1. Automated Software Testing
Streamlining the process with open-source tools
By: Tom Kusnirik

2. Software Development Lifecycle Testing Process
*iSixSigma: Using Fault Tree Analysis to improve software testing

3. Large Software Project Testing Paradigm
Testing software is more than a process
Methodologies focus on testing
Test Driven Development
Iterative Process
Incremental Development
Agile Development
Multiple levels of testing for each project phase
Unit testing
Integration Testing
System Testing
Acceptance Testing

4. Unit Testing Validates Coding
Unit testing isolates segments of code and allows for individual methods, functions, or procedures to be tested.
Unit testing does not
Verify that a requirement is correct
Validate multiple pieces of code
Provide any level of functional testing
Unit testing does
Verify code works according to design
Verify testing coverage of a segment of code
Verify code segments work after other changes have occurred
Provide faster insight to system issues
Provide assurance segments of code functions during integration and regression testing

5. Unit Testing Automation
Unit testing is a developer’s assurance that the code they wrote is working as designed.
Developers can use either JUnit, NUnit, or XUnit to assist in automation
All open source unit testing tool suite
Written code to test coded segments
High levels of code coverage minimizes coding errors and bugs
All developers should execute their own unit test prior to posting their code
Build processes should include automated unit test execution
Open source code quality tools like Sonar can be used to measure testing coverage and quality

6. Unit / Integration Testing Automation
Integration testing assures the contracts between two or more system components and interfaces meets the original design requirements
Subset of Unit tests can be used to handle Integration testing
During integration, tests use actual components instead of mock objects
Faster exposure to integration issues allows for lower project impacts
Often executed by either developers or testing group
Integration test cases can be used to handle regression testing processes as well
Integration testing assists with configuration testing of overall system

7. System Testing
System testing is the functional testing of a fully integrated system based on requirements and specifications.
First real pass that executes based on business need instead of design artifacts
Test cases could be executed multiple times prior to achieving acceptable results
In larger projects, automating all test cases is not always feasible but here are some candidates:
High Risk test cases
Highly executed test cases
Time consuming test cases

8. User Acceptance Testing Process
User Acceptance testing, although similar to functional testing, combines functional and non-functional requirement validation of an integrated system.
Functional issues have been addressed
System performance meets all contractual obligation
Security of the system meets all contractual agreements
System user experience meets expectations
Final pass through the system prior to production