The Influence of Context on the Test Process

The context of the testing process

The following are some of the factors that influence the testing process within an organization:

• The choice and usage of test activities depends on the software development lifecycle model you use. Most agile models don’t include detailed directions for testing and its associated activities.
• Depending on the chosen and implemented system architecture the system may be divided into subsystems. This affects test levels and the corresponding technique used to derive or select test cases.
• The test type also influences the testing process. A test type is a group of test activities designed to test a component or a system for interrelated quality characteristics. A test type is often focused on a single quality characteristic—for example, load testing.
• In the case of significant product or project risk, the test process needs to be designed to address the maximum number of risks through test cases, and thus minimize them.
• The context in which a software system is used also has an effect on the testing process. For example, software used exclusively for company-internal vacation planning will be subject to less thorough testing than a custom system built to control a client’s industrial facility.
• Company guidelines and best practices can also have an effect on the testing process and the rules that govern it. The advantage here is that the factors influencing the process do not have to be discussed and redefined for each project. Required internal and external standards have the same effect.

Operational limitations

Operational limitations also affect the structure and implementation of test processes. Such limitations include:

• Budget and other resources (for example, specialist staff) that are usually in short supply for testing purposes
• Extended deadlines that leave less time than planned for testing
• The complexity of the system to be tested. Complex systems are not easy to test! The test process must be designed to reflect the complexity of the system.
• Contractual and regulatory requirements. These can have a direct effect on the scope of the testing process, and therefore on that of the individual activities involved.