What is software test management?
software test management in a simplified definition is the process of validating and verifying that a software program, application or product does the following:
1.Meets the business and technical requirements that guided its design and development.
2.Works and expected.
3.Can be implemented with the same characteristics.
Another definition is that it is an investigation conducted to provide business owners with the quality of the program, application or product purchased. Performing this test provides an objective or independent view of the software to assist the business knowing the risks of the implementation of the software. The testing can be implemented at any time in the development process. It is primarily done after the requirements have been defined and the coding process has been completed. There are different methodologies that can be used to determine how to test the software.
Although testing does not identify all of the defects within software it does give a comparison of the behavior of the product. The oracles are the principles or mechanisms that recognize a problem. Oracles include the contracts or specifications of the product. It also includes the comparable products past versions of the same product or inferences about intended or expected purpose by the user. When software is developed in order to know if it something that works or is easy for the user to understand it needs to go through testing. Software testing gives an assessment for the business owner to utilize when determining the quality of the product.
Software bugs are something no one wants to deal with especially the creator of the software product. Software bugs have actually cost the economy billions of dollars, which is another indication that testing is necessary. The definition of a software bug is an error, flaw, mistake or failure/fault in a computer program or system that produces an incorrect result. Most bugs are caused by a human error usually made in the program’s source code, producing an incorrect code causes its design to be flawed. Bugs interfere with the functionality of the program ultimately causing it to not function for the person trying to use it.
Companies can spend money on testing the software or they will end up spending more fixing it later and based on the reports of the cost on the economy and the companies that have been exposed in the past for their problems testing definitely seems to be the better option. There are many different testing programs with many different options available to assist the business in the development process of their software.
The software testing life cycle identifies what test activities to carry out and when to accomplish those test activities. Testing is different among businesses but there is testing life cycle. The testing life cycle is made up of six phases
1.Test Planning
2.Test Analysis
3.Test Design
4.Construction and Verification
5.Testing Cycles
6.Final Testing and Implementation
7.Post Implementation
These life cycles are the basic requirements to control/deal with the software testing. Understanding the life cycles and the importance of testing the software will bring quality product or service without the drain on the economy with extra costs.
For more information regarding software test management, quality assurance software testing , software testing life cycle or for a program that can do all of this for you go to http://www.inflectra.com/SpiraTest/Default.aspx.
About The Author:
This article is written By Nina Frank.
