Test Management

Question 1

What is Test Indipendence?

Answer 1

Find defects by testing and reviews can be improved by using indipendent testers.

Question 2

What are the options for Test Indipendence?

Answer 2

Options vary from low to high, in this order; no indipendent testers, indipendent testers within the dev team, indipendent test team within organisation, indipendent testers from the business organisation, indipendent test specialists for specific test types, indipendet testers outsorcd or external to the organisation.

Question 3

What are the benefits of Test Indipendence?

Answer 3

The benefits are, different defects being found, unbiased, can verify assumptions made during the specification phase, they bring experience, skills, quality, and standards.

Question 4

What are the drawbacks of Test Indipendence?

Answer 4

Isolation from the dev team, they may be seen as bottleneck or blamed for delay,s they may not be familiar with the business project, developers may lose a sense of responsibility.

Question 5

What are the tasks of a test leader?

Answer 5

A test leader plans, monitors and controls the test activities. He will write or review the test policy, corrdinate the plan, contribute to testing perspective, plan the tests and approaches. He will asses the test objectives and context and monitor the test results.

Question 6

What are the tasks of a tester?

Answer 6

Testers are involved in the test design, test analysis and will do the testing. Their tasks might involved review and contribute to test plans, analyse and review user requirements, create test specifications, prepare and acquire data, set up envrionments.

Question 7

What is Test Planning?

Answer 7

Planning is the frst activity to be carried out at each level of test.

Question 8

What does Test Planning compromise?

Answer 8

It involves determing the scoe and risks and identifying the test objectives. Defining the approach, linking into other software life cycle activities. Assigning resources, deciding the test tasks, roles, schedule, etc..

Question 9

What are the different levels of Test Planning?

Answer 9

Test policy, test strategy and the test plan.

Question 10

What is a Test Policy?

Answer 10

A high level document describing the principles, approach and major objectives of the organisation regarding testing.

Question 11

What is a Test Strategy?

Answer 11

A high level description of the test levels to be performed and the testing within those levels for an organisation or programme.

Question 12

What is a est Plan?

Answer 12

A document describing the scope, approach, resources and schedule of intended test activities.

Question 13

What are some items in a Test Plan?

Answer 13

There will be an identifier, introduction, test items, features to be tested or not tested, the approach, pass and fail criteria, suspension criteria, test deliverables, testing tasks, and envrionmental needs, responsibilities, staffing and training, schedule, risks and contigencies, and approvals.

Question 14

What are entry criteria?

Answer 14

Entry criteria define when to start testing. Typical criteria will be; an envrionment available, tool configured, testable code, test data available, test summary report or evidence available from previous testing.

Question 15

What are exit criteria?

Answer 15

Exit criteria define when to stop testing. Criteria are - measures of testing thoroughness, estimates of defect density, cost, residual risk, schedules.

Question 16

What is a test approach?

Answer 16

It is usally set up in the test strategy, it defines the approach that will be used in testing.

Question 17

What are the two main categories for test approach?

Answer 17

The two categories are preventative where tests are designed as early as possible and Reactive where test design comes after the software has been produced.

Question 18

What are some typical test approaches?

Answer 18

Analytical (such as risk based testing), Model Based (such as stochastic testing using stats), Methodical (such as failure based), Process (such as those specified by industry specific standards), Dynamic and heuristic (such as exploratory), Consultative (such as those where test coverage is driven primarily by advice and guidance of technology), Regression (such as those that include resuse of exisiting test material)

Question 19

What is test estimation?

Answer 19

It involves estimating time, effort and cost of testing to plan test activities and identify resources requirements and draw up a schedule.

Question 20

What is the standard percentage using work distribution model?

Answer 20

It uses historical data to calculate the time the testing stages take. If the project can be sized this information cab be applied and adapted.

Question 21

What is the expert based estimation?

Answer 21

Using the experience of a tester or someone else to determine the time needs.

Question 22

What is the micro-estimation using a work breakdown structure?

Answer 22

Breaking down the tasks and using the experience of the task owner to determine how much testing effort will be required.

Question 23

What factors should we consider when doing test estimation?

