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Change-Based Test Management: Improving the Software Validation Process

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You need not change your existing testing process to accommodate the central ideas from this book - the method of managing testing can be bolted onto most standard approaches.

The keys to change-based testing are:

- prioritization and delta testing
- validation
- layered testing (from regression at the least complex level, to structural performance, to certification and standards testing at the most complex level and when appropriate)

Delta testing - focusing on changes in the code or product base - is the essence of this approach and from where the title was derived.

Validation, which follows verification, is another key component. Note that verification is assuring that all requirements are included, and validation is assuring that they correctly function. This means that testing begins early in the life cycle, at the requirements and design stages where it is significantly less costly to remove a defect than in the test phase. This also expands the scope of most testing organizations, and makes it more akin to SQA than testing. The differences are not so subtle. Although not directly stated in the book, as the additional elements of change-based testing are bolted on, defect removal efficiency (a key metric indicating test effectiveness) can be replaced by defect density metrics which identify where in the life cycle a defect was introduced. This leads to process improvement opportunities that will strengthen the entire development process.

The validation cycle is a 5-step process as follows:
Step 1: Planning
Step 2: Test Development
Step 3: Test Execution and Monitoring
Step 4: Measuring
Step 5: The Feedback Loop

Subsequent chapters go into detail about test design, test plan development, management of the testing process and test execution and results monitoring. The book ends with an excellent information about measurement, team organization and automation issues.

I stated in the beginning that this approach could be bolted onto an existing testing process, which it can; however, it can also be used as the main testing process if you are starting a test organization from scratch. At the very least you will gain some excellent ideas from this book.

This book gave insightful and pratical ways to better test software projects. As our software becomes more and more complex, we need ways to ensure we're meeting our customers expectation and not creating "blue screens of death." The concepts given are easy to read and process. I especially liked the little "Ray's Insights" tidbits. It's a good read - one to start some process improvements with.