Software Testing: An ISTQB-BCS Certified Tester Foundation Guide 3rd ed

278 Pages·2015·4.62 MB·English

by  Geoff Thompson, Brian Hambling

SOFTWARE TESTING
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SOFTWARE TESTING
An ISTQB–BCS Certified Tester
Foundation guide
Third edition
Brian Hambling (editor), Peter Morgan, Angelina
Samaroo, Geoff Thompson and Peter Williams
© 2015 BCS Learning & Development Ltd
The right of Brian Hambling, Peter Morgan, Angelina Samaroo, Geoff Thompson and Peter Williams to be
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CONTENTS
Figures and tables vii
Authors ix
Abreviations xi
Preface xii
INTRODUCTION 1
Nature and purpose of the book 1
Purpose of Foundation 1
The Certified Tester Foundation Level syllabus 2
Relationship of the book to the syllabus 4
How to get the best out of this book 4
1. THE FUNDAMENTALS OF TESTING 6
Background 6
Introduction 6
Why software fails 8
Keeping software under control 11
What testing is and what testing does 14
General testing principles 15
Fundamental test process 20
The psychology of testing 26
Code of ethics 27
Summary 28
2. LIFE CYCLES 37
Introduction 37
Software development models 39
Test levels 45
Test types 52
Maintenance testing 54
Summary 55
3. STATIC TESTING 60
Introduction 60
Background to static techniques 62
Reviews and the test process 62
Static analysis by tools 71
Summary 73
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CONTENTS
4. TEST DESIGN TECHNIQUES 77
Introduction 77
The test development process 79
The idea of test coverage 83
Categories of test case design techniques 84
Specification-based (black-box) techniques 85
Structure-based (white-box) techniques 100
Experience-based techniques 126
Choosing test techniques 128
Summary 129
5. TEST MANAGEMENT 139
Introduction 139
Risk and testing 142
Test organisation 145
Test approaches (test strategies) 150
Test planning and estimation 152
Test progress monitoring and control 159
Incident management 165
Configuration management 168
Summary 169
6. TOOL SUPPORT FOR TESTING 175
Introduction 175
What is a test tool? 177
Test tools 181
Introducing a tool into an organisation 212
Summary 216
7. THE EXAMINATION 223
The examination 223
Revision techniques 227
Review 28

APPENDICES 229
A1 Mock CTFL examination 231
A2 Mock CTFL examination answers 245
A3 Mock CTFL examination commentary 246

Index 259
vi
FIGURES AND TABLES
Figure 1.1 Effect of an error 10
Figure 1.2 Resources triangle 12
Figure 1.3 Effect of identification time on cost of errors 18
Figure 1.4 Fundamental test process 20
Figure 1.5 Iteration of activities 21
Figure 2.1 Waterfall model 39
Figure 2.2 V-model for software development 41
Figure 2.3 Iterative development 43
Figure 2.4 Top-down control structure 47
Figure 2.5 Bottom-up integration 48
Figure 3.1 Stages of a formal review 65
Figure 3.2 Formality of reviews 68
Figure 4.1 State transition diagram of the hill-walker’s watch 96
Figure 4.2 State transition diagram 98
Figure 4.3 Use case example 99
Figure 4.4 Flow chart for a sequential program 104
Figure 4.5 Flow chart for a selection (decision) structure 104
Figure 4.6 Flow chart for an iteration (loop) structure 104
Figure 4.7 Flow chart representation for Example 4.5 106
Figure 4.8 Control flow graph showing subgraphs as nodes 109
Figure 4.9 Control flow graph with subgraphs expanded 109
Figure 4.10 Flow chart for Coverage example 112
Figure 4.11 The hybrid flow graph 112
Figure 4.12 Paths through the hybrid flow graph 113
Figure 4.13 Paths through the hybrid flow graph 115
Figure 4.14 Paths through the hybrid flow graph 119
Figure 4.15 Simplified control flow graph: a decision 121
Figure 4.16 S implified control flow graph: locations of a
decision in a loop 122
Figure 4.17 E xample of how simplified control flow graphs
are read and interpreted 123
Figure 4.18 Control flow graph for Exercise 4.11 125
Figure 4.19 Test case for examination question E4 131
Figure 4.20 Test case for examination question E5 132
Figure 4.21 Flow chart for Exercise 4.6 135
Figure 4.22 Control flow graph for Exercise 4.6 136
Figure 5.1 Levels of independent testing 146
Figure 5.2 Test plans in the V-model 153
Figure 5.3 iTesting Executive Dashboard 161
vii
FIGURES AND TABLES
Figure 5.4 Incidents planned/raised 162
Figure 6.1 Test tool payback model 178
Figure 6.2 Hotel system architecture 180
Figure 6.3 An integrated set of tools 182
Figure 6.4 Test execution tools payback model 196
Figure 6.5 Test harness for middleware 197
Figure 6.6 Test tool implementation process 217
Figure A1.1 State transition diagram for question 8 233
Figure A1.2 State transition diagram for question 9 234
Figure A1.3 Control flow diagram for question 18 237
Figure A1.4 Flow graph for question 19 238
Table 1.1 Comparative cost to correct errors 17
Table 4.1 ST for the hill-walker’s watch 97
Table 5.1 Features of independent testing 147
Table 5.2 Test plan sections 154
Table 5.3 Test summary report outline 163
Table 5.4 Test incident report outline 167
Table 6.1 Configuration traceability 186
Table 6.2 Hotel system extract (20/10/2014) 192
Table 6.3 Hotel system extract (5/11/2014) 193
Table 6.4 Exit criteria 199
Table 6.5 Types of test tool 207
Table A1.1 State transition table for question 9 234
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