Implementing Automated Software Testing

Testing accounts for an increasingly large percentage of the time and cost of new software development: up to 60% in some environments. Using Automated Software Testing (AST), developers can reduce these costs, and optimize testing processes for the latest tools, languages, and architectures. As development grows increasingly complex, AST becomes even more indispensable. Now, for the first time, there's a practical, start-to-finish guide to implementing it successfully.

In Implementing Automated Software Testing , three leading experts explain AST in detail, systematically reviewing its components, capabilities, and limitations and present proven best practices for using it. Then, drawing on their unsurpassed experience deploying AST in both defense and the private sector, they walk through the entire implementation process-identifying best practices, crucial success factors, key pitfalls, and solutions for avoiding them.

You will learn to:

• Use Automated Software testing to improve quality, reduce cost, and accelerate delivery
• Make a realistic business case for Automated Software Testing, and use it to drive your initiative
• Clarify your testing requirements and develop an automation strategy that reflects them
• Decide what to automate-and what not to
• Build efficient test environments
• Apply configuration management to automated test scripts and related artifacts
• Document and peer-review your test cases
• Choose the right automation tools and techniques for your environment
• Build the skill sets your team needs to succeed
• Implement AST best practices proven in enterprise and defense environments
• Use proven metrics to continuously track your progress and adjust accordingly
• Integrate automated testing into mission-critical and real-time development environments
• Test system security and performance
• Use automated testing with open source systems
• Avoid common mistakes that cause AST initiatives to fail Whether you're a test professional, QA specialist, project manager, or developer, this book can help you bring unprecedented efficiency to testing-and then use testing to improve your entire development lifecycle.

Autorentext

Elfriede Dustin, Thom Garrett, and Bernie Gauf work together at Innovative Defense Technologies ( www.idtus.com), which specializes in the design, development, and implementation of automated software testing solutions. Elfriede Dustin has authored multiple software testing books and articles based on her many years of actual hands-on automated software testing experience. Elfriede leads IDT's efforts in automated software testing research programs. Thom Garrett has experience in planning, testing, and deployment of complex systems for DoD and commercial applications for companies such as Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), Digital System Resources (DSR), Inc., and America Online (AOL). Thom received a master's degree from the University of San Francisco. Bernie Gauf is the president of IDT. Bernie has been invited to participate in numerous DoD panels associated with the use of new technology, testing conferences, and as a guest speaker to share his insights on automated software testing.

Klappentext

"This book fills a huge gap in our knowledge of software testing. It does an excellent job describing how test automation differs from other test activities, and clearly lays out what kind of skills and knowledge are needed to automate tests. The book is essential reading for students of testing and a bible for practitioners." -Jeff Offutt, Professor of Software Engineering, George Mason University "This new book naturally expands upon its predecessor, Automated Software Testing, and is the perfect reference for software practitioners applying automated software testing to their development efforts. Mandatory reading for software testing professionals!" -Jeff Rashka, PMP, Coauthor of Automated Software Testing and Quality Web Systems Testing accounts for an increasingly large percentage of the time and cost of new software development. Using automated software testing (AST), developers and software testers can optimize the software testing lifecycle and thus reduce cost. As technologies and development grow increasingly complex, AST becomes even more indispensable. This book builds on some of the proven practices and the automated testing lifecycle methodology (ATLM) described in Automated Software Testing and provides a renewed practical, start-to-finish guide to implementing AST successfully. In Implementing Automated Software Testing, three leading experts explain AST in detail, systematically reviewing its components, capabilities, and limitations. Drawing on their experience deploying AST in both defense and commercial industry, they walk you through the entire implementation process-identifying best practices, crucial success factors, and key pitfalls along with solutions for avoiding them. You will learn how to:

• Make a realistic business case for AST, and use it to drive your initiative
• Clarify your testing requirements and develop an automation strategy that reflects them
• Build efficient test environments and choose the right automation tools and techniques for your environment
• Use proven metrics to continuously track your progress and adjust accordingly Whether you're a test professional, QA specialist, project manager, or developer, this book can help you bring unprecedented efficiency to testing-and then use AST to improve your entire development lifecycle.

Inhalt

Foreword by Admiral Edmund P. Giambastiani, Jr. xv
Foreword by Dr. William Nylin, Jr. xvii
Preface xix
Acknowledgments xxiii
About the Authors xxv

Part I: What Is Automated Software Testing and Why Should We Automate? 1
Chapter 1: What Is Effective Automated Software Testing (AST)? 3
1.1 Automated Software Testing Definition 4
1.2 Automated Software Testing Recipes 5
1.3 Advances in AST Technologies 8
1.4 Automating Various Software Testing Types 11
1.5 Providing AST-Based Production Support 16
1.6 Automating Standards Assessments 18
Summary 20
Notes 21

Chapter 2: Why Automate? 23
2.1 The Challenges of Testing Software Today 24
2.2 Reducing the Time and Cost of Software Testing 26
2.3 Impacting Software Quality 38
2.4 Improvements to Your Software Test Program 42
Summary 49
Notes 50

Chapter 3: The Business Case 51
3.1 Definition of the Business Case 51
3.2 Identifying the Business Needs 53
3.3 Justifying Automation in Terms of Cost and Benefits 55
3.4 Risks 65
3.5 Other Considerations 67
Summary 68
Notes 68

Chapter 4: Why Automated Software Testing Fails and Pitfalls to Avoid 69
4.1 R&D Does Not Generally Focus on Automated or Manual Testing Efforts 71
4.2 AST Myths and Realities 74
4.3 Lack of Software Development Considerations for AST 83
4.4 The Forest for the Trees-Not Knowing Which Tool to Pick 91
4.5 Lack of Automation Standards across Tool Vendors 94
4.6 Lack of Business Case 97
Summary 97
Notes 97

Part II: How to Automate: Top Six Keys for Automation Payoff 99
Chapter 5: Key 1: Know Your Requirements 101
5.1 Understand the AST Support Requirements 102
5.2 Additional Information in Support of AST Requirements 114
5.3 When Information Is Not Available 116
5.4 Start Implementing Your Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM) 124
Summary 128
Notes 128

Chapter 6: Key 2: Develop the Automated Test Strategy 129
6.1 The AST Strategy Document 131
6.2 Scope and Automated Test Objectives 132
6.3 Identify the Approach 139
6.4 Automated Software Test Framework (ASTF) 146
6.5 AST Environment/Configuration 150
6.6 Automating the RTM 159
6.7 Automated Defect Tracking 164 …