Software Testing Basics

The need for testing

• Why do we need to test software and what happens if we don’t do it?
• What is software testing?
• The benefits of testing and when we should start testing for maximum efficiency
• Why we can’t test everything
• Testing and quality – two sides of the same coin?
• Key testing terms – error, fault and failure

The software under test

• How software is built – understanding the software development life cycle
• Why are mistakes made during development and how can they be prevented?

The test process

• Why planning is key to the success of a testing project
• Defining the test objectives and when to stop testing
• Estimating the task ahead
• Prioritising and risk management and what part they play in the test process
• Deciding what to test
• Writing test cases
• Running tests and recording the results
• Monitoring the progress of testing
• The different types and phases of testing
• The test team – roles and responsibilities

What to test

• Identifying the things we want to test and which will make the most difference to the testing project
• Test cases – what are they?

Testing in different development environments

• The V-Model
• What is agile testing