GLOSSARY Flashcards
coverage
The degree, expressed as a percentage, to which a specified coverage item has been exercised by a test suite.
debugging
The development activity that finds, analyzes, and fixes such defects.
defect
A flaw in a component or system that can cause the component or system to fail to perform its required function.
error
A human action that produces an incorrect result
failure
Deviation of the component or system from its expected delivery, service or result.
quality
The degree to which a component, system or process meets specified requirements and/or user/customer needs and expectations.
quality assurance
Part of quality management focused on providing confidence that quality requirements will be fulfilled.
root cause
The earliest actions or conditions that contributed to creating the defects
test analysis
During test analysis, the test basis is analyzed to identify testable features and define associated test conditions. In other words, test analysis determines “what to test” in terms of measurable coverage criteria.
test basis
The documentation on which the test cases are based.
test case
A set of input values, execution preconditions, expected results and execution postconditions, developed for a particular objective or test condition, such as to exercise a particular program path or to verify compliance with a specific requirement.
test charter
A statement of test objectives, and possibly test ideas about how to test. Test charters are used in exploratory testing.
test completion
Test completion activities collect data from completed test activities to consolidate experience, testware, and any other relevant information.
test condition
A specification that a tester must adhere to when testing.
test control
Involves taking actions necessary to meet the objectives of the test plan
test data
Data that exists before a test is executed, and that affects or is affected by the component or system under test.
test design
During test design, the test conditions are elaborated into high-level test cases, sets of high-level test cases, and other testware. Test design answers the question “how to test?”
test environment
An environment containing hardware, instrumentation, simulators, software tools, and other support elements needed to conduct a test.
test execution
The process of running a test on the component or system under test, producing actual result(s). During test execution, test suites are run in accordance with the test execution schedule.
test implementation
During test implementation, the testware necessary for test execution is created and/or completed, including sequencing the test cases into test procedures. Test implementation answers the question “do we now have everything in place to run the tests?”
test monitoring
Test monitoring involves the on-going comparison of actual progress against planned progress using any test monitoring metrics defined in the test plan.
test object
The component or system to be tested.
test objective
A reason or purpose for designing and executing a test.
test oracle
A source to determine expected results to compare with the actual result of the software under test.
test planning
Test planning involves activities that define the objectives of testing and the approach for meeting test objectives within constraints imposed by the context.
test procedure
A sequence of test cases in execution order, and any associated actions that may be required to set up the initial preconditions and any wrap up activities post execution.
test process
Sets of test activities fundamental to testing.
test suite
A set of several test cases for a component or system under test.
testing
The process consisting of all lifecycle activities, both static and dynamic, concerned with planning, preparation and evaluation of software products and related work products to determine that they satisfy specified requirements, to demonstrate that they are fit for purpose and to detect defects.
testware
Artifacts produced during the test process required to plan, design, and execute tests, such as documentation, scripts, inputs, expected results, set-up and clear-up procedures, files, databases, environment, and any additional software or utilities used in testing.
traceability
The ability to identify related items in documentation and software, such as requirements with associated tests.
validation
Checking whether the system will meet user and other stakeholder needs in its operational environment(s).
verification
Checking whether the system meets specified requirements.
acceptance testing
Produce information to assess the system’s readiness for deployment and use by the customer (end-user).
alpha testing
Performed by potential users/customers or an independent testing team at the developing organization’s site
beta testing
Performed by potential or existing customers, and/or operators at their own locations
change-related testing
A type of testing initiated by modification to a component or system.
commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)
A software product that is developed for the general market and that is delivered to many customers in identical format.
component integration testing
Focuses on the interactions and interfaces between integrated components.
component testing
(also known as unit or module testing) focuses on components that are separately testable.
confirmation testing
The purpose of a confirmation test is to confirm whether the original defect has been successfully fixed.
contractual acceptance testing
performed against a contract’s acceptance criteria for producing custom-developed software.
functional testing
involves tests that evaluate functions that the system should perform.
impact analysis
evaluates the changes that were made for a maintenance release to identify the intended consequences as well as expected and possible side effects of a change, and to identify the areas in the system that will be affected by the change.
incremental development
involves establishing requirements, designing, building, and testing a system in pieces, which means that the software’s features grow incrementally.
integration testing
Focuses on interactions between components or systems.