The Systematic Software Testing Handboo

by Rick D. Craig and Stefan P. Jaskiel

Book Overview

This textbook sets out to provide professionals with an in-depth understanding of the software-testing people and process issues that are critical for delivering high-quality software on time and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1580535089
• ISBN13: 9781580535083
• Release Date: May 2002
• Publisher: Artech House Publishers
• Length: 570 Pages
• Weight: 2.72 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 7.5" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

THE Software Testing Resource

Books on software testing are usually something you read because you have to, not because you want to. Authors Rick Craig and Stefan Jaskiel have set out to change that, and the result is the best current book on software testing. A combination of the timeless and the cutting-edge, Systematic Software Testing is all you need to get to work and to get the job done well.The authors begin with the basics of software testing, including the evolution of the discipline over the years. They continue on to discuss STEP methodology, and then launch into the fundamentals of testing. Among the covered topics: risk analysis, test plans, automated test design and implementation, IEEE/CMM/ISO guidelines and standards, and test execution. For those who are going to be managing their own test groups, there is additional material on who to pick for the job, what those jobs are, and how to organize your testing. For both the software engineer and the engineering manager, this text is an invaluable resource. The methodology is sound and up to date, and following the clearly enumerated steps in this book will surely result in a superior product. If this isn't enough to convince you, the text is also FUN to read. This isn't your typical bare-bones textbook, as exemplified by Rick Craig's amusing and memorable anecdotes and the occasionally apt quotation. The wording is clear, everyday English and key points are clearly visible. The book is very well organized by topic and subsections, making it great for refreshing your memory on particular details.Even if you are not directly involved in testing, this book is worth reading. Just understanding the software lifecycle process is a major help when it comes to improving software quality, and this excellent text will grant you that understanding.

A systematic approach to s/w testing

This book is written for the software tester and/or test manager, and lives up to its title. The book explains how to go about planning a testing effort from a top-down perspective, discussing how to put together a master test plan (Chapter 3), and then drilling down into the nitty-gritty details (Chapter 4). Chapters 5 (Analysis & Design) describes some common testing techniques, which while not as comprehensive as some other s/w testing books, is perhaps unequaled in it's readability (Kudos to the copy-editor).I like Chapters 6 (Test Implementation) and 7 (Test Execution) because they make for a good checklist for the tasks that need to be done to support the test execution phase, again what strikes me most about this book is the easy read, something especially useful when covering such potentially dry subject matter as "test status reporting".Chapters 8 (Test Organization), 9 (The s/w Tester), and 10 (the Test Manager) touch upon the "soft issues" related to these roles - discussing such items as "the cornerstones of leadership", "career paths", and "how to hire testers". Finally, Chapter 11 discusses how to improve the testing process - no matter where on a "maturity" chart your organization resides.One thing I did find interesting, was the prominence Risk & Stefan attached to using Risk as a means of guiding the entire testing effort (a mentality I personally concur with), this is evident in their decision to discuss this aspect of testing right up front in Chapter 2, and continually referring to it throughout the rest of the book.In summary, I think Rick & Stefan have done a fantastic job of describing a systematic approach to software testing.In the vain of "full disclosure", you should know that I've known Rick & Stefan for many years, and consequently I cannot be considered a completely impartial reviewer.

Practical, well written, good reference

Other reviewers have already eloquently exprssed their opinions at length, so I want to briefly concur the book is a valuable tutorial and reference.What I like --1. Easy to read and grasp for a fairly dry technical subject. The anecdotes and "war stories" are very helpful. The sequence and flow is logical, making the book easier to use.2. Very practical and applicable.3. Excellent insights IMO from people who have "been there, done that".

Destined to be the standard reference for test processes

There are two things about this book that make it the best book on software testing that's currently available: (1) it gives you a complete, proven process and the details and documents needed to implement and use the process, and (2) it is a page turner. Yes, a page turner, and the reason I make this claim is that on nearly every page is a text box that gives anecdotes, opinions and stories from real life. That, plus the conversational writing style that the authors effectively use makes what could be a dry topic lively and fun to read.Good writing alone does not make a technical book 'the best currently available' without other distinguishing features. Here's what sets this book apart from all others:* The core processes and details are based on IEEE standards, but they don't adhere to them. Instead the authors have taken the 15 years of experience from teaching a course that evolved into this book and have used what works, modified what doesn't work so well, and have incorporated field experience from their own testing background as well as suggestions and recommendations from their students. The net result is a standards-based and systematic approach that is tempered with practical experience.* All of the software testing artifacts and deliverables are provided in both template and worked example form. This alone will give test engineers and their organizations a standard, proven format for these critical documents.* Testing is not treated as a standalone process. The authors show how testing is connected to requirements, business imperatives, and project management. This is a realistic view of the real world.There is much more to this book than the highlights I cited, but the previous reviewer covered them well. I cannot think of a single client for whom I've consulted and advised who would not benefit from adopting this book as their test process manual. I cannot think of a single topic of any importance that is not covered in the book, and believe that this book will become the standard reference for test process management for years to come.

Complete, practical and proven approach to testing

This book provides a detailed roadmap for establishing and managing a comprehensive test process that is closely aligned to the IEEE standards for software testing. The process, called Systematic Test and Evaluation Process (STEP) is designed to improve quality by early involvement in the development life cycle instead of having testing as an activity on the critical path at the end of the build phase. This approach ensures early detection of defects, including those introduced in the requirements, specifications and design milestones. Clearly, the STEP approach supports testing and SQA (where SQA is an oversight function outside of the testing domain).The STEP process has three main steps: 1. Plan the test strategy (develop a master test plan and associated detailed test plans). 2. Acquire testware (define test objectives, design and create test plans). 3. Measure (execute the tests, ensure that tests are adequate and monitor the process itself).This framework is supported in Chapters 2-8, each of which addresses supporting activities and artifacts in detail. Chapter 2 covers risk analysis since testing is by its nature done to reduce the risk of defects escaping into production systems. I like the way the authors separate technical and schedule risks in this chapter because each are integral to the realities of testing.Chapters 3 and 4 show how to perform master and detailed test planning, and provide example plan templates and how to develop them, and requirements and factors for each test phase for the detailed planning (unit, integration, system and acceptance testing).The analysis and design activities covered in chapter 5 are focused on test design. The systematic and structured way the authors approach these activities walks you through developing test cases. You're shown how to ensure that they account for requirements and features, and are given high level advice about how to types of tests to employ. Test implementation covered in Chapter 6 introduces organization and process issues from a team perspective. One of the strongest chapters, 7, does deeply into the issues and factors surrounding test execution, and gives metrics to consider and internal processes for managing defects. I felt that this chapter should have paid more attention to issue and defect management from an enterprise problem management perspective, but despite this the information is solid.The chapters that will most benefit test managers, especially new ones, are 8 through 10 that address the test organization, people and management issues. These sections would warm the heart of HR professionals and is unique in that leadership is given the same weight as management techniques. The detailed comparison of certifications from ASQ (CSQE), IEEE (CSDP), QAI (CSTE) and IIST (CSTP) includes everything you need to know to select the best certification to pursue, including salary increase data for each of these certifications. I also liked the chapter on improving the