System Testing In a HurrySystem Testing In a Hurry
British Computer Society
Specialist Interest Group In Software Testing
6th December 1999
Graham Thomas
Wall Street Systems
2
BCS SIGIST 06/12/1999
AbstractAbstract
“Hi Graham, we have a project which finished development last Friday and starts system testing today (Monday).”
“Unfortunately all of our testers are pre-occupied with Year 2000 projects and we can’t spare them, so we thought that we would ask the development team to carry out the system testing. “
“Can you talk to the team for a couple of hours and tell them everything they need to do ‘system testing in a hurry’? . . . .How long do you need to prepare? . . . .You have a day!”
3
BCS SIGIST 06/12/1999
ContentsContents
The Presentation Testing Progress Feedback from Development A surprising conclusion
4
BCS SIGIST 06/12/1999
The PresentationThe Presentation
Planning Strategy Test Design Techniques Monitoring Feedback
5
BCS SIGIST 06/12/1999
PlanningPlanning
People Accommodation Equipment
PC’s, printers, modems
Support; Development Operations Business
Environment provision CICS Regions DASD (Disk space)
Requirements How many Skills Availability (courses,
holidays, leavers, joiners, training)
Need to generate a Plan
Requires a Test Manager role
6
BCS SIGIST 06/12/1999
StrategyStrategy
Integration
Retro-Fit
Regulatory TrialsAccp.System
Testing Lifecycle
Unit
7
BCS SIGIST 06/12/1999
StrategyStrategy
Requirements
Analysis
Design
Build Unit
Integration
System
Acceptance
Testing V Model
8
BCS SIGIST 06/12/1999
StrategyStrategy
Requirements
Design
Build Unit
Integration
Acceptance
Analysis System
FunctionalDesignSpec.
Testing V Model
9
BCS SIGIST 06/12/1999
Test DesignTest Design
Test Methodology
FunctionalDesignSpec. Function
Accp.Criteria (logical)
Condition
(physical)
CaseScript Network
TestData
10
BCS SIGIST 06/12/1999
TechniquesTechniques
Boundary Value Analysis Equivalence Partitioning Error Guessing
Tube Ticket Example
Child
0
Free Adult OAP
5 16 60
11
BCS SIGIST 06/12/1999
ScriptingScripting
Write high level scripts to save time Make scripts object based e.g.
Select Contract, Print Contract
Include reference to test case for traceability
Step Action Test Case Exp. ResultsRef. Act. Results
Script Template
12
BCS SIGIST 06/12/1999
ExecutionExecution
Common Test FaultsThe Test DataThe sequence of instructions (script)Less likely to be a code problem !!!
Problem RecordingRecord the scene of the crimeDon’t waste time trying to diagnose faultJust record instance of fault via Post-it note
13
BCS SIGIST 06/12/1999
MonitoringMonitoring
Don’t get bogged down measuring Test Case generationScript generationFunction coverage
Recommended 2 simple ways to monitorS - CurveOutstanding Faults
14
BCS SIGIST 06/12/1999
S - CurveS - Curve
28/06/99 07/07/99 16/07/99 27/07/99 05/08/99 16/08/99
0
50
100
150
200
Cumulative Fault Total
15
BCS SIGIST 06/12/1999
Faults OutstandingFaults Outstanding
28/06/99 07/07/99 16/07/99 27/07/99 05/08/99 16/08/99
0
50
100
150
Outstanding Faults
16
BCS SIGIST 06/12/1999
Presentation FeedbackPresentation Feedback
DevelopersNot very structured
ManagementRelieved to have a structured testing method
and limited support
Client Testing ManagementVery keen to adopt the proposed method
18
BCS SIGIST 06/12/1999
Testing ProgressTesting Progress
Assigned 1 member of testing team to assist project on a part time basis
Developers found it “a bit boring” generating the test cases
Development Team Leader welcomed a structured testing method
All went very quiet . . .
19
BCS SIGIST 06/12/1999
Feedback from DevelopmentFeedback from Development
The testing support was welcomed The ‘method’ hung together The test manager was in control of testing Actually gave the developers a different
perspective on testing Took the pressure off what could have
been a disastrous project
20
BCS SIGIST 06/12/1999
A Surprising ConclusionA Surprising Conclusion
The project was successful Testing finished on time Good quality product handed-over Minimal impact to Y2K program
But was it really?
“We now test the way Graham showed us”
No early testing feedback
No advanced test planning
No metrics
No repeatability
21
BCS SIGIST 06/12/1999
Start Testing EarlyStart Testing Early
Requirements
Analysis
Design
Build Unit
Integration
System
Acceptance
Testing V Model
22
BCS SIGIST 06/12/1999
Contact DetailsContact Details
Graham Thomas
Testing Manager
Wall Street Systems
Phone: 020 7827 0430
e-mail: [email protected]