One of the most important parts of testing management is controlling the test progress. The purpose of test progress monitoring is to provide feedback and visibility of the progress of test activities. The test metrics are used to track progress towards the completion of testing, which is determined by the exit criteria. Test metrics include:
- Percentage of test cases prepared
- Environment readiness
- Test case execution
- Defect information (density, amount of fixed/not fixed, failure rate, retest results)
- Test coverage of requirements
- Subjective confidence of testers in the product
- Dates of test milestones
- Testing costs
Test metrics are summarized and reported in Test Reports. The information reported includes:
- What has happen during a given period of time (week, iteration).
- An assessment of defects remaining, the economic benefit of continued testing, defects planned vs. actual defects found.
The information gathered can be used to help with the process improvement opportunities – were the goals of testing achievable? was the test strategy adequate? was the testing effective and were the objectives of testing met?
Test Summary Report
The following sections constitute the Test Summary Report:
- Identifier.
- Summary (identifies the items tested, environments, reference to testing documentation).
- Variances (deviation from the test strategy, plan, specification).
- Assessment (actual progress against exit criteria).
- Summary results (overview of the results from the test activities, including details of defects raised, fixed, unresolved).
- Evaluation (provides evaluation of the quality of each test item basing upon the test results metrics and test item pass/ fail criteria).
- Summary of activities (report test environments status – available, not available; resource usage data).
- Approvals (identifies all approvers of the document).
Information in a Test Report is a basis for a course of action to ensure control of test activities is maintained and exit criteria are met. Test activities include:
- Reprioritize tests when a project risk occurs
- Change the test schedule due to availability of test environment
- Set an entry criterion requiring fixed to be retested by a developer before accepting them into a build
- Changing the risk ratings
- Adjusting the scope of testing
- Descoping of functionality (discussed with project stakeholders)
- Delaying release into the production environment
- Continuing testing after delivery into the production environment
More information about our independent software testing approach is to come.
See also: The Future of Testing: Moving Testing Forward
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