Chapter 13 Software Testing Strategies

- A strategic approach to testing - Test strategies for conventional software - Validation testing - System testing

(Source: Pressman, R. Software Engineering: A Practitioners Approach. McGraw-Hill, 2005)

Introduction
A strategy for software testing integrates the design of software test cases into a well-planned series of steps that result in successful development of the software The strategy provides a road map that describes the steps to be taken, when, and how much effort, time, and resources will be required The strategy incorporates test planning, test case design, test execution, and test result collection and evaluation The strategy provides guidance for the practitioner and a set of milestones for the manager Because of time pressures, progress must be measurable and problems must surface as early as possible

General Characteristics of Strategic Testing

To perform effective testing, a software team should conduct effective formal technical reviews Testing begins at the component level and work outward toward the integration of the entire computer-based system Different testing techniques are appropriate at different points in time Testing is conducted by the developer of the software and (for large projects) by an independent test group Testing and debugging are different activities, but debugging must be accommodated in any testing strategy

Verification and Validation

Software testing is part of a broader group of activities called verification and validation that are involved in software quality assurance Verification (Are the algorithms coded correctly?)
The set of activities that ensure that software correctly implements a specific function or algorithm

Validation (Does it meet user requirements?)

The set of activities that ensure that the software that has been built is traceable to customer requirements

Organizing for Software Testing

Testing should aim at "breaking" the software Common misconceptions
The developer of software should do no testing at all The software should be given to a secret team of testers who will test it unmercifully The testers get involved with the project only when the testing steps are about to begin

Reality: Independent test group

Removes the inherent problems associated with letting the builder test the software that has been built Removes the conflict of interest that may otherwise be present Works closely with the software developer during analysis and design to ensure that thorough testing occurs

Levels of Testing for Conventional Software

Unit testing
Concentrates on each component/function of the software as implemented in the source code

Integration testing
Focuses on the design and construction of the software architecture

Validation testing
Requirements are validated against the constructed software

System testing
The software and other system elements are tested as a whole

Testing Strategy applied to Conventional Software

Unit testing
Exercises specific paths in a component's control structure to ensure complete coverage and maximum error detection Components are then assembled and integrated

Integration testing
Focuses on inputs and outputs, and how well the components fit together and work together

Validation testing
Provides final assurance that the software meets all functional, behavioral, and performance requirements

System testing
Verifies that all system elements (software, hardware, people, databases) mesh properly and that overall system function and performance is achieved
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When is Testing Complete?

There is no definitive answer to this question Every time a user executes the software, the program is being tested Sadly, testing usually stops when a project is running out of time, money, or both One approach is to divide the test results into various severity levels
Then consider testing to be complete when certain levels of errors no longer occur or have been repaired or eliminated

Ensuring a Successful Software Test Strategy

Specify product requirements in a quantifiable manner long before testing commences State testing objectives explicitly in measurable terms Understand the user of the software (through use cases) and develop a profile for each user category Develop a testing plan that emphasizes rapid cycle testing to get quick feedback to control quality levels and adjust the test strategy Build robust software that is designed to test itself and can diagnose certain kinds of errors Use effective formal technical reviews as a filter prior to testing to reduce the amount of testing required Conduct formal technical reviews to assess the test strategy and test cases themselves Develop a continuous improvement approach for the testing process through the gathering of metrics
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Unit Testing
Focuses testing on the function or software module Concentrates on the internal processing logic and data structures Is simplified when a module is designed with high cohesion
Reduces the number of test cases Allows errors to be more easily predicted and uncovered

Concentrates on critical modules and those with high cyclomatic complexity when testing resources are limited

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Targets for Unit Test Cases

Module interface
Ensure that information flows properly into and out of the module

Local data structures

Ensure that data stored temporarily maintains its integrity during all steps in an algorithm execution

Boundary conditions
Ensure that the module operates properly at boundary values established to limit or restrict processing

Independent paths (basis paths)

Paths are exercised to ensure that all statements in a module have been executed at least once

Error handling paths

Ensure that the algorithms respond correctly to specific error conditions

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Integration Testing
Defined as a systematic technique for constructing the software architecture
At the same time integration is occurring, conduct tests to uncover errors associated with interfaces

Objective is to take unit tested modules and build a program structure based on the prescribed design

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Regression Testing
Each new addition or change to baselined software may cause problems with functions that previously worked flawlessly Regression testing re-executes a small subset of tests that have already been conducted
Ensures that changes have not propagated unintended side effects Helps to ensure that changes do not introduce unintended behavior or additional errors May be done manually or through the use of automated capture/playback tools

Regression test suite contains three different classes of test cases

A representative sample of tests that will exercise all software functions Additional tests that focus on software functions that are likely to be affected by the change Tests that focus on the actual software components that have been changed
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Smoke Testing
Taken from the world of hardware
Power is applied and a technician checks for sparks, smoke, or other dramatic signs of fundamental failure

