SOFTWARE QUALITY ASSURANCE &

TESTING
 LECTURE # 11

SOFTWARE TEST DESIGN TECHNIQUES

 Fault Handling Techniques
Fault Handling

Fault Tolerance
Fault Avoidance Fault Detection

Design Atomic Modular

Methodology Reviews Redundancy
Transactions

Configuration
Verification
Management

Testing Debugging

Unit Integration System Correctness Performance

Testing Testing Testing Debugging Debugging

nd Bruegge & Allen H. Dutoit Object-Oriented Software Engineering: Using UML, Patterns, and Java 3
 Quality Assurance encompasses
Testing
Quality Assurance

Usability Testing

Scenario Prototype Product

Testing Testing Testing

Fault Avoidance Fault Tolerance

Atomic Modular
Configuration Transactions Redundancy
Verification
Management
Fault Detection

Reviews

Debugging
Walkthrough Inspection
Testing

Correctness Performance
Unit Integration System Debugging Debugging
nd Bruegge & Allen H. Dutoit
Testing Testing Testing
Object-Oriented Software Engineering: Using UML, Patterns, and Java 4
Preamble
 Is ‘exhaustive’ testing possible?
 Can we test everything?
 In order to know what the system should do, we need to have
a source of information about the correct behavior of the
system - this is called an 'oracle' or a test oracle.
Test Design Techniques
 There are many different types of software testing techniques,
each with its own strengths and weaknesses.
 Each testing technique falls into one of a number of different
categories.
 Broadly speaking there are two main categories, static and
dynamic.
Static Testing
 Control Flow
 The sequence in which operations are performed by a business
process, component or system.
 Data Flow
 A type of static analysis based on the lifecycle of variables e.g.,
creation, usage, modification or destruction.
Dynamic Testing
 Dynamic techniques are subdivided into three more
categories:
 Specification-based (black-box, also known as behavioral
techniques)
 Structure-based (white-box or structural techniques)
 Experience-based
 Specification-based techniques include both functional and
non-functional techniques (i.e. quality characteristics).
Equivalence Partitioning
 Equivalence Partitioning is also known as
Equivalence Class Partitioning.
 Equivalence partitioning is a black-box testing
technique that applies to all levels of testing.
 Equivalence class is a subset of data that is
representative of a larger class.
 Divide input domain into equivalence classes.
 One test case per equivalence class, to reduce total
number of test cases needed.
Equivalence Partitioning -
Example
You are filling an online application form
for a gym membership. The
only important criteria for getting a
membership is your age! Most of the gyms
have age criteria of 16-60, where you can
independently get the membership
without any supervision needed. If you
look at below membership form, you will
need to fill age first. After that, depending
on whether you are between 16-60, you
can go further. Otherwise, you will get a
message that you cannot get a
membership.
Equivalence Partitions - Example

• If we need to test this age field, the common sense tells us

that we need to test the values between 16-60, and values
which are less than 16, and some values which are more
than 60.
• It is easy to figure out, but what is not very evident is how
many combinations we need to test to say that the
functionality works safely?
• <16 has 15 combinations from 0-15, and if you test negative
values, then some more combination can be added
• 16-60 has 45 combinations
• >60 has 40 combinations (if you only take till 100)
Equivalence Partitions - Example

• Valid Partitions are values that should be accepted by the

component or system under test. This partition is called "Valid
Equivalence Partition."

• Invalid Partitions are values that should be rejected by the

component or system under test. This partition is
called "Invalid Equivalence Partition."
Equivalence Partitioning
Guidelines
 Guidelines to define equivalence classes:
 Range input : One valid and two invalid equivalence
 Specific value : One valid and two invalid equivalence
 A member of a set : One valid and one invalid
equivalence
 Boolean : One valid and one invalid equivalence
Boundary Value Analysis

 BVA is an extension of equivalence partitioning.

