UNIT 10 Planning Management

SOFTWARE TEST
METRIC

REPORT BY: 
KIMBERLY B. DOSADO
MCS 2-A, ISAT-U
UNIT 10: SOFTWARE TEST METRIC
REPORT OUTLINE:

• Test concepts, definitions and techniques

• Estimating number of test case
TEST CONCEPTS,
DEFINITIONS AND
TECHNIQUES
Definitions

• Run: The smallest division of work that can be initiated by external intervention on a
software component. Run is associated with input state (set of input variables) and
runs with identical input state are of the same run type.
• Direct input variable: is a variable that controls the operation directly
• Example: arguments, selection menu, entered data field.
• Indirect input variable: is a variable that only influences the operations or its effects
are propagated to the operation
• Example: traffic load, environmental variable.
What is a Test Case?
• Definition: A test case is a partial specification of a run through the
naming of its direct input variables and their values.
• Better Definition: A test case is an instance (or scenario) of a use-case
composed of a set of test inputs, execution conditions and expected
results.
• Prior to specifying test cases one should document the use-cases.
Types of Software Test

• Certification Test: Accept or reject (binary decision) an acquired component

for a given target failure intensity.
• Feature Test: A single execution of an operation with interaction between
operations minimized.
• Load Test: Testing with field use data and accounting for interactions among
operations
• Regression Test: Feature tests after every build involving significant change,
i.e., check whether a bug fix worked.
Basic Testing
Methods
• Two widely recognized testing
methods:
• White Box Testing
• Reveal problems with the
internal structure of a program
• Black Box Testing
• Assess how well a program
meets its requirements
1. White Box Testing
• Checks internal structure of a program
• Requires detailed knowledge of structure
• Common goal is Path Coverage
• How many of the possible execution paths are actually tested?
• Effectiveness often measured by the fraction of code exercised by test cases
2. Black Box Testing
• Checks how well a program meets its requirements
• Assumes that requirements are already validated 
• Look for missing or incorrect functionality
• Exercise system with input for which the expected output is known
• Various methods:
• Performance, Stress, Reliability, Security testing
 Testing occurs throughout software lifecycle:
• Unit
Testing • Integration & System
Levels •
•
Evaluation & Acceptance
Installation
• Regression (Reliability Growth)
 • White box testing in a controlled test environment
of a module in isolation from others
1. Unit • Unit is a function or small library
• Small enough to test thoroughly
Testing • Exercises one unit in isolation from others
• Controlled test environment
• White Box
 • Units are combined and module is exercised 

2. • Focus is on the interfaces between units

• White Box with some Black Box
Integration • Three main approaches:
• Top-down
Testing • Bottom-up 
• Big Bang
Integration Testing: Top-Down
• The control program is tested first
• Modules are integrated one at a time
• Major emphasis is on interface testing
• Interface errors are discovered early
• Forms a basic early prototype
• Test stubs are needed
• Errors in low levels are found late
Integration Testing: Bottom-Up
• Modules integrated in clusters as desired
• Shows feasibility of modules early on
• Emphasis on functionality and performance
• Usually, test stubs are not needed
• Errors in critical modules are found early
• Many modules must be integrated before a working program is available
• Interface errors are discovered late
Integration Testing: Big Bang
• Units completed and tested independently
• Integrated all at once
• Quick and cheap (no stubs, drivers)
• Errors:
• Discovered later
• More are found
• More expensive to repair
• Most commonly used approach
 • Black Box test
3. External • Verify the system correctly implements specified
functions
Function • Sometimes known as an Alpha test

Test • In-house testers mimic the end use of the system

 • More robust version of the external test
• Difference is the test platform
4. System • Environment reflects end use
• Includes hardware, database size,
Test system complexity, external factors
• Can more accurately test nonfunctional system
requirements (performance, security etc.)
 • Also known as Beta testing

5. Acceptance • Completed system tested by end users

• More realistic test usage than ‘system’ phase
Testing • Validates system with user expectations
• Determine if the system is ready for deployment
6. • The testing of full, partial, or
Installation upgrade install/uninstall processes
• Not well documented in the literature
Testing
 • Tests modified software
• Verify changes are correct and do not adversely
7. affect other system components
• Selects existing test cases that are
Regression deemed necessary to validate the modification
• With bug fixes, four things can happen
Testing • Fix a bug; add a new bug; damage
program structure; damage program integrity
• Three of them are unwanted
ESTIMATING NUMBER
OF TEST CASE
Estimate Number of Test Cases

• How many test cases do we need?

• Affected by two factors: time and cost
• Method:
• Compute the number of test cases for the given 
• Time:
(available time × available staff) / (average time to prepare a test case)
• Cost:
(available budget) / (average preparation cost per test case)
• Select the minimum number of the two
Example
• The development budget for a project is $4 million and %10 of which can
be spent on preparing test cases. Each test case costs $250 or 4 hours to
prepare. The duration of project is set to be 25 weeks (of 40 hours each)
and a staff of 5 is assigned to prepare the test cases. How many test cases
should be prepared?
• From cost point of view:
N1 = (4,000,000 × 0.1) / 250 = 1,600
• From time point of view:
N2 = (25 × 40 × 5) / 4 = 1,250

N = min (N1 , N2), therefore, N = 1,250

References • Dr. Behrouz Far. (2014). Software Metrics
(SENG 421) Course Outline.
https://people.ucalgary.ca/~far/Lectures/S
ENG421/index.html