Testing Software and constraints

Anything that inhibited the tester’s ability to fulfill their responsibilities is a onstraint.Constraints include:

1 • Limited schedule and budget

2 • Lacking or poorly written requirements

3 • Changes in technology

4 • Limited tester skills

Budget and schedule constraints may limit the ability of a tester to complete their test plan.Understanding why the lack of life cycle testing can cause budget and schedule problems can help relieve the constraint.

Testing should begin during the first phase of the life cycle and continue throughout the life cycle. It’s important to recognize that life cycle testing is essential to reducing the cost of testing.

Most problems associated with testing occur from one of the following causes:

1 • Failing to define testing objectives

2 .Testing at the wrong phase in the life cycle

3 • Using ineffective test techniques

The cost-effectiveness of testing is illustrated in Figure . As the cost of testing increases,the number of undetected defects decreases. The left side of the illustration represents an under test situation in which the cost of testing is less than the resultant loss from undetected defects.

At some point, the two lines cross and an over test condition begins. In this situation, the cost of testing to uncover defects exceeds the losses from those defects. A cost-effective perspective means testing until the optimum point is reached, which is the point where the cost of testing no longer exceeds the value received from the defects uncovered.

Few organizations have established a basis to measure the effectiveness of testing. This makes it difficult for the individual systems analyst/programmer to determine the cost effectiveness of testing. Without testing standards, the effectiveness of the process cannot be evaluated in sufficient detail to enable the process to be measured and improved.

The use of standardized testing methodology provides the opportunity for a cause and effect relationship to be determined. In other words, the effect of a change in the methodology can be evaluated to determine whether that effect resulted in a smaller or larger number of defects.

The establishment of this relationship is an essential step in improving the test process. The cost-effectiveness of a testing process can only be determined when the effect of that process can be measured. When the process can be measured, it can be adjusted to improve the cost-effectiveness of the test process for the organization.
99.4

You can here consider reading SOFTWARE TESTING LIFE CYCLE part three .

This web site also covers c programming and you can learn discussion regarding c variables.

You like this post and interested in getting updates.

Subscribe to RSS FEED here or get updates directly into your EMAIL BOX.