Standards for Testing › Types of Testing › Test Techniques

Test Techniques

To test a whole system successfully, you will need to "divide and conquer"; that is, split the system into modules that can be tested independently. Do not try to test the whole until the parts are working.

Overall, it is important to recognize:

• A given test will nearly always need to be repeated many times
• A given test will be needed not only for initial development, but also later on to retest components after maintenance changes

It is therefore worthwhile, prior to testing, to spend time both formally designing test plans and preparing any tools that will assist with the process. For example:

• Programs to set up or generate test data
• Test harnesses and ‘scaffold’ programs to run individual programs that are normally run as part of a larger process
• Programs to reset initial test conditions
• Programs to document test data, for example, Queries
• Programs to evaluate test results