6. Tool Support for Testing

6.1 Types of Test Tools

  • Management of Testing & Tests
  • Requirement management
  • Incident management
  • Configuration management
  • Performance & Monitoring
  • Specific testing Needs
  • Test Execution & Logging
  • Test Specification
  • Static Testing

6.1.1 Classify different types of test tools according to their purpose and to the activities of the fundamental test process and the software life cycle

Management tools:

  • Test management
  • Requirement management
  • Incident management
  • Configuration management

Static testing:

  • Review tools
  • Static analysers
  • Modelling tools

Test specification tools:

  • Test design tools
  • Test data preparation tools

Test execution and logging tools:

  • Test harness / unit test framework
  • Test comparators
  • Coverage managment
  • Security testing tools

Performance and monitoring tools:

  • Dynamic analysers
  • Performance/load/stress tools
  • Monitoring tools

6.1.3 Explain the term test tool and the purpose of tool support for testing

  • test tool: A software product that supports one or more test activities, such as planning and control, specification, building initial files and data, test execution and test analysis.




6.2 Effective Use of Tools: Potential Benefits and Risks

  • Potential Benefits & Risks
  • Special consideration for Test Execution, Static analysis & Test Management tools

6.2.1 Summarize the potential benefits and risks of test automation and tool support for testing

Benefits

  • Improve the efficiency of test activities
  • Automate activities that require significant resources when done manually
  • Automate activities that can not be executed manually.

Risks

  • Unrealistic expectations for the tool
  • Underestimating effort for the initial introduction
  • Underestimating effort to achieve significant benefits
  • Effort to maintain the test assets
  • Over-reliance on the tool
  • Neglecting interoperability between critical tools
  • Poor vendor support
  • Neglecting version control
  • Risk of suspension of open-source / free tool project

6.2.2 Remember special considerations for test execution tools, static analysis, and test management tools





6.3 Introducing a Tool into an Organization

  • Main Considerations
  • Start with a Pilot project
  • Success factors for deployment

6.3.1 State the main principles of introducing a tool into an organization

  • Organisational maturity
  • Clear requirements and objective criteria
  • Vendor support
  • Coaching and mentoring internal requirements
  • Training needs
  • Cost-benefit ratio
  • A proof-of-concept

6.3.2 State the goals of a proof-of-concept for tool evaluation and a piloting phase for tool implementation

  • Learn more detail about the tool
  • Evaluate how the tool fits with existing processes
  • Decide on standard ways of using the tool
  • Asset cost vs benefits

6.3.3 Recognize that factors other than simply acquiring a tool are required for good tool support

  • Rolling out tool incremementally
  • Adapting and improving processes
  • Providing training, coaching and mentoring
  • Defining usage guidelines
  • Gather usage information
  • Monitoring tool use and benefits
  • Providing support
Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License