Defining the Testing Methodology

A major part of your test plan is describing the strategy for testing. When planning your methodology, consider:

• Where will the testing take place?

• Who will perform the tests?

• How will you communicate with and involve participants?

• How will you schedule the testing?

• How will you manage application problems?

Outsourcing is one option for application testing. To determine if you will use this option, consider the following:

• Do you have staff available for testing?

• Does your staff have the appropriate level of expertise?

• What are the internal costs compared to the outsourcing costs?

• What is your time frame? Can the testing get done faster if you outsource it?

• What are your security requirements? Would you need to provide confidential data to an external organization?

When you test internally, select experienced testers. If your organization has a group of application testers, it is recommended that you use them. If you do not have such a group or they are unavailable, look for ways to use a variety of resources to achieve the best results in a reasonable amount of time. For example, you can use a few experienced testers to develop a battery of test cases, which they can train others to run. Alternatively, you might have the experienced testers perform a core set of tests and then coordinate with business units to have their experts come to the lab to perform the functions they use in their work.

Devise a process for scheduling test days and communicating with the testers. For example, you might set up a Web site on your intranet where anyone can view test dates, status reports, contact names, and other relevant documents.

Establish a procedure for managing test results. Describe roles and responsibilities, including the following:

• Who enters problem reports in the incident tracking system?

• How are problems prioritized, assigned, and resolved?

• Who tracks the resolution of problems and retesting of applications?

• How do testers enter test results in the test tracking and reporting system?

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