Courses from Rodney Wilson

UCSC Extension
3120 Dela Cruz Blvd.
Santa Clara, CA 95054

Phone: 1 800 660 UNEX (In California)
Phone: (408) 427 6600 (Outside California)

Design Develop and Execute Function and System Test Cases

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Designed for engineering and quality assurance professionals who require experience with state-of-the-practice software test methodologies and tools. In addition to experience with functional and structural test design and development, you learn about reliability and regression test methods and tools. The workshop includes several hands-on exercises to increase software development productivity (lower defect densities) and improve product quality (customer satisfaction).

Project teams are recommended to participate and learn how to reduce the high cost associated with testing. This includes discussion and work with verification and validation (testing) across the entire development life-cycle. Lab exercises demonstrate how to push code past the typical test coverage barrier of approximately 30 percent. A glossary of terms, tools, methods and processes for the software engineering project team is provided for process definition. Also, discussion includes use of MS Project for project planning, estimating, and scheduling.

Now that there are hundreds of test development and execution tools available, it's critical to have a well defined V&V strategy and methodology. Topics covered in this course include:

VERIFICATION

  • Technical reviews and inspections (fspecs, design, code and test)
  • Buddy checks, peer reviews and walkthroughs
  • Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and defect prevention techniques
  • Post-release reviews (postmortems)
  • Metrics definition and usage (e.g., process, code quality, and test)
  • Process assessment, definition, training, and documentation

    VALIDATION

  • Functional testing (requirements-based)
  • Integration and interface testing
  • System testing (platform/port certification)
  • Acceptance testing (customer acceptance criteria demonstration)
  • Regression testing (process definition and implementation)
  • Beta testing (agreements, plans, metrics, meetings/reviews)
  • Structural testing and analysis (static/dynamic code-based testing)
  • Generation of known problems and solutions documentation
  • Closing problem reports (problem resolution verification)
  • Documentation testing (application specific and on-line help)
  • Training material testing (video and classroom-based)
  • Performance & capacity testing (component to system-level)
  • Usability testing (task analysis, verification, human factors)
  • Accuracy testing (test oracle generation and analysis)
  • Expert user testing (error guessing, heuristics-based validation)
  • Patch release integration and validation testing
  • Reliability testing (e.g., operational profile creation)
  • Security testing (system, network, applications)
  • Testability analysis (static and dynamic methods and tools)

    KEY DELIVERABLES

  • Project plans (gantt charts and schedules)
  • Quality plans
  • Verification and validation plans
  • Test plan documents
  • Test programs and data
  • Golden and expected results files (test oracles)
  • Metrics reports
  • Failure analysis and problem reports
  • Checklists and templates

    TOOLS

  • Purify, PureCoverage, PureLink, and Quantify (Rational Software)
  • TestExpert (Silicon Valley Networks)
  • tcov, appcert, y2000, JavaScope, JavaStar (Sun/SunTest)
  • XRunner, WinRunner, LoadRunner, TestDirector (Mercury-Interactive)
  • QAPartner (Segue Software)
  • DISCOVER, DISCOVER Y2000 (Software Emancipation)
  • lint, dbx, sh, PERL (UNIX)
  • VisualTest (Microsoft)
  • MetaC (QET)

    TECHNIQUES

  • boundary value analysis
  • equivalence class partitioning
  • syntax testing
  • error guessing
  • domain testing
  • state-machine testing
  • loop testing (functional and structural)
  • data-flow testing (functional and structural)
  • control-flow testing (functional and structural)

    EXPERIENCE

    Rodney Wilson, has over 18 years experience in software development, V&V, and quality assurance. He is the author of, "UNIX Test Tools and Benchmarks", "UNIX Tamed", and "Software RX: Secrets of Engineering Quality Software", all published by Prentice Hall. Mr. Wilson also provides training and consulting services for quality assurance and product validation functions.

    Entry updated May 4, 1998.
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