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Contents of

Surviving the Top Ten Challenges of Software Testing:
A People-Oriented Approach

by William E. Perry and Randall W. Rice

ISBN: 978-0-932633-38-5  
©1997  216 pages   softcover  
$27.95 (plus shipping)

Subject(s): Software Testing

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Chapter One · How Testing Tests Testers 1

THE TESTER'S WORLD 2
TESTER 1 VERSUS TESTER 2 3
THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE TESTER'S PEOPLE CHALLENGE 4
THE TOP TEN PEOPLE-RELATED CHALLENGES 7
ROAD MAP THROUGH THE BOOK 11

Chapter Two · Does Testing Test You? 13

WHY DO A SELF-ASSESSMENT? 13
THE THREE NECESSARY INGREDIENTS FOR SUCCESS 14
SELF-ASSESSMENT INSTRUCTIONS 15
SUMMARIZING THE SELF-ASSESSMENT RESULTS 16
INTERPRETING SELF-ASSESSMENT RESULTS 22

Conclusion 1: Overall Assessment 22
Conclusion 2: Criterion Assessment 24
Chapter Three · Challenge #10: Getting Trained in Testing 25

OVERVIEW 25
STATE OF THE PRACTICE 26

What Went Wrong in This Scenario? 26

IMPACT ON TESTING 27

Skill Categories and Descriptions 28
Knowing What Kinds of Testing Should Be Performed 29

SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGE 36

Raise Management Awareness of Testing 36
Make Time for Training 38
Develop Your Own Skills 38
Certify Your Testing Skills 41

SOLUTION IMPEDIMENTS 41
GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS 42
PLAN OF ACTION 43

Chapter Four · Challenge #9: Building Relationships with Developers 45

OVERVIEW 45
STATE OF THE PRACTICE 45
IMPACT ON TESTING 47

The Impact on Testing Progress 48
The Impact on Group Morale 49

SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGE 51

Adopt a Win-Win Approach 51
Widen Your View of Testing 52
Move from "Us versus Them" to "Us and Them" 52

SOLUTION IMPEDIMENTS 53
GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS 55
PLAN OF ACTION 56

Chapter Five · Challenge #8: Testing Without Tools 57

OVERVIEW 57
STATE OF THE PRACTICE 58
IMPACT ON TESTING 59
SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGE 66

Educate Management on the Use of Test Tools 66
Perform a Tool Survey 68
Define Your Requirements 68
Perform a Cost/Benefit Analysis 69
Investigate Tools Available 69
Integrate Test Tools with an Effective Testing Process 70

SOLUTION IMPEDIMENTS 70
GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS 71
PLAN OF ACTION 73

Chapter Six · Challenge #7: Explaining Testing to Managers 75

OVERVIEW 75
STATE OF THE PRACTICE 76
IMPACT ON TESTING 77

An Unsupportive View of Test Management 78
A Strategic View of Test Management 81

SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGE 82

Identify the Stakeholders at the Management Level 84
Raise Awareness of the Testing Function 85
Network with Other Organizations to Learn How They Deal with Management 85
Establish a Testing Charter to Define the Purpose of Testing in Your Organization 86
Define Measurable Testing Objectives 86
Dedicate a Manager of Testing Who Understands the Issues and Challenges 86
Make Testing a Process 88

SOLUTION IMPEDIMENTS 88
GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS 89
PLAN OF ACTION 90

Chapter Seven · Challenge #6: Communicating with Customers-And Users 92

OVERVIEW 92
STATE OF THE PRACTICE 93
IMPACT ON TESTING 94
SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGE 96

Teamwork 98
Communication 98
Continuous Involvement 101

SOLUTION IMPEDIMENTS 104
GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS 105
PLAN OF ACTION 106

Chapter Eight · Challenge #5: Making Time for Testing 107

OVERVIEW 107
STATE OF THE PRACTICE 108
IMPACT ON TESTING 111

Reduced Test Coverage 112
Increased Risk of Regression Defects 112
Fatigue, Burnout, and Low Morale 113

SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGE 114

Control the Scope of Testing 114
Control Management Expectations 114
Base Test Cases on an Independent Set of Criteria 114
Perform Risk Assessments 115
Reuse Your Testware 115
Estimate the Testing Effort Based on Measurable Criteria 116
Use Automation 116

SOLUTION IMPEDIMENTS 117
GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS 119

PLAN OF ACTION 121

Chapter Nine · Challenge #4: Testing What's Thrown Over the Wall 122

OVERVIEW 122
STATE OF THE PRACTICE 123
IMPACT ON TESTING 125
SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGE 126

Get Management Support to Define Roles and Responsibilities 126
Establish Standards and Processes for Testing 126
Establish Ownership and Accountability at the Developer Level 128
Train Developers to Be Excellent Testers 128
Improve Communication Between Developers and Testers 129
Measure and Refine the Processes Continually 129
Establish Ground Rules 130

SOLUTION IMPEDIMENTS 130
GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS 131
PLAN OF ACTION 132

Chapter Ten · Challenge #3: Hitting a Moving Target 133

OVERVIEW 133
STATE OF THE PRACTICE 134
IMPACT ON TESTING 136
SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGE 137

Rework of Testware 138
Regression Testing of Previously Tested Software 139
Backlog Created by Rapid Change 143

SOLUTION IMPEDIMENTS 144
GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS 146
PLAN OF ACTION 147

Chapter Eleven · Challenge #2: Fighting a Lose-Lose Situation 149

OVERVIEW 149
STATE OF THE PRACTICE 149
IMPACT ON TESTING 152

Keeping an Organization at a Low Level of Process Maturity 152
Trivializing and Undermining the Testing Process 152
Demoralizing Testers 153
Fostering a False View of Testing 153

SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGE 154

Communicate the Role of Testing to the Rest of the Organization 154
Identify What Testers Can Reasonably Accomplish 154
Set and Manage Customer Expectations of Production Software 155

SOLUTION IMPEDIMENTS 157
GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS 158
PLAN OF ACTION 159

Chapter Twelve · Challenge #1: Having to Say No 161

OVERVIEW 161
STATE OF THE PRACTICE 162
IMPACT ON TESTING 163

Test Reporting Is Your Friend! 165

SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGE 165

Standardize Test Reports 165
Make Test Reporting Part of the Testing Process 166
Manage Your Audience's Expectations 166
Use Creative Reporting Techniques 168
Focus on the Facts 168
Be Truthful 168
Document Your Tests 169
Build a Mature Culture 170

SOLUTION IMPEDIMENTS 171
GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS 172
PLAN OF ACTION 173

Chapter Thirteen · Plan of Action to Improve Testing 175

BUILD THE WILL TO IMPROVE 176
USE THE WAY TO CHANGE THE TESTING PROCESS 178

Step 1: What Needs to Be Changed 180
Step 2: How Much Change (The Goal) 182
Step 3: How to Make the Change (The Plan) 183
Step 4: How to Build Support 183
Step 5: How to Monitor and Measure the Change 186
Step 6: How to Reward Participants 188

TESTING IMPROVEMENT IS A NEVER-ENDING PROCESS 189

Resources 191

RELATED READING 191
CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS FOR SOFTWARE TESTING 192
LOCAL QUALITY ASSURANCE GROUPS 192

Index 195


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Table of Contents
Excerpt: "Challenge #10: Getting Trained in Testing"
Index

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