Test Cases

Ranch River Group develops test cases for system validation utilizing a method called requirements based testing.  Test cases are designed with the understanding that exhaustive testing of an application is impossible. Therefore, the major goal of our test case design is to design the fewest test cases that will achieve 100% requirements coverage and uncover the most defects.

Each test case is designed with a specific business rule, business requirement, functional requirement, use case or other specific characteristic desired from the system.  A test case usually includes an identified set of information about observable states, conditions, events, and data, including inputs and expected outputs, as well as the steps and conditions necessary to verify each characteristic is present and validate each is working properly.  These test cases will become part of your testing repository which can be used again and again.  They will prove invaluable during the development, maintenance and optimization phases of your development cycle.  They will provide you with a solid baseline for your regression testing process as changes are made to your system. Return ....

Test scripts are structures consisting of  a set of related test cases which test the application requirement categories, such as system security, data acceptance, functional processing, data output, etc. Test scripts provide the framework that allows you to demonstrate the execution of application logic using test cases and  test data derived from business and system requirements. Test scripts may be based on requirements groupings, processing cycles, types of data, and types of transactions, use case scenarios,  or any related series of test cases which test a specific set of application functions.  A test script can be viewed as an interaction between man and machine designed to validate a unique requirement. Samples of test scripts are "change an address"; "update a timecard". Test scripts  may also be defined  based on job tasks or activities. Test scripts should be kept simple and short so they remain manageable, and easily modifiable.

There are several areas and types of test scripts that need to be developed for effective testing of software and software systems.  Some of those areas include: Unit test scripts designed to exercise the logic within a specific code unit/module; Concurrency test scripts developed to test system behavior when there are two or more users accessing the same file at the same time; Integration test scripts designed to verify that all user requirements have been met and that all internal and external interfaces work, and that the various modules link properly; Regression test scripts designed to ensure that new errors have not been introduced into code by enhancements, functionality changes, or other maintenance activities;  Stress/Performance test scripts designed to determine whether the system will perform correctly when it is stressed to its capacity; and, User Acceptance test scripts.

Ranch River Group will develop your test scripts with effectiveness, ease of use,  and ease of maintenance in mind.  These test scripts will become a part of your testing repository for use again and again.  They will save you countless man-hours in future development of your product, and validation when changes to your product have been made. Return...

The key to any effective testing endeavor is the quality of the test data used to verify and validate the system.  Poor quality data means the inability to identify whether the system is or is not working properly, resulting in a failed testing effort  To ensure your test data is complete and effective, Ranch River Group will develop your data through a number of effective methods designed to derive data attributes.  These methods include requirements decomposition in three levels, high, intermediate and detail; use case decomposition, and, client/user review.  As the test data is developed it is combined into a test file to be accessed and utilized in the execution of specified test scripts.  The data within the file includes valid and invalid data for a specific transaction in order to demonstrate that the functionality works correctly, or that the correct error handling for the specific transaction has been implemented.

All test data developed becomes a part of your testing repository.  This data can be used again and again, which will save you many hours of test preparation, and test execution during the life of your development effort. Return...

An important and cost saving tool in any test process is automating those parts of the testing process that can be automated.  Record/Playback tools can be invaluable for establishing functionality baselines, and a test script repository for repetitive, performance, concurrence and regression testing.  A key part, however, is evaluating and selecting the right tool(s) for your applications and environment.  Ranch River Group can do those evaluations for you to determine which automated tool is best for your system, and which parts of your testing process can benefit the most from automation.  Automation can give you hours and hours of testing without the need for human resources to be constantly present.  Ranch River Group will help you select the right tool for the job, help you implement the automation process, and provide the support necessary to make the automation effort successful. Return ...