Designed as a pacing mechanism for time-critical projects

Allows the software team to assess its project on a frequent basis

Includes the following activities

The software is compiled and linked into a build A series of breadth tests is designed to expose errors that will keep the build from properly performing its function
The goal is to uncover show stopper errors that have the highest likelihood of throwing the software project behind schedule

The build is integrated with other builds and the entire product is smoke tested daily
Daily testing gives managers and practitioners a realistic assessment of the progress of the integration testing

After a smoke test is completed, detailed test scripts are executed

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Validation Testing
Validation testing follows integration testing The distinction between conventional and object-oriented software disappears Focuses on user-visible actions and user-recognizable output from the system Demonstrates conformity with requirements Designed to ensure that
All functional requirements are satisfied All behavioral characteristics are achieved All performance requirements are attained Documentation is correct Usability and other requirements are met (e.g., transportability, compatibility, error recovery, maintainability)

After each validation test

The function or performance characteristic conforms to specification and is accepted A deviation from specification is uncovered and a deficiency list is created

A configuration review or audit ensures that all elements of the software configuration have been properly developed, cataloged, and have the necessary detail for entering the support phase of the software life cycle
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Alpha and Beta Testing

Alpha testing
Conducted at the developers site by end users Software is used in a natural setting with developers watching intently Testing is conducted in a controlled environment

Beta testing
Conducted at end-user sites Developer is generally not present It serves as a live application of the software in an environment that cannot be controlled by the developer The end-user records all problems that are encountered and reports these to the developers at regular intervals

After beta testing is complete, software engineers make software modifications and prepare for release of the software product to the entire customer base
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System testing Different Types

Recovery testing
Tests for recovery from system faults Forces the software to fail in a variety of ways and verifies that recovery is properly performed Tests reinitialization, checkpointing mechanisms, data recovery, and restart for correctness

Security testing
Verifies that protection mechanisms built into a system will, in fact, protect it from improper access

Stress testing
Executes a system in a manner that demands resources in abnormal quantity, frequency, or volume

Performance testing
Tests the run-time performance of software within the context of an integrated system Often coupled with stress testing and usually requires both hardware and software instrumentation Can uncover situations that lead to degradation and possible system failure
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Chapter 14 Software Testing Techniques

- Testing fundamentals - White-box testing - Black-box testing - Object-oriented testing methods

(Source: Pressman, R. Software Engineering: A Practitioners Approach. McGraw-Hill, 2005)

Test Characteristics
A good test has a high probability of finding an error
The tester must understand the software and how it might fail

A good test is not redundant

Testing time is limited; one test should not serve the same purpose as another test

A good test should be best of breed

Tests that have the highest likelihood of uncovering a whole class of errors should be used

A good test should be neither too simple nor too complex

Each test should be executed separately; combining a series of tests could cause side effects and mask certain errors

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Two Unit Testing Techniques

Black-box testing
Knowing the specified function that a product has been designed to perform, test to see if that function is fully operational and error free Includes tests that are conducted at the software interface Not concerned with internal logical structure of the software

White-box testing
Knowing the internal workings of a product, test that all internal operations are performed according to specifications and all internal components have been exercised Involves tests that concentrate on close examination of procedural detail Logical paths through the software are tested Test cases exercise specific sets of conditions and loops

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White-box Testing

White-box Testing
Uses the control structure part of component-level design to derive the test cases These test cases
Guarantee that all independent paths within a module have been exercised at least once Exercise all logical decisions on their true and false sides Execute all loops at their boundaries and within their operational bounds Exercise internal data structures to ensure their validity

Bugs lurk in corners and congregate at boundaries

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Basis Path Testing

White-box testing technique proposed by Tom McCabe Enables the test case designer to derive a logical complexity measure of a procedural design Uses this measure as a guide for defining a basis set of execution paths Test cases derived to exercise the basis set are guaranteed to execute every statement in the program at least one time during testing

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Flow Graph Notation

A circle in a graph represents a node, which stands for a sequence of one or more procedural statements A node containing a simple conditional expression is referred to as a predicate node
Each compound condition in a conditional expression containing one or more Boolean operators (e.g., and, or) is represented by a separate predicate node A predicate node has two edges leading out from it (True and False)

An edge, or a link, is a an arrow representing flow of control in a specific direction

An edge must start and terminate at a node An edge does not intersect or cross over another edge

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Flow Graph Example

0 1 2 3 6 4

7
9 11

10

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Independent Program Paths

Defined as a path through the program from the start node until the end node that introduces at least one new set of processing statements or a new condition (i.e., new nodes) Must move along at least one edge that has not been traversed before by a previous path Basis set for flow graph on previous slide
Path 1: 0-1-11 Path 2: 0-1-2-3-4-5-10-1-11 Path 3: 0-1-2-3-6-8-9-10-1-11 Path 4: 0-1-2-3-6-7-9-10-1-11