 The basis of BVA is testing the boundaries at partitions
or you can say the “edges” of equivalence classes.
 In practice, more errors found at boundaries of
equivalence classes than within the classes. (E.g.,
a developer using >10 instead of >= 10 for a condition).
 Equivalence partitioning alone was not sufficient to
catch such defects.
Boundary Value Analysis -
Example

• Identify Exact Boundary Value of this partition Class - which is 16

& 60
• Get the Boundary value which is one less than the exact
Boundary - which is 15 & 59
• Get the Boundary Value which is one more than the precise
Boundary - which is 17 & 61
• If we combine them all, we will get below combinations for
Boundary Value for the Age Criteria.
Valid Boundary Conditions: Age = 16, 17, 59, 60
Invalid Boundary Conditions: Age = 15 and 61
 Range of Boundary Values

1. Value immediately below range

2. First value of range
3. Second value of range
4. Value immediately below last value of
range
5. Last value of range
6. Value immediately above range
Example
 In an examination, a candidate has to score a minimum of
24 marks in order to clear the exam. The maximum that
he can score is 40 marks.
 Out of the given inputs, identify the valid only
equivalence values if the student clears the exam.
 22, 23, 26
 21, 39, 40
 29, 30, 31
 0, 15, 22
Example
 In an examination, a candidate has to score a minimum of
24 marks in order to clear the exam. The maximum that
he can score is 40 marks.
 Out of the given inputs, identify the invalid only
equivalence values if the student clears the exam.
 30, 35, 36
 24, 39, 40
 29, 30, 31
 0, 15, 22
Error Guessing
Based on the theory that test cases can be
developed based upon the intuition and
experience of the Test Engineer.

In an example where one of the inputs is

the date, the tester may try
February 29, 2000 or 9/9/9999
White Box Testing – Example
FindMean(float Mean, FILE ScoreFile)
{ SumOfScores = 0.0; NumberOfScores = 0; Mean = 0;
Read(ScoreFile, Score); /*Read in and sum the scores*/
while (! EOF(ScoreFile) {
if ( Score > 0.0 ) {
SumOfScores = SumOfScores + Score;
NumberOfScores++;
}
Read(ScoreFile, Score);
}
/* Compute the mean and print the result */
if (NumberOfScores > 0 ) {
Mean = SumOfScores/NumberOfScores;
printf("The mean score is %f \n", Mean);
} else
printf("No scores found in file\n");
WBT Example: Determining the
Paths
FindMean (FILE ScoreFile)
{ float SumOfScores = 0.0;
int NumberOfScores = 0;
1
float Mean=0.0; float Score;
Read(ScoreFile, Score);
2 while (! EOF(ScoreFile) {
3 if (Score > 0.0 ) {
SumOfScores = SumOfScores + Score;
4
NumberOfScores++;
5 }

Read(ScoreFile, Score); 6
}
/* Compute the mean and print the result */
7 if (NumberOfScores > 0) {
Mean = SumOfScores / NumberOfScores;
printf(“ The mean score is %f\n”, Mean); 8
} else
printf (“No scores found in file\n”); 9
Constructing the Logic Flow
Diagram
Start

F
2
T
3
T F
4 5

7
T F
8 9

Exit
Finding the test cases

Start

1
a (Covered by any data)
2
c b (Data set must contain at least one value)
(Positive score) d 3
e (Negative score)
4 5
(Data set must g h (Reached if either f or
f
be empty 6 e is reached)

7 j (Total score > 0.0)

(Total score < 0.0) i
8 9
k l
Exit
Control Flow
If you are flying with an economy ticket, there is a
possibility that you may get upgraded to business
class, especially if you hold a gold card in the
airline's frequent flier program. If you don't hold a
gold card, there is a possibility that you will get
'bumped' off the flight if it is full and you check in
late.
Control Flow Diagram

Note that each box (i.e. statement) has been numbered.

Statement Testing and Coverage
 Statement
An entity in a programming language, which is
typically the smallest indivisible unit of execution.
Synonyms: source statement

 Statement testing
A white-box test technique in which test cases are
designed to execute statements.
Statement Testing and Coverage

Number of Statements = 3
Decision Testing and Coverage
 Decision
A type of statement in which a choice between two or
more possible outcomes controls which set of actions
will result.
 Coverage

It measures in some specific way the amount of

testing performed by a set of tests.
Decision Testing and Coverage
 How we calculate the Coverage?
The basic coverage measure is:

where the 'coverage item' is what ever we have been

able to count and see whether a test has exercised or
used this item.
Decision Testing and Coverage
 Decision Testing
A white-box test
technique in which
test cases are designed
to execute decision
outcomes.

Number of Decision= 2
Decision Testing and Coverage
 Decision Coverage =
(Number decision
exercised)/(Total Number of
decision) x 100
 Only two path required to
execute every decision in
diagram.
 100% decision coverage
implies 100% Statement
coverage. (but not vice
versa)