Key definitions

(for HTB quiz)

 

Test Pyramid

The test pyramid is a model showing that different tests may have different granularity. The test pyramid model supports the team in test automation and in test effort allocation by showing that different goals are supported by different levels of test automation. The pyramid layers represent groups of tests. The higher the layer, the lower the test granularity, test isolation and test execution time. Tests in the bottom layer are small, isolated, fast, and check a small piece of functionality, so usually a lot of them are needed to achieve a reasonable coverage. The top layer represents complex, high-level, end-to-end tests. These high-level tests are generally slower than the tests from the lower layers, and they typically check a large piece of functionality, so usually just a few of them are needed to achieve a reasonable coverage.

Traceability in testing

In order to implement effective test monitoring and control, it is important to establish and maintain traceability throughout the test process between the test basis elements, testware associated with these elements (e.g., test conditions, risks, test cases), test results, and detected defects. Accurate traceability supports coverage evaluation, so it is very useful if measurable coverage criteria are defined in the test basis. The coverage criteria can function as key performance indicators to drive the activities that show to what extent the test objectives have been achieved. For example: Traceability of test cases to requirements can verify that the requirements are covered by test cases. In addition to evaluating coverage, good traceability makes for example possible to determine the impact of changes, facilitates test audits, and helps meet IT governance criteria.

 

Entry and exit criteria in testing

Entry criteria define the preconditions for undertaking a given activity. If entry criteria are not met, it is likely that the activity will prove to be more difficult, time-consuming, costly, and riskier. Exit criteria define what must be achieved in order to declare an activity completed. Entry criteria and exit criteria should be defined for each test level, and will differ based on the test objectives. Typical entry criteria include: availability of resources (e.g., people, tools, environments, test data, budget, time), availability of testware (e.g., test basis, testable requirements, user stories, test cases), and initial quality level of a test object (e.g., all smoke tests have passed). Typical exit criteria include: measures of thoroughness (e.g., achieved level of coverage, number of unresolved defects, defect density, number of failed test cases), and completion criteria (e.g., planned tests have been executed, static testing has been performed, all defects found are reported, all regression tests are automated).

Testing Quadrants

The testing quadrants, defined by Brian Marick (Marick 2003, Crispin 2008), group the test levels with the appropriate test types, activities, test techniques and work products in the Agile software development. The model supports test management in visualizing these to ensure that all appropriate test types and test levels are included in the SDLC and in understanding that some test types are more relevant to certain test levels than others. This model also provides a way to differentiate and describe the types of tests to all stakeholders, including developers, testers, and business representatives.

Benefits of DevOps for testing

DevOps is an organizational approach aiming to create synergy by getting development (including testing) and operations to work together to achieve a set of common goals. DevOps requires a cultural shift within an organization to bridge the gaps between development (including testing) and operations while treating their functions with equal value.

From the testing perspective, some of the benefits of DevOps are:

  • Fast feedback on the code quality, and whether changes adversely affect existing code
  • CI promotes a shift-left approach in testing (see section 2.1.5) by encouraging developers to submit high quality code accompanied by component tests and static analysis
  • Promotes automated processes like CI/CD that facilitate establishing stable test environments
  • Increases the view on non-functional quality characteristics (e.g., performance, reliability)

Checklist-based testing

In checklist-based testing, a tester designs, implements, and executes tests to cover test conditions from a checklist. Checklists can be built based on experience, knowledge about what is important for the user, or an understanding of why and how software fails. Checklists should not contain items that can be checked automatically, items better suited as entry/exit criteria, or items that are too general.

Checklist items are often phrased in the form of a question. It should be possible to check each item separately and directly. These items may refer to requirements, graphical interface properties, quality characteristics or other forms of test conditions. Checklists can be created to support various test types, including functional and non-functional testing.