Software Testing Resource

Outsourcing IT Testing

2006-05-08T23:41:07Z

Accenture (NYSE:ACN)

Software Testing Benchmarks

2006-05-03T23:07:47Z

There really aren't industry benchmarks for testing. It varies so wildly that it is useless. There is so much variation in individual IT orgs processes that no numbers make sense. I've done ignorant research in this area and have not been happy with anything out there. You essentially have to benchmark your own organization and then work to improve it. However, you are so dependent on the quality of the requirements artifacts and code that again even within your own group the variation can be incredible.

There are certain situations where benchmarking is possible. For example, if the organization follows the Use Case methodology of requirements management, then one might be able to assume that benchmarks could be used. However, again the variation in requirements detail can change everything. If you have an use case with 20 steps through the basic flow, you may be able to assume there will be 20 test steps in your test script. Yet, that use case could be documented at a high level that leaves much of the application steps out. In this case, that same 20 step use case could require 40 steps in the test script and hours of analysis on the application design to understand the user interaction.

Usually when clients bring up benchmarks they have concerns around productivity. There are other ways to approach this that can improve on that problem. The first is to assess the whole SDLC and find out what is slowing up the testing process. With respect to % of defects by lifecycle, that again can vary widely depending on the applications, the test environment and the testing done in each phase (thus the reason for no easy apples to apples industry comparisons).

Test Case Point Analysis
Using Test Maturity Models and Industry Standards for Test Process Improvement

Benchmarks are a joke in software testing though. There are ways to show the problem isn't within the testing team though (which is 99% of the case because it's usually rare that the tester truly has productivity issues and is being lazy).

Requirements Management

2006-01-27T02:08:17Z

Managing software requirements is the key to quality assurance.

Examples of tools that support good requirements elicitation:

iRise

iRise is the world's first solution used by business people to quickly assemble a working preview of business systems. iRise simulations let business people, end users and developers interact with critical business systems before development. The visual representation of the application looks and behaves like the real thing, including data interactions and business logic, so everyone literally gets on the same page. iRise simulations are interactive, unambiguous blueprints for what to build, eliminating expensive change orders, bringing projects to market on time and ensuring the final result will be adopted by end users. Business owners can now focus on the business, and IT organizations know exactly what to build – the first time.

Software Testing Tools

2006-01-27T01:21:53Z

Below is a list of links to recommended software testing tools:

Mercury Quality Center
Mercury Quality Center™ provides a web-based system for automated software quality testing and management across a wide range of application environments. Dashboard technology gives you the visibility to validate both functionality and automated business processes – and identify bottlenecks in production that stand in the way of business outcomes. Mercury Quality Center enables the IT team to engage in application testing even before the development process is complete. This shortens release schedules while ensuring the highest level of quality.
Rational Functional Tester
An advanced, automated functional and regression testing tool for testers and GUI developers who need superior control for testing Java®, Microsoft® Visual Studio .NET®, and Web-based applications. Provides novice testers with automated capabilities for activities such as data-driven testing. Offers advanced testers a choice of scripting language and industrial-strength editor - Java in Eclipse® or Microsoft® Visual Basic .NET® in Visual Studio .NET - for test authoring and customization.
Compuware QACenter
Achieve business objectives with optimal application performance and reliability. QACenter delivers a unique offering of automated testing products and solutions designed to validate applications running in the full spectrum of environments, isolate and correct problems, and ensure that systems can handle anticipated load—before applications go live.
Empirix e-TEST suite
e-TEST suite is a powerful, easy-to-use application testing solution that ensures the quality, performance and reliability of your Web applications and Web Services. This integrated, full lifecycle solution enables you to define and manage your application testing process, validate application functionality, and ensure that your applications will perform under load. With e-TEST suite, you can deploy your Web applications and Web Services in less time while maximizing the efficiency of your testing team.
Segue SilkTest
Segue's integrated suite of products includes the industry's most powerful and easy-to-use automated tools for testing, tuning and monitoring enterprise applications. Collectively, they address the full range of reliability and performance challenges across the entire lifecycle of an application. Today Segue's automated tools are meeting the software quality needs of more than 2,000 companies around the world. Using Segue's tools, these companies are building high availability, accuracy and performance into their most complex applications throughout pre-production - and continually optimizing application quality during production as users, interfaces and environments change.
RadView
RadView Software offers an integrated suite of products that verify the performance, scalability, and integrity of business-critical Web application environments. Our award-winning products were built from the ground up specifically for Web application testing.
Worksoft Certify
Worksoft CertifyTM is an automated functional testing solution for empowering all product stakeholders to contribute to quality testing including QA, developers, architects, and business analysts. Certify has a minimal learning curve, significant time and cost savings - delivering comprehensive software testing through increased test coverage, creation, and throughput to institute future-proofing software testing environments.
James Bach Test Tools
This is a repository of some test tools written, in whole or part, by James Bach, or authorized to be distributed by him. These tools are free and open source. They are offered under the GPL 2.0 license.

Software Testing Links

2006-01-27T00:53:57Z

Below is a list of links to relevant websites on the topic of "software testing":

Wiki on Software Testing
A growing site covering many topics related to software testing as edited by the general public.
Software QA and Testing Resource Center
This web site is oriented to experienced software QA and testing engineers who need some quick information from the convenience of their desktop.
Software QA Testing and Test Tool Resources
Very lengthy laundry list of software test related web resources.
James Bach's Blog
Well known software testing engineer that has published many books and articles on the subject. Having worked for larger software houses such as Apple and Borland, he know consults the industry and individual companies through his firm, Satisfice.