Acceptance Testing for
ROME
Pete Castle
Test & Quality Manager
Agenda
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What is software testing/ Who does it?
Why software testing is important
Some fundamentals of testing
Test Plans & Scripts
Sample Testing Techniques
What is software Testing?
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“Software testing is an empirical technical investigation
conducted to provide stakeholders with information
about the quality of the product or service under test”
Professor Cem Kaner - Director of Florida Tech's Center
for Software Testing Education & Research
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Empirical - derived from experiment, experience, and
observation
Technical - Having special skill or practical knowledge
Investigation - A detailed inquiry or systematic
examination
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Why testing is Important
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All Software has defects (bugs)
• All software products are ‘prototypes’ (in my view)
• Software products are getting larger and more
complicated - Vista 40% larger than XP @ over 50
million LOC
• Software Engineering is not as mature as other
disciplines e.g. Civil Engineering
• Software is written by people – people make mistakes
• Software testing looks to find the most important defects
as early as possible – increasing confidence that the
software meets specification
Who’s involved in testing?
Requirements Analysts – Inspections, Peer Reviews
• Developers – Code Inspection, Unit Testing
• Testers – System & Integration Testing
• Trainers – Training materials production
• Users – User Acceptance Testing
• Project Managers – Scheduling, Resourcing, Risks,
Issues, Defect Stats
• Everybody is responsible for quality - NASA
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Fundamentals of Software Testing
Plan
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Specify
Execute
Record
Check
Software testing needs planning, tests need specifying,
once executed they need results recording, and post
completion should be easily auditable
The importance of a planned approach
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Important to map out a strategy that will give the greatest
level of confidence in the product
‘Ad hoc’ testing may find errors, but may not be cost
effective
Testing should focus on areas where defects are most
likely
All testing should have a reason
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Question “Is a test that doesn’t find an error a good test or not?”
Essential to plan what needs to be done and then
itemise how it is to be achieved.
Testing Mantra
• Mantra - Spiritual conduit, words or vibrations that instil
concentration in the devotee.
• Test as early as possible
• Gather as much knowledge of the application under test as possible
• Look for vulnerabilities
• Build ‘Bug Taxonomies’ (Classification)
• Use Quicktests (and publicise the fact)
Testing Mantra
• You can always think of another test – but should you?
• Concept of ‘Good enough Testing’
• Practicality over dogma
• Everybody has responsibility for ‘shipping’ the product
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Record all tests/defects/issues/recommendations
• Testers are not the sole arbiters of quality
• Testing only shows problems exist – not their absence
• Never, ever, ever make it personal
• Defects are issues with products and process not people
• Good working relationship is essential for good products
Document Hierarchy - Test Plan
What is a Test Plan - 1

Test plan is
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tool to help plan the testing activity
product to inform others of test process
Includes
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Document control
Objectives
Scope
Approach – Schedule, Priorities, Deliverables,
Resources, Responsibilities
Risks/Contingences
Sign-off/Approval
What is a Test Plan - 2
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Produced by Test Lead/Project Manager
• Published to Project/Programme
• Not constrained by format – living document
• Enough information to be used by anyone to test
the product
Rome Test Plan
 Ready
for review
 Written by Tim Wells
Document Hierarchy -Test Scripts
Test Scripts
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Test Script - Is a collection of test cases for the
software under test (manual or automated)
• Test Case - A set of inputs, execution
preconditions, and expected outcomes
developed for a particular objective, such as to
exercise a particular program path or to verify
compliance with a specific requirement.
Pre-conditions/Information
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Browsers – IE, Firefox, Safari
O/S – Linux, Windows
Access Control – Logins, Roles
Test Data requirements
Date/Time considerations
Other document references
Example Test Script - 1
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System Test of input of numeric month into data
field
Ref.
Field/Button
Action
001
Month
Enter Data
002
Month
003
Input
Expected Result
Pass/Fail
0
Data rejected. Error Message 'Invalid Month'
Fail
Enter Data
1
Data Accepted, January Displayed
Pass
Month
Enter Data
06
Data Accepted, June Displayed
Pass
004
Month
Enter Data
12
Data Accepted, December Displayed
Pass
005
Month
Enter Data
13
Data rejected. Error Message 'Invalid Month'
Fail
Example Test Script - 2
Search
Researcher
Page
Test
Ref.
Reqs
Ref.
2.001
REF003
2.002
REF003
Function
Inputs
Expected Result
Actual Result
Search
Researchers
1. Forenames = John
2. Surname = <Blank>
3. eMail = <Blank>
All UCL researchers with
forenames starting Pete displayed
in alphabetic order, 23 records per
page
List comprises Name, Department,
Occupation Type
All data items hyperlinked
427 matches - paging
working correctly, data
displayed correctly and
in reasonable time (5
secs)
All UCL researchers with surnames
starting Smith displayed in
alphabetic order, 23 records per
page
List comprises Name, Department,
Occupation Type
All data items hyperlinked
61 matches - paging
working correctly, data
displayed correctly and
in reasonable time (5
secs)
Search
Researchers
1. Forenames = <Blank>
2. Surname = Smith
3. eMail = <Blank>
Pass/
Fail
Pass
Pass
Example Test Script - 3
Type
Scenario
Test
To test?
New/
Change?
