A step-by-step approach for getting started with testing tasks.

Software testing is an important stage in the software development process, as is illustrated by the growing market for testing tools. Independent testing and verification before the implementation of the system can help improve its quality and reliability and cut the overall costs of the project. Often a user of a new system is disappointed to find that all is not well with their new set up, and one of the most common reasons is that there has been insufficient testing to prove that a particular system will do precisely what was intended.

Managers are becoming aware of the need to test new products, though often the task of software testing is assigned to a programmer who, although he may have extensive programming experience, has not been trained to test software, and is suddenly expected to do so with a strict project deadline approaching. This book is intended to come to the rescue of such an IT professional. It gives an brief overview of testing, then in a practical way show how to develop test cases, covering aspects such as:

• best practice documentation strategies, methods and standards; and
• tips on handling the various requirements facing the tester, including fitness for use models and presenting the case for testing to your manager.

A number of real-life case studies are introduced in the early chapters and then used throughout as examples of how to put the methods presented into practice and proceed successfully with them. These include an Object-Oriented and a Web testing example. The book will also be structured to provide extensive references out to otherbooks in the testing area, to which the reader will be pointed to further develop his testing skills.

Contents

Preface.
Introduction.

I. DEFINING TEST CASES.

1 : Tackling the Testing Maze.
2 : Test Outlines.
3 : From Test Outline To Test Cases.
4 : Using Tables and Spreadsheets.
5 : Other Types of Tables.
6 : Testing object-oriented software.
7 : Web Testing.

II. WORKING WITH THE TEST CASES.

8 : Reducing the Number of Test Cases.
9 : The Rest of the Test Cycle.
10 : Test Documentation Improvements and Industry Standards.

Appendices.
Bibliography.
Index.