GENERAL ON TESTING

The Seven Principles of Testing

1. Testing can show that defects are present, but it cannot prove that there are no defects.
2. Exhaustive testing is impossible.
3. Testing activities should start as early as possible in the project.
4. Defects tend to cluster together.
5. Repeated tests lose their effectiveness over time.
6. Testing is context-dependent.
7. Absence of defects does not guarantee that the tested system is useful for its users.

Test Process Core Activities

1. Test planning and control
2. Test design and analysis
3. Test implementation and execution
4. Evaluating exit criteria and reporting
5. Test closure activities

The Psychology of Testing

• Testers are tasked with finding as many ways as possible to break the software.
• Testing is often seen as a destructive activity, though it requires creativity and intelligence.
• Exploratory testing emphasizes the tester’s role and expertise in making the testing successful.

The Use of Independent Test Teams

• Using a test team independent from the development team generally improves the quality and coverage of testing.
• Independent testers do not have preconceived notions about the software and bring specific expertise and experience in testing.
• However, they still need to familiarize themselves with the software under test.

Reporting Bugs

• Bug reporting requires care and professionalism.
• Avoid creating an adversarial atmosphere during communication.
• Bug reports must contain sufficient information for developers to reproduce the defect in their environment.