The number of paths in the basis set is determined by the cyclomatic complexity

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Cyclomatic Complexity
Provides a quantitative measure of the logical complexity of a program Defines the number of independent paths in the basis set Provides an upper bound for the number of tests that must be conducted to ensure all statements have been executed at least once Can be computed
V(G) = E N + 2, where E is the number of edges and N is the number of nodes in graph G

Results in the following equations for the example flow graph

V(G) = 14 edges 12 nodes + 2 = 4

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Deriving the Basis Set and Test Cases

1)
2) 3) 4)

Using the design or code as a foundation, draw a corresponding flow graph Determine the cyclomatic complexity of the resultant flow graph Determine a basis set of linearly independent paths Prepare test cases that will force execution of each path in the basis set

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A Second Flow Graph Example

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 int functionY(void) { int x = 0; int y = 19; A: x++; if (x > 999) goto D; if (x % 11 == 0) goto B; else goto A; B: if (x % y == 0) goto C; else goto A;

3 4

5
6 8 10 9 11 7 16 17

14 15
16 17 18

C: printf("%d\n", x); goto A;

D: printf("End of list\n"); return 0; }

13

12
14

15

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A Sample Function to Diagram and Analyze

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 int functionZ(int y) { int x = 0; while (x <= (y * y)) { if ((x % 11 == 0) && (x % y == 0)) { printf(%d, x); x++; } // End if else if ((x % 7 == 0) || (x % y == 1)) { printf(%d, y); x = x + 2; } // End else printf(\n); } // End while printf("End of list\n"); return 0; } // End functionZ

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A Sample Function to Diagram and Analyze

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 int functionZ(int y) { int x = 0; while (x <= (y * y)) { if ((x % 11 == 0) && (x % y == 0)) { printf(%d, x); x++; } // End if else if ((x % 7 == 0) || (x % y == 1)) { printf(%d, y); x = x + 2; } // End else printf(\n); } // End while printf("End of list\n"); return 0; } // End functionZ

3 4

6
12 15 16 18 20 21 13

7
9

10

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Black-box Testing

Black-box Testing
Complements white-box testing by uncovering different classes of errors Focuses on the functional requirements and the information domain of the software Used during the later stages of testing after white box testing has been performed The tester identifies a set of input conditions that will fully exercise all functional requirements for a program The test cases satisfy the following:
Reduce, by a count greater than one, the number of additional test cases that must be designed to achieve reasonable testing Tell us something about the presence or absence of classes of errors, rather than an error associated only with the specific task at hand

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Black-box Testing Categories

Incorrect or missing functions Interface errors Errors in data structures or external data base access Behavior or performance errors Initialization and termination errors

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Questions answered by Black-box Testing

How is functional validity tested? How are system behavior and performance tested? What classes of input will make good test cases? Is the system particularly sensitive to certain input values? How are the boundary values of a data class isolated? What data rates and data volume can the system tolerate? What effect will specific combinations of data have on system operation?

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Equivalence Partitioning
A black-box testing method that divides the input domain of a program into classes of data from which test cases are derived An ideal test case single-handedly uncovers a complete class of errors, thereby reducing the total number of test cases that must be developed Test case design is based on an evaluation of equivalence classes for an input condition An equivalence class represents a set of valid or invalid states for input conditions From each equivalence class, test cases are selected so that the largest number of attributes of an equivalence class are exercise at once

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Guidelines for Defining Equivalence Classes

If an input condition specifies a range, one valid and two invalid equivalence classes are defined
Input range: 1 10 Eq classes: {1..10}, {x < 1}, {x > 10}

If an input condition requires a specific value, one valid and two invalid equivalence classes are defined
Input value: 250 Eq classes: {250}, {x < 250}, {x > 250}

If an input condition specifies a member of a set, one valid and one invalid equivalence class are defined
Input set: {-2.5, 7.3, 8.4} Eq classes: {-2.5, 7.3, 8.4}, {any other x}

If an input condition is a Boolean value, one valid and one invalid class are define
Input: {true condition} Eq classes: {true condition}, {false condition}

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Boundary Value Analysis

A greater number of errors occur at the boundaries of the input domain rather than in the "center" Boundary value analysis is a test case design method that complements equivalence partitioning
It selects test cases at the edges of a class It derives test cases from both the input domain and output domain

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Guidelines for Boundary Value Analysis

1. If an input condition specifies a range bounded by values a and b, test cases should be designed with values a and b as well as values just above and just below a and b 2. If an input condition specifies a number of values, test case should be developed that exercise the minimum and maximum numbers. Values just above and just below the minimum and maximum are also tested Apply guidelines 1 and 2 to output conditions; produce output that reflects the minimum and the maximum values expected; also test the values just below and just above If internal program data structures have prescribed boundaries (e.g., an array), design a test case to exercise the data structure at its minimum and maximum boundaries

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