Covered
(Y/N)
Pass
/ Fail
Who
Date
tested
Admissions
Basic Licence
Admissions
Basic Licence
Admissions - Setup
Y
Y
Y
P
SM
06/01/08
40
Basic Licence
Admissions Criterion Setup
Y
Y
Y
P
SM
06/01/08
41
Basic Licence
Admissions Admissions Policy
Y
Y
Y
P
SM
06/01/08
42
Basic Licence
Admissions - ADT
Import from EMS
Y
Y
Y
P
SM
06/01/08
43
Basic Licence
Admissions - ASL
Export to EMS
Y
Y
Y
F
SM
06/01/08
No.
39
Test Scripts
 Readable
 Accessible
by anyone – standards
 Can vary depending upon the type of
testing being undertaken
 Usable
Testing Techniques
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Quicktests
Negative Testing
Integration Testing
Techniques 1- Quick Tests
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Quicktests - Investigation more important than
Confirmation
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A quicktest is a cheap test that has some value but
requires little preparation, knowledge, or time to perform
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Focus on common coding errors
Techniques 1- Quick Tests
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Things that have failed before – Defect data
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Tab order (particularly when adding new functions)
Addresses (BFPO, new Post Codes)
Short cut keys
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Boundaries – Ages, Dates, Values, Increments, Page Breaks
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Interrupts, Duplications, Ordering of tasks
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Generate Order before setup – no cost codes, cost centres, suppliers,
budgets
Exit/Interrupt before completion
Consume resource (Dog Piling)
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Never close a window
Never exit an option
Techniques 1- Quick Tests
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Force all error messages
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Informative messages - Spelling
Debug information?
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Capacity/Files – Files to fill all available space, large files, empty
files, incorrect format
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Dependencies – e.g. same student many functions
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Integration Quicktest
Comparisons – screens, data, reports
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Tools e.g. Beyond Compare, Screen Capture, Redgate Toolset, InCtrl3
Negative Testing
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Testing the system using negative data – to generate
exceptions that cause the software to fail
Going against knowledge of ‘How the system should
work’
For Example - Testing the password where it should be
minimum of 8 characters - so test it using 7 and 9
characters
Emphasis on breaking not confirmation
Negative Testing
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Embedded single quote and other ‘special’ characters e.g. John’s
Car, John & Erin, 99%, Straße (German Addresses)
Required Data Input – Don’t
Field Size – Shoe test (also Quick Test)
Field ‘Types’ – Characters in numeric field
Boundaries (Upper/Lower) – underage job applications, 101 lines on
an order with a maximum of 100 lines
Invalid dates e.g. 31/04/08
Addresses – BFPO, Hong Kong Addresses, ‘New Post Codes’
Web Session Testing – Access web page but not logged in
Switch off during upgrade – what happens, does the application
know there is a problem?
Integration Testing (In the large)
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“Testing performed to expose faults in the interfaces and
in the interaction between integrated components and
products” Sue Myler – Integration Team Lead
• Usually scenario based rather than low level test cases
• Relies upon testers having system knowledge & testing
expertise – ability to think ‘outside of the box’, develop
new tests during testing
• Relies on successful unit, integration in the small and
system testing
• Can mimic business processes
Integration Testing (In the large)
Integration Test Cases
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3 Applicants
• 1 applies for 1 post
• 1 applies for 2 posts - also applies for the same
post twice (by accident)
• 1 applies for 3 posts
• do their records appear correctly across ROME
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Delete a Vacancy – what happens to that applicant
records?
Integration Testing (In the large)
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Short list applicant for post he entered twice, deleting
one application
Invite for interview but candidate withdraws
Candidate then re-applies
Data exported, ROME updated, then re-exported, does
data appear correctly in target application
Test Scenarios
Type
Scenario
Test
To test?
New/
Change?
Covered
(Y/N)
Pass
/ Fail
Who
Date
tested
Admissions
Basic Licence
Admissions
Basic Licence
Admissions - Setup
Y
Y
Y
P
SM
06/01/08
40
Basic Licence
Admissions Criterion Setup
Y
Y
Y
P
SM
06/01/08
41
Basic Licence
Admissions Admissions Policy
Y
Y
Y
P
SM
06/01/08
42
Basic Licence
Admissions - ADT
Import from EMS
Y
Y
Y
P
SM
06/01/08
43
Basic Licence
Admissions - ASL
Export to EMS
Y
Y
Y
F
SM
06/01/08
44
Basic Licence
Admissions - ATF
Import from EMS
Y
Y
Y
F
SM
06/01/08
45
Basic Licence
Admissions - ATF
Re-Import from EMS
with additions and
amendments
Y
Y
Y
F
SM
06/01/08
No.
39
Review
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Software Testing is important for increasing confidence that the
software meets specification
To get the best results from testing certain fundamentals should be
followed
Testing is part of software development
Different software testing techniques enhance our ability to test
Many different types of software testing exist – which we can
combine into single test cases/scenarios
Test Example – Data Entry Screen
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Create Test cases to negatively test (break) the
data entry screen
Description
Data/Validation
Title
20 Chars, mandatory, pick list
provided
Forename
25 Chars, mandatory
Surname
25 Chars, mandatory
email Address
50 Chars, mandatory, validated
Home Telephone Number
25 Chars
Next Steps
 ROME
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- Kick off meeting
Testing required who/when
Test Script Template
Mantis - Issue/Defect Logging