Effective Methods for Software Testing, 2nd Edition (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "Software testing is an integral part of the software development process..." (more)
Key Phrases: software testing capabilities, software testing organization, functional test conditions, Field Requirements, Operations Confirmation, Compliance Confirmation (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Aimed at the working test manager or test engineer, the second edition of William Perry's Effective Methods for Software Testing is one of the most rigorous guides to software testing available. This book provides the latest in standards for measuring how good your organization's commitment to software testing is and many ways to improve it. In all, with its numerous lists and practical step-by-step guide to testing, this book points the way toward more economical and effective software testing.

This book's major strength is its meticulous 11-step guide to all aspects of today's software testing process--from initial analysis and test planning to testing software installation and looking at ways to improve the testing cycle the next time around. The book is filled with to-do lists that enumerate the resources and tasks required for each step with helpful hints for what to do, how to work with management, and how to staff and execute a test plan from start to finish. (There is a chapter devoted to each of the 11 steps.) The text also incorporates the latest in testing standards from the Quality Assurance Institute (QAI), and the author does a good job of integrating testing with today's iterative software methodologies. Another standout here is a look at software tools and how they can simplify the testing process.

Of course, few software shops will be as rigorous in real life with the testing process outlined in this book, but there's little doubt that this exhaustive guide sets a high standard that test engineers can aim for. Written in a somewhat formal--yet clear--style, this book can certainly benefit any software testing engineer or manager. --Richard Dragan

Topics covered: Software testing process fundamentals, Quality Assurance Institute (QAI) test quality assessment, software defects, Kiviatt charts, testing economics, methodologies and costs, test plans, risk analysis, structural and functional testing, dynamic and static testing, manual and automated testing, testing tools, stress testing, compliance testing, security testing, requirements testing, regression testing, 11-step software testing process, testing client/server, and Web-based systems. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description

All the proven testing tools and techniques you'll need to ensure that your applications work exactly as they're supposed to! Effective Methods for Software Testing Second Edition Can you guarantee that the software your company develops works as intended? It's essential that you know the proper techniques for testing software, otherwise you could face lost productivity, lost revenue, and customer dissatisfaction. Leading software testing expert William Perry takes you through a comprehensive eleven-step testing process that contains all of the components you'll need to evaluate your software. This testing process includes numerous workpapers and checklists designed to lead you through all aspects of software testing and can be customized to meet the needs of your organization or for a specific test assignment. From establishing a test strategy to selecting and using testing tools, you'll also find helpful guidelines on how to build an effective testing environment. This includes self-assessments designed to improve deficient capabilities of your software development process and deficient competencies of software testers. Detailed test programs featured in this Second Edition include:
* Internet/Intranet applications
* Off-the-shelf software
* Multiplatform environments
* System security
* Data warehouse applications
* Client/server systems
* Rapid application development
Short on theory and long on nuts-and-bolts guidance, Effective Methods for Software Testing, Second Edition arms you with what you need to guarantee that your customers get what they deserve-the most usable, bug-free software possible. * Current software testing survey results
* An extensive list of software testing techniques
* A case study on how this book can be turned into an in-house testing manual
Wiley Computer Publishing Timely. Practical. Reliable.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 832 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 2 edition (January 24, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 047135418X
• ISBN-13: 978-0471354185
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.8 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #143,054 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #21 in	Books > Computers & Internet > Computer Science > Software Engineering > Methodology
  #45 in	Books > Computers & Internet > Programming > Software Design, Testing & Engineering > Testing

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An obtuse testing reference, April 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Effective Methods for Software Testing (Paperback)

We've been developing a testing group and I wanted a practical reference for software testing. This is not it. The text presumes you're in an extremely mature environment (CMM 3 or higher) and have requirements, design, adequate resources, etc., etc.. I think the book needs more examples, better organization, and practical solutions to the difficulties you're likely to face in managing large-scale testing organizations to be truly effective. If you want LOTS of arcane procedures, though, and are going to work for a gov't. agency--this is your book!

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Fails the readability tests, March 3, 2003

By	Moshe Reuveni "gawad" (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

There are a few things to say in favour of this book:
1. It does walk through on how to approach testing in your organization (however, it is definitely oriented towards organizations with established testing principles).
2. It does give you some background information on software testing. Sadly, these are mainly explained in a textbook like manner, making them hard to digest.
3. It provides a thorough, detailed and tested methodology for software testing throughout the various life cycles. Yet again, due to the book's textbook like manners, I found it hard to actually implement the offered methodologies.

Whatever positive attributes the book has to offer, they pale in comparison to the book's negative aspects:
1. Total unreadability: The book written in such a boring manner, you will find yourself reading every page thrice, and still lack the satisfaction of being able to quote the meaning of what you just read.
2. Lack structure: Paragraphs are thrown in one after the other; it's hard to decipher what leads where.
3. Repetitiveness: Items like "building the test plan" repeat themselves for no particular reason.
4. No examples: It's hard for the text to find any foundation in your mind when there are no examples to help the reader relate to. Given its monotonous descriptions, nothing could hinder the reader's efforts to understand and implement the book's ideas more than that.

The final verdict: Look for another software testing book.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a great book for the software organization trying to improve, March 11, 2004

By A Customer

This is a very good book, despite what the other reviewers say. It is aimed at the professional software developer, consistent with good software engineering practices. Unfortunately, those who still work ad hoc in software development do not understand the value of formal processes and the resulting reduction of risk or increase in quality. This book assume that readers, and their organizations, have the required discipline to formalize their testing methods. One of the key principles in the book is that requirements must be validated and traced throughout the software life cycle - garbage in garbage out.

Consider whether or not you would like to fly in a plane or have your bank account managed by software that has not been as rigorously tested as the author requires it to be.