Software development testing on enterprise solutions is not a new concept, but the SCS Test Competence Centre (TCC) now provides the service of objective assessment of project solutions by working with, but separately from, software development teams.
SCS clients can now rest assured that all project solutions are rigorously tested before implementation and that they will be consulted during the testing process. In addition, the service is available to other companies in need of objective assessment of their projects. Although the test team forms part of the SCS group, their independence and objective reporting is non-negotiable.
The TCC has tested applications built using various technologies, including WebSphere (Java), Domino and Business Objects. It has also conducted functional testing in handheld devices, such as tablets, PDA, cellphones, etc.
The TCC follows a test approach based on the acclaimed Rational Unified Process and the internationally accepted ISO 12207 principles. However, because each project and each customer is unique, the team allows for a degree of creativity when deciding on a test approach. The purpose of testing and the desired quality expectations of the customer are important factors to keep in mind when deciding the test approach.
The TCC begins its test cycle by engaging with the project sponsorship and/or project management in order to extract and compile project expectations. This is necessary as all test projects are unique in terms of the context of the software solution being developed. The TCC can also provide an engagement team to review a project's expectations and provide a proposal on the most appropriate test strategy to be followed.
Every test cycle is reported on. By doing this the test team can clearly identify and communicate potential risk to the business team, before the project goes live. The client forms an important part of the process. The SCS Test Centre has been involved on projects where risks were identified that enabled project sponsorship and/or project management to either delay a solution's movement into production or to insist on a redesign of the solution. Had these risks not been identified before moving into production, it would have caused a serious loss of business integrity to the client.
Says Herman Thiart from SCS: "We feel very strongly about reporting directly to the client. There are various reasons for this, but the primary one is that a specification never really encapsulates a customer's full quality expectation. If a specification contained all the quality expectations and requirements of a customer, it would take months to compile. This level of specification is often not required on non-mission-critical solutions. The test team therefore interacts with the customer as a 'safety check' outside the specification to ensure there are as little surprises as possible when an application is moved into production."
The following services are core to the TCC's offering:
Functional / regression testing: The TCC project engagement team identifies the most appropriate test framework in terms of:
* Selecting the right tools to use. The TCC provides experience in leading test tools including Mercury's QuickTest Professional, Rational TestManager and Rational ClearQuest.
* Communication model to be followed for reporting on the progress of the test process. The TCC plays an active role in expediently resolving issues identified during the test process.
* Identifying the environments needed to conduct proper functional / regression testing.
Test automation: The TCC provides automated testing to assist in regression test cycles. Automated testing increases the coverage of functional tests and subsequent to the initial investment provides a valuable asset in maintaining solution integrity. Mercury's leading test tool QuickTest Professional is typically used in the process.
Performance testing: The TCC's performance test capabilities are primarily focused around Web-based applications. Performance testing is conducted using Mercury Interactive's LoadRunner. The TCC can assist in advising on performance tuning for a range of Web-based technologies.
Test consultation: This formalises the interaction of test activities between a development team, the test team and the project sponsor. Through consultation a customised test methodology is established which forms part of a project test strategy.
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