Automation is the integration of testing tools into the test environment in such a manner that the test execution, logging, and comparison of results are done with little human intervention. A testing tool is a software application which helps automate the testing process. But the testing tool is not the complete answer for automation. One of the huge mistakes done in testing automation is automating the wrong things during development. Many testers learn the hard way that everything cannot be automated. The best components to automate are repetitive tasks. So some companies first start with manual testing and then see which tests are the most repetitive ones and only those are then automated.

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Checkpoints help to compare the behavior of current application to its previous version. There are four types of checkpoints in Winrunner:

a.) Text – reads and displays the text contents of GUI objects and bit map and in bitmaps

b.) Bitmap – compares application window or area snapshots to earlier versions of the same window or area

c.) GUI – validates GUI object information (i.e. whether a button is enabled, an item is selected in a list, etc.)

d.) Database – verifies the contents and size of a set of results (based on a database query)

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1. Bad requirements - these requirements are unclear, incomplete, too general, or not testable. They cause problems.

2. Unrealistic schedule - Expecting too much result in too less time.

3. Inadequate testing - lack of testing causes problem as no one knows if the system will behave as expected.

4. Adding new features - after development; quite common.

5.Poor communication within the team or with the customer.

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- Drivers and stubs are a part of incremental testing.

- The two approaches used in incremental testing are: the top down and the bottom up methods.

- Drivers are used for the bottom up approach.                            

- Drivers are the modules that run the components that are being tested.

- A stub is used for the top down approach.

- It is a replacement of sorts for a component which is used to test a component that it calls.

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Inspection is deserving method with careful consideration of an organization, which concerns about the quality of the product. The process is being done by the quality control department.

Inspection is a disciplined practice for correcting defects in software artifacts.

A walk through is an evaluation process which is an informal meeting, which does not require preparation.

The product is described by the produced and queries for the comments of participants. The results are the information to the participants about the product instead of correcting it.

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While a test plan is being created, risks involved in testing the product are to be taken into consideration along with possibility of their occurrence and the damage they may cause along with solutions; if any. Detailed study of this is called as Risk Analysis.

Some of the risks could be:

New Hardware

New Technology

New Automation Tool

Sequence of code delivery

Availability of application test resources

Identify and describe the risk magnitude indicators: High, Medium and Low

High magnitude means the effect of the risk would be very high and non-tolerable. Company may face severe loss and its reputation is at risk. Must be tested.

Medium: tolerable but not desirable. Company may suffer financially but there is limited liability or loss of reputation. Should be tested.

Low: tolerable. Little or no external exposure. Little or no financial loss. Company’s reputation unaffected. Might be tested.

Three perspectives of Risk Assessment: Effect, Cause and Likelihood.

To assess risk by Effect, identify a condition, event or action and try to determine its impact.

To asses risk by Cause is opposite of by Effect. Begin by stating an undesirable event or condition and identify the set of events that could have permitted the condition to exist.

To asses risk by Likelihood is to determine the probability that a requirement will not be satisfied.

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Pilot testing involves having a group of end users try the system prior to its full deployment in order to give feedback on its performance.

Beta testing is testing of the product in the user environment.

From the definitions, its is evident that beta testing comes at last in development cycle; whereas pilot testing takes place before deployment of the system. Also, beta testing takes place in real time user environment and pilot testing in development environment. A selected group of users do pilot testing whereas beta testing is carried by all users.

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