Chapter 6 Flashcards
1
Q
Name examples of Test Tools
A
- Management tools – increase the test process efficiency by facilitating management of the SDLC, requirements, tests, defects, configuration
- Static testing tools – support the tester in performing reviews and static analysis
- Test design and implementation tools – facilitate generation of test cases, test data and test
procedures - Test execution and coverage tools – facilitate automated test execution and coverage measurement
- Non-functional testing tools – allow the tester to perform non-functional testing that is difficult or impossible to perform manually
- DevOps tools – support the DevOps delivery pipeline, workflow tracking, automated build process(es), CI/CD
- Collaboration tools – facilitate communication
- Tools supporting scalability and deployment standardization (e.g., virtual machines,
containerization tools) - Any other tool that assists in testing (e.g., a spreadsheet is a test tool in the context of testing)
2
Q
What are risks of using test automation?
A
- Unrealistic expectations about the benefits of a tool (including functionality and ease of use).
- Inaccurate estimations of time, costs, effort required to introduce a tool, maintain test scripts and change the existing manual test process.
- Using a test tool when manual testing is more appropriate.
- Relying on a tool too much, e.g., ignoring the need of human critical thinking.
- The dependency on the tool vendor which may go out of business, retire the tool, sell the tool to a different vendor or provide poor support (e.g., responses to queries, upgrades, and defect fixes).
- Using an open-source software which may be abandoned, meaning that no further updates are available, or its internal components may require quite frequent updates as a further development.
- The automation tool is not compatible with the development platform.
- Choosing an unsuitable tool that did not comply with the regulatory requirements and/or safety
standards.
2
Q
What are some benefits of Test Automation?
A
- Time saved by reducing repetitive manual work (e.g., execute regression tests, re-enter the same test data, compare expected results vs actual results, and check against coding standards)
- Prevention of simple human errors through greater consistency and repeatability (e.g., tests are consistently derived from requirements, test data is created in a systematic manner, and tests are executed by a tool in the same order with the same frequency)
- More objective assessment (e.g., coverage) and providing measures that are too complicated for humans to derive
- Easier access to information about testing to support test management and test reporting (e.g., statistics, graphs, and aggregated data about test progress, defect rates, and test execution duration)
- Reduced test execution times to provide earlier defect detection, faster feedback and faster time to market
- More time for testers to design new, deeper and more effective tests
