Our risk exposure starts at the beginning of the project. Even before the project is actually a project. The simple act of scoping a project in the initiating phase already alludes to the risks to which we may be exposed. For example, the minute we decide that our project scope is going to include software, […]
We break form our blog run on sprint meetings due to incoming flambé du jour. Sometimes we see organizations that are afraid to use the most fundamental of tools, for example, fault tracking from verification. Instead of using a tracking and visibility tool, we pass back and forth excel sheets behind the scenes. Why would […]
We strongly recommend automated testing whenever this approach is feasible. The test team can use a language designed for this kind of testing; for example, the National Instruments product Labview. The software should be able to read in the documented test cases, execute the test cases against the product, and finish by producing a […]
Stochastic testing occurs when we allow a reasonably well-seasoned test engineer to go with their “gut” and feel their way about the product’s performance. During the development of numerous embedded automotive products, we have seen stochastic testing elicit roughly the same amount of test failures as combinatorial testing. We are not recommending that stochastic testing […]
We know that a very simple product or system can generate a vast number of potential test cases. With more complex systems, this number becomes astronomical. This is the result of a factorial calculation! One technique we use to get around this problem originates with designed experiments. Many designed experiments are based on orthogonal […]
We have discussed compliance testing earlier. This is known as testing to requirement. These requirements can be taken directly from a customer specification (when we have one) or derived internally from a requirements review or even both. Compliance testing is the primary method we use to ensure that we are meeting all specifications and […]
We have briefly discussed why verification is important to the product quality. Verification does not just address the product quality. Our project work requires verification as well. When we take on a project, we should have the scope articulated in a way that we can confirm that the project did indeed fulfill the objective. As […]
Requirements management and configuration management are required for anything that even closely resembles effective testing. Experience suggests failing in these two areas unnecessarily complicates the product verification activities, and we will show some of those traumas in the next few posts. An iterative and incremental product development process calls for reviews throughout the development process. […]
I know this is way off topic; however I thought we should post this. Below is a letter my brother and I sent to the Veterans Administration. Our father was in the Special Forces and served multiple tours in Vietnam. The US has been in wars for decades now, and we do not know the […]
We have our requirements, our iterative packages and content defined, and now the developers are producing the iterations. During this time, the verification and test folks have been creating the test cases or details on how we intend to confirm the product performance. Our requirements provide the fodder for our testing. For each requirement there […]