Target Audience: Testers, Project Managers, Lead Software Designers & Developers,  Business Analysts

Description:
Software Testing consumes 40 - 50% of the time and effort in most software development and maintenance projects. Yet, the testing process is not well planned, has much wasted effort, and doesn't ensure the quality of the software products. Even worse, if the software effort is behind schedule, much of the planned testing is aborted, and the delivered software is only half-baked (which creates enormous risk).

The quality of the ultimate software product depends on the thoroughness and effectiveness of the software testing. Questions:
1. Does your organization (and management) understand the need for effective testing, and its importance in today's competitive market?
2. Is your organization interested in reducing the effort (and calendar time) spent in testing - without sacrificing quality?
3. Does your company have specific, documented testing strategies and procedures?

Software testing can be done quickly, with a minimum of redundancy, to quickly identify any errors so they can be quickly removed, thus improving the quality of the software product. Time-to-market can also be improved by early effect removal and reducing redundant testing.

Developing an overall testing strategy to effectively address testing at all levels (unit testing up through system and acceptance testing) is vital to improving software quality and customer satisfaction, while reducing costs and time-to-market.

The SMS Testing Workshop provides a comprehensive approach to all levels of software testing, based on the experience and expertise of "the testing masters." You will learn how to develop a comprehensive and effective testing strategy to help ensure high-quality products and an enhanced quality reputation.

During this course you will be presented with guidelines for developing practical test plans and test cases to ensure requirements are met, along with modern software standards and related test documentation. The introduction and use of test tools to automate testing will also be covered. The power of requirements traceability in an effective test process will show you how to achieve a competitive edge.

The Test Process Improvement (TPI®) model as introduced in the book "Test Process Improvement - A Practical Step-by-Step Guide, by T. Koomen and Martin Pol, Addison-Wesley, 1999" will be described, and shown how it can be used to assess the current level of practice in an organization, and provide a structured framework for identifying weak points and guiding improvements.

Objectives:

• Understand the concepts and purposes of each level of testing, and overall test strategies

• Understand problems that occur, and how to deal with them

• Understand the differences between testing & debugging

• Understand the differences between regression testing, and re-testing

• Understand selected automated test tools and the incorporation of test tools

• Understand how to plan and manage the test process

• Understand the SW standards and the testing process requirements

• Writing Test Scenarios and Test Scripts

Topics:

Module 1 - Introduction
• Workshop overview & agenda
• Expectations & Objectives

Module 2 - Critical Issues in Modern Software Testing
• Planning and controlling the test process
• Realistic estimates of test time
• The role of test scenarios
• Stress and overload testing
• Reducing the pain in creating Test Reports

Module 3 - Understanding the total Testing process
• Overall Test Strategies and Plans
• Modern Development paradigms and standards
• Regression testing versus retesting
• Managing the test process

Module 4 - Developing Practical Test Plans
• What modern software standards require
• Dealing with multiple levels of testing

• Acceptance Testing issues
• Controlling Test environments, test tools, and test data

Module 5 - Developing Effective Test Cases
• Unit-level test cases
• Software Integration
• Qualification/Acceptance test cases and scenarios
• Regression testing tools

Module 6 - Usability and Web Testing
• Usability testing
• Requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act
• Accessibility features
• Error testing and error guessing

Module 7 - Tools & Techniques for Test Automation
• The wide variety of test tools available, benefits and costs
• Unit-level Test tools
• Integration and Qualification test tools
• Workshop on test tools
• Control of Test ware

Module 8 - Estimating and Managing the Test Process
• Developing and using parametric estimating (With examples)
• Using metrics to quantitatively manage the test process
• Improving the test process (boring into the test process)
• Test process assessments

Module 9 – Summary

Prerequisites: Familiarity with software development

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TPI® is a trademark of Sogeti of the Netherlands.