding of basic testing strategies, methods, and techniques
c. All of the above
d. None of the above

Answer: All of the above

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Building a testing group

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Building a testing group:

Upper management
• Establishing a specialized testing group is a major support for test function

decision for an organization.

Establish test group
• Steps involved in the process of building a testing organization
group is shown diagrammatically(right)
Define education
and skill levels
Title, salary,
Location,
Develop job description
Qualifications,
Duties
Interview candidates

Select test group

members
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Self Assessment Question

27. Arrange the steps in the correct sequence of building a testing group

i. Interview candidates
ii. Define education and skill levels
iii. Establish test group organization
iv. Develop job description
v. Upper management support for test function
vi. Select test group members

Answer: v-iii-ii-iv-i-vi
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Test Management

Summary
• The test specialist has a key role in developing and implementing these managerial components.
• Test planning requires the planner to articulate the testing goals for a given project, to select tools and
techniques needed to achieve the goals, and to estimate time and resources needed for testing tasks so
that testing is effective, on time, within budget, and consistent with project goals.
• Each individual in an organization has a set of goals for self-improvement so that he or she can more
effectively contribute to the project, functional unit, and organization as a whole.
• Policy provides the vision and framework for decision making, it is important to have the policy
formally adopted by the organization, documented, and available for all interested parties.
• Deliverables may also include other documents that result from testing such as test logs, test
transmittal reports, test incident reports, and a test summary report.
• The tester should record in a test incident report if any event that occurs during the execution of the
tests that is unexpected, unexplainable, and that requires a follow-up investigation.
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Test Management

Assignments
• Discuss people and organizational issues in testing with an appropriate example.
• Discuss testing policy and debugging policy statements that must be considered while dealing with organization
structures for testing teams.
• List down the essential high-level items that must be considered by a test planner while performing test plan.
• Elaborate the test plan components as described in IEEE Std 829-1983 [5].
• Define test plan attachments. Discuss each of its components in detail.
• Explain the Process Driven Approach to Testing. Discuss each step in detail.
• Discuss the groups that involves in Test Planning and Policy Development. Discuss the role of each group in
detail.
• Discuss the responsibilities that must be taken by test specialities in detail.
• Discuss the skills needed by a test specialist in detail.
• Discuss the steps involved in the process of building a testing group. 97
Test Management

Assignments
• Explain in detail about the various maturity goals that must be designed and adopted while dealing
with people and organizational issues in testing.
• Explain in detail about the organizational structures for testing team.
• Explain in detail about the various test plan strategies, their components, attachments associated with
the test plan.
• Explain in detail about how to report a test results and what should be the components that must be
included in order to have a better template test report.
• Explain in detail about the steps involved in test process.
• Explain in detail about the role of three groups in Test Planning and Policy Development.
• Explain in detail about test specialist and what should be the skill set that must have in order to
achieve better test management.
• Explain in detail about building a Testing Group to achieve better test management efficiency. 98
Test Management

Document Links

Topics URL Notes

People and organizational https://www.brainkart.com/article/People-and-o This link explains about People and
issues in testing rganizational-issues-in-testing_9173/ organizational issues in testing
Organization structures for https://www.brainkart.com/article/Organization- This link explains about Organization
testing teams structures-for-testing-teams_9174/ structures for testing teams
https://www.brainkart.com/article/Test-planning
Test planning This link explains about Test planning
_9175/

https://www.brainkart.com/article/Test-plan-co
Test plan components This link explains about Test plan components
mponents_9176/
https://www.brainkart.com/article/Test-plan-atta
Test plan attachments This link explains about Test plan attachments
chments_9177/
Locating test items https://www.brainkart.com/article/Locating-test-
This link explains about Locating test items
items_9178/
https://www.bcs.org/content/ConWebDoc/1236
Test Process This link explains about Test Process
7

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Test Management

Document Links
Topics URL Notes
https://www.brainkart.com/article/Reporting This link explains about
Reporting-test-results
-test-results_9179/ Reporting-test-results
The-role-of-three-groups-i https://www.brainkart.com/article/The-role-o This link explains about
n-test-planning-and-polic f-three-groups-in-test-planning-and-policy-dev The-role-of-three-groups-in-test-pla
y-development elopment_9180/ nning-and-policy-development
Introducing the test https://www.brainkart.com/article/Introducin This link explains about
specialist g-the-test-specialist_9182/ Introducing the test specialist

Skills-needed-by-a-test-sp https://www.brainkart.com/article/Skills-nee This link explains about

ecialist ded-by-a-test-specialist_9183/ Skills-needed-by-a-test-specialist

https://www.brainkart.com/article/Building-a- This link explains about

Building-a-testing-group
testing-group_9184/ Building-a-testing-group

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Video Links

Topics URL Notes

Reporting-test-results https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GRtyvs5CTQ This link explains Reporting-test-results

Test Plan in Software

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPnWoroH7yA This link explains Test Plan in Software Testing
Testing

Software Test process https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CZaLVadDWs This link explains about Software Test process

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vdm1Lh540L This link explains about Test Plan

Test Plan
M

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Test Management

E-Book Links

Topics URL Page Number

http://booksite.mkp.com/barnum/testingessentials/pdfs/BWB_test_
Test Plan All
plan.pdf

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