Navigating the Nuances of Detailed Test Strategy Creation

Software testers face a major challenge when designing test strategies and their related tests that effectively find software failures. With many techniques available, it is sometimes difficult to immediately apply them to real-life situations. What initially seems like a straightforward effort often turns into something resembling a winding road with no end. A test strategy may seem good at first, but once the testing begins, it may fail. Randy Rice believes there are ways to define a workable and flexible test strategy that will lead to tests that are creative and effective. Test strategies and test designs are heavily influenced by nuances of scalability, flexibility, level of detail, lack of knowledge and documentation, and time constraints; external constraints such as regulatory laws; and process factors such as the type of software lifecycle you are using. Randy presents a real-life case study of a complex project that required several attempts at test design before arriving at the one that was the right fit. This test was so effective, hundreds of defects were found in the first test cycle. Randy extracts the lessons learned from that experience to help you understand your own set of factors—and what you should consider to design and achieve the most workable tests.