Software Testing: A guide to the TMap Approach [Paperback]

Martin Pol (Author), Ruud Teunissen (Author), Erik Van Veenendaal (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 29, 2001 | ISBN-10: 0201745712 | ISBN-13: 978-0201745719 | Edition: 1

This book will:* Introduce you to the method and take you through it step-by-step* Enable you to address and deal with organizational issues, including functions within a team, training, consulting and administration of the process* Cover practical infrastructure issues, like the option of using an automation tool to aid the test process* Outline the different development situations in which TMap has been used, for example, client server, GUI, Object-Oriented, ERP and web-enabled scenarios, and give tips on what problems to look out for in each one

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Software Testing: A Guide to the TMap® Approach

Martin Pol, Ruud Teunissen, Erik can Veenendaal

 

Testing is an essential part of the software development lifecycle, focusing on issues that must be addressed before the information system goes into production. Have all parts and characteristics of the information system been checked sufficiently? Have issues such as suitability, performance and security been looked at? Have all defects been corrected without any new ones being introduced during the re-work process? It is crucial that these questions are not left unanswered until the final stages, therefore, a well-structured and reliable test process is required.

TMap (Test Management approach) is a well-established and internationally proven methodology, having been developed in the Netherlands and Belgium by IQUIP Informatica B.V, a softwaretesting specialist. It will help save your company time and money by producing well-designed, reliable quality systems. As the method is non-proprietary and is independent of any development method and platform, you can adapt it to suit your organization and its specific requirements.

If you are directly involved in the test process, Software Testing: A Guide to the Tmap® Approach is for you. It will:

• Introduce you to the method and take you through it step-by-step

• Enable you to address organizational issues and how to deal with them, including functions within a team, training, consulting and administration of the process

• Cover practical infrastructure issues, like the option of using an automation tool to aid the test process
• Outline the different development situations in which TMap has been used, for example, client server, GUI, Object-Oriented, ERP and web-enabled, and give tips on what problems to look out for in each one

Features:

• A running case study, including a test plan using a real-life example
• A companion website containing updated examples, test case templates, documentation and checklists
• Foreword by Dorothy Graham

About the authors:

Martin Pol

is both CEO and senior consultant of Polteq International Testing Services B.V. and an advisor to the R&D department of IQUIP Informatica B.V. He has had over 25 years¿ experience in structured testing and was involved in the development of Tmap. Martin is a highly regarded lecturer and speaker throughout the world and has twice chaired the EuroSTAR conference. He has recently received the European Testing Excellence Award for his contribution to the field of testing.

Ruud Teunissen

is an international test consultant for IQUIP Informatica B.V. and Gitek, Belgium. He has an outstanding track record in test management and test consultancy and is a regular speaker at international conferences.

Erik van Veenendaal

is a co-founder of Improve Quality Services and is also a lecturer and researcher at Eindhoven University of Technology, Faculty of Technology Management. He is the author of a number of software quality and testing books, a regular speaker at conferences and is a leading trainer in the field of software testing.

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Martin Pol is a highly regarded lecturer and speaker throughout the world and has twice chaired the EuroSTAR conference. He has recently received the European Testing Excellence Award for his contribution to the field of testing.

Ruud Teunissen is an international test consultant for IQUIP Informatica B.V. and Gitek, Belgium. He has an outstanding track record in test management and test consultancy and is a regular speaker at international conferences.

Erik van Veenendaal

is a co-founder of Improve Quality Services and is also a lecturer and researcher at Eindhoven University of Technology, Faculty of Technology Management. He is the author of a number of software quality and testing books, a regular speaker at conferences and is a leading trainer in the field of software testing.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 592 pages
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional; 1 edition (November 29, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201745712
• ISBN-13: 978-0201745719
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 1.5 x 9.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,402,079 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally in English! May 18, 2002

By Mike Tarrani HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Paperback

My first introduction to TMAP was in "Test Process Improvement: A Practical Step-by-Step Guide to Structured Testing" which the author co-authored. It piqued my interest, but unfortunately all of the literature on TMAP was written in Dutch. This book makes this powerful test management approach available to English speaking readers, making it invaluable.

First, a little about TMAP to explain why I think the approach is important and useful: It views testing as a process instead of a collection of procedures. The advantage is that once a process is in place it can be stabilized and improved upon. The key to testing is repeatability, and without a process there can be no repeatability. TMAP consists of four elements that combine to form a cohesive test management model:
(1) Testing life cycle that is aligned to the development life cycle. This life cycle is encapsulated within a planning and control framework that easily fits into the project management activities of the development life cycle.
(2) Testing techniques - not the techniques used in the execution of test cases, but the techniques employed for defining a test strategy, developing test specifications, and the associated artifacts. This book does cover some basic test execution techniques, but they are not the focus of the book and are not covered in great detail.
(3) Infrastructure and tools - addresses what are the minimums for an effective test process in the form of environments and tools. If you're establishing a test organization this aspect will be invaluable.
(4) Organization - how the test organization is structured and how it relates to external functions, such as development, configuration and release management, project management and other major stakeholders.

Each of the above elements and their parts are covered in great detail, resulting in a sound framework for test management. That alone makes this book invaluable, but there are some additional gems that I especially liked:
- Test point analysis and estimation, which is an estimating method for test effort that is based on function point analysis. This is incredibly valuable because accurate estimation is one of the shortfalls in testing. This alone is reason to buy the book.
- The wealth of checklists - I especially liked the comprehensive list of quality characteristics.
- Testing in maintenance situations - probably the most common situation for software testing and this book covers it well.

This book and the related one titled "Test Process Improvement: A Practical Step-by-Step Guide to Structured Testing" combine to give a complete picture of test management and test process improvement. I recommend both, as well as "Systematic Software Testing" by Rick D. Craig and Stefan P. Jaskiel which lays the foundation for, and is consistent with, both TPI and TMAP.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The best source of information May 12, 2010

By Suffolk Cyclist

Format:Paperback

I haven't got a lot to add (the previous review was pretty thorough), but it may help to have another viewpoint.

Firstly, I was 'forced' to use TMap. I was designing test plans for SAP using the 'V-model', but my employer at the time insisted that we had to 'switch' to TMap as it was being used by a large subsidiary overseas and they were loving it. I wasn't happy, but bought the book as it seemed the only way to learn about it.

What I discovered is TMap does not stop you using V-model approaches. In fact it doesn't really 'stop' you doing anything. What it really gives you is a broad framework for interrelating test entities and assets, supporting highly efficient programme level testing and really assisting with shared services, when you have to regression test following changes or new people using the service. If this is what you want to do, then this is the book.

So what about the book? Well, it is the best TMap book there is, although there is not much competition. It does get a little self involved in places and a few really good examples would have worked wonders, but overall I found it to provide excellent support.

I would NOT recommend this book unless you are seriously into testing. If you are a manager then get one of your senior testers, someone involved in designing test plans for complex programmes, to read it and precis it for you. I am giving it 5 stars for test professionals involved in designing major programmes as that is really its market.