At a glance
Software Test Estimation
Reliable techniques to estimate your testing effort
How long will the testing take? That’s a question we test professionals often struggle to answer, and, when we do, the response is often, “That’s too long!”
In this practical, hands-on course, we’ll guide you through the tricky questions of test estimation:
- Can we use risk to determine what we should test, and how extensively?
- What tasks must we carry out to be ready to perform those tests when the time comes?
- Can we combine techniques like work-breakdown-structures, historical project data, and rules of thumb to estimate the time and money required for those tasks?
- How can we respond to management requests to compress testing efforts into pre-existing schedule or budget targets?
In this experience-based presentation, lively group discussion, hypothetical case study, and a realistic running exercise will put the essential estimation tools in your hands so you’ll be ready for your next testing project.
This course draws on Rex Black’s best-selling book, Managing the Testing Process (2ed) and his book, Critical Testing Processes.
Intended For
Experienced software testers and software testing managers.
Prerequisites
Nil.
Learning outcomes
By the end of this course participants will be able to:
- Analyse risks to system quality to determine what should be tested, and to what degree, in a test sub-project.
- Use work breakdown structures to create an actionable, realistic estimate of the tasks, dependencies, resources, and time required for the testing sub-project.
- Refine estimates using developer/tester ratios, industry averages, historical data, and test point analysis.
- Sell the estimate to management on a dollars versus risk basis.
- Adjust the estimated schedule and budget to fit project constraints without undermining accuracy or unduly increasing risk.
Content
Over 2 days you will cover...
Deciding what you should test
Exercise: Quality risk analysis