| Software QA and Testing Frequently-Asked-Questions |
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| What is 'Software Quality Assurance'? |
| Software QA involves the entire software development PROCESS - monitoring and improving the process, making sure that any agreed-upon standards and procedures are followed, and ensuring that problems are found and dealt with. |
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What is 'Software Testing'? |
| Testing involves operation of a system or application under controlled conditions and evaluating the results (eg, 'if the user is in interface A of the application while using hardware B, and does C, then D should happen'). The controlled conditions should include both normal and abnormal conditions. Testing should intentionally attempt to make things go wrong to determine if things happen when they shouldn't or things don't happen when they should. It is oriented to 'detection'. |
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| What is verification? validation? |
| Verification typically involves reviews and meetings to evaluate documents, plans, code, requirements, and specifications. This can be done with checklists, issues lists, walkthroughs, and inspection meetings. Validation typically involves actual testing and takes place after verifications are completed. The term 'IV & V' refers to Independent Verification and Validation. |
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| What is a 'walkthrough'? |
A 'walkthrough' is an informal meeting for evaluation or informational purposes. Little or no preparation is usually required.
Poor requirements - if requirements are unclear, incomplete, too general, and not testable, there will be problems.
Unrealistic schedule - if too much work is crammed in too little time, problems are inevitable.
Inadequate testing - no one will know whether or not the program is any good until the customer complains or systems crash.
Featuritis - requests to pile on new features after development is underway; extremely common.
Miscommunication - if developers don't know what's needed or customer's have erroneous expectations, problems are guaranteed.
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