Answer 23

We need to consider product factors such as quality of the speficiation, size, and complexity. We need to understand the dev process factors and the sability of the organisation, tool used, test process, skills etc.. We need to understand the quality factors, for example the number of defects and the amount of rework required.

Question 24

Why should we do Test Progress Monitoring?

Answer 24

W should do it because it allows us to provide feedback and visibility about testing. Assess progress against estimated schedule. Measure testing quality. Assess the effectiveness of the test approach. Collect data for future project estimation.

Question 25

What are some common test metrics used?

Answer 25

Common metrics include; percentage of work done, test case execution, defect information, coverage of requirements, dates of test milestones, testing costs.

Question 26

What is a plotting graph?

Answer 26

It’s a great way to monitor test activity against the plan.

Question 27

What is test control and what does it include?

Answer 27

Test control means taking actions/control when the plan or activities is slipping out of control. This may include re-prioritise testing activities, change test schedule, re-assign resources, set entry criteria, adjust exit criteria.

Question 28

What is test reporting?

Answer 28

The report developed my test managers on a regular basis for stakeholder visibility. It’s a summary of the test endeavour, what is teted, what happened, key metrics etc.. An assessment of defects remaining, economic benefit, outstanding risks.

Question 29

Why is test reporting useful?

Answer 29

It allows us to assess how many defects are remaining, the economic benefit of continung testing, the outstanding risks, the level of confidence, the effectiveness of objectives, approach and tests.

Question 30

What is a test summary report?

Answer 30

The report that is developed by test managers. It contains a summary, variances, assesment, summary of results, evaluation, and summary of activities.

Question 31

What is configuration management?

Answer 31

Establishing and maintaining the integrity of system products throught the project life cycle. It’s about knowing what versions are deployed in different envrionments at different times. It allows for identification of all test artefacts.

Question 32

How does configuration management support testing?

Answer 32

Allows to know the versions deployed (when and where), every item of testware is uniquely identified, version controlled, tracked for changes and more.

Question 33

What is risk based testing?

Answer 33

Testing by levels of risk - identified as one of the best approaches.

Question 34

What is a risk?

Answer 34

A factor that could result in future negative consequences.

Question 35

What is likelihood and impact?

Answer 35

Likelihood is the probability of an event happening while Impact is the consequence if it happens

Question 36

What is a project risk?

Answer 36

Risks that affet the project.

Question 37

What are some issues found in project risks?

Answer 37

Technical issues such as problems in defining the requirements, test envrionment not ready, poor quality of design, code or test. Also organisational factors such as skills, personnel issues. Supplier issues such as the failure of a third party.

Question 38

What is a product risk?

Answer 38

Risks that affect the software or system.

Question 39

What are some factor found in product risk?

Answer 39

Failure prone software delivered, potential for software or hardware to cause harm, poor software charateristics, poor data integrity.

Question 40

What is a risk assesment matrix?

Answer 40

A matrix that asses risks by likelihood (1-10) and lists them from low to high.

Question 41

What is a mitigation?

Answer 41

Preventative or proactiv action to reduce the likelihood of the risk happening.

Question 42

What is a contingency?

Answer 42

emergency or reative approach to reduce the impact if the risk happens.

Question 43

What is risk based testing?

Answer 43

a proactive approach to reduce the levels of product risk, starting in the intial stages of a project. It involves identifying risks and their use in guiding test planning and control.

Question 44

What are the risks identified in the risk based testing approach used for?

Answer 44

o determine the test techniques to be used, to determine the extent of testing to be carried out, to prioritise, to determine whether any test activities are required.

Question 45

What is an incident?

Answer 45

Any event occuring that requires investigation.

Question 46

What are causes of incidents?

Answer 46

Software defect, requirement or specification defect, envrionmental problem, failt in the test procedure, incorrect test data, incorrect expected results.

Question 47

What is a test incident report?

Answer 47

A report that lists out the incidents that have been recorded.

Question 48

What is the test incident life cycle?

Answer 48

The lifecycle and incident or defect ges through - open, assigned, deferred, duplicate, waiting to be fixed, fixed awaiting re-test, closed, and re-opened.