The fundamental software testing process involves 6 steps: 1) Planning and control to define the test strategy and plan, 2) Analysis and design to create logical test cases, 3) Implementation and execution to implement concrete test cases and execute testing according to priorities, 4) Evaluation of test exit criteria to determine when to stop testing based on metrics like defect detection percentage, 5) Reporting to communicate results to stakeholders, and 6) Post testing activities to analyze lessons learned and improve future testing. The process is iterative with several test cycles planned to fully test the software.

1. Software Testing Foundations #1.1
The Fundamental Testing Process
Nikita Knysh
nknysh@gmail.com
http://www.facebook.com/groups/istqb/

2. The Fundamental Testing Process
Begin
Planning and
Analysis and Design
Implementation and Execution
Evaluation of Test Exit Criteria
Post Testing Activities
End
Control

3. Planning and Control
• Planning:
▫ Test policy, Test strategy
▫ Test plan (test resources, test intensity for system parts
and characteristics, priorities of test, tool support).
• Control: compare actual situation with plan and
adjust the plan.
Complete testing is not possible. Faults can cause high
costs. Balance is to be kept by Test Manager.

4. Analysis & Design
• Creating logical test cases (positive and negative)
based on test basis.
• Test case explosion

5. Implementation & Execution
• Creating concrete (and easily reproducible!) test
cases out of logical ones, preparing test harness
(harnesses, drivers, simulators, etc.)
• Check test environment, execute test cases according
to priorities defined when planning
• Log results, and describe failures in reproducible
way.
• The pesticide paradox

6. Evaluation of Test Exit Criteria, Reporting
• All exit criteria should be met to stop testing. So
several (!) test cycles should be planned.
• Criteria: defect detection percentage (DDP) and
defect importance; in practice: time & cost.
• Write test summary report for stakeholders.

7. Post Testing Activities (Test Closure)
• Experiences from testing work should be analyzed
and made available for further projects.
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Planned vs achieved results
Analysis of unexpected events happened
Analysis of defects
Change requests: Still Open? Why not implemented?
How good was user acceptance before deploy?