This document provides an overview of several test process improvement frameworks: Test Maturity Model (TMM), Test Process Improvement (TPI), Critical Testing Processes (CTP), and Systematic Test and Evaluation Process (STEP). TMM defines 5 maturity levels for testing processes. TPI focuses on 4 process cornerstones and allows incremental improvement. CTP identifies attributes of critical testing processes. STEP assesses test planning, implementation, and measurement with qualitative and quantitative metrics.

1. OVERVIEW OF TEST
PROCESS IMPROVEMENT
FRAMEWORKS
Nikita Knysh, Ciklum, February 21, 2012

2. Speaker
 Nikita Knysh, 31 y.o.
 E-comonic, Ciklum
 11 years in IT, 5 years in software test
 ISTQB Certified Test Manager

3. Agenda
 The way of improvement
 Why use process frameworks
 TMM
 TPI
 CTP
 STEP

4. The Way of Improvement

5. Why Use Process Frameworks
 Get aware of industry practices
 Measure process maturity
 Compare to others
 Suggest improvements, set goals
 Evaluate improvement

6. Test Maturity Model (TMM)
 Complements CMM
 5 maturity levels, a number of processes in
each
 Establish basic processes first, then grow
 Staged
 Need to achieve previous level to claim for next
 Once a level is achieved, no further improvement
needed in its processes
 Binary
 You either fulfill or not. A process cannot be 50%
fulfilled

7. Test Maturity Model (TMM)
 The five maturity levels
 Initial
 Defined
 Integrated
 Managed and measured
 Optimized
 Heavy, documentation-intensive.
 Suitable for contractual test, in regulated
industries, where auditable process is required.

8. Test Process Improvement
(TPI)
 The four process cornerstones
 Lifecycle
 Organization
 Infrastructure and tools
 Techniques
 20 Processes, 4 levels of maturity

9. Test Process Improvement
(TPI) #2

10. Test Process Improvement
(TPI) #3
 Allows to establish the process and start add
value quickly, then improve steadily and
incrementally
 Suitable for startups or introducing QA function
to existing companies

11. Critical Testing Processes
(CTP)
 Be good at critical processes! A critical
process:
 Repeated frequently, affects team efficiency
 Involves large number of people, affects cohesion
and cooperation
 Visible to peers and superiors
 Linked to project success
 Identifies attributes of a good process and
opportunities for improvement
 Provides metrics and qualitative evaluations
for each process, allows tailoring

12. Critical Testing Processes
(CTP) #2
 Testing  Test system
 Establishing context development
 Quality risk analysis  Test release
 Test estimation management
 Test execution
 Test planning
 Bug reporting
 Test team
development  Results reporting
  Change management
All evaluations are done against business
needs
 May be tailored for wide range of the orgs

13. Systematic Test and Evaluation Process
(STEP)
 Assesses three major stages of test:
 Planning
 Acquisition
(test analysis, design and
implementation)
 Measurement (test execution and reporting)
 Qualitative factors considered:
 Defined
test process utilization
 Customer satisfaction

14. Systematic Test and Evaluation Process
(STEP) #2
 Quantitative metrics:
 Test status over time
 Test requirements or risk coverage
 Defect trends, including detection, severity, and
clustering
 Defect density
 Defect removal effectiveness
 Defect detection %
 Defect introduction, detection, and removal phases
 Cost of testing in terms of time, effort, and money
 Assumes ’test then code’ approach, close
collaboration of dev and test, defects are
prevented or detected early or systematically
analyzed.

15. Some Other Frameworks
 Test Organization Maturity (TOM)
 Test Improvement Model (TIM)
 Software Quality Rank (SQR)
 TMap

16. Thank you!
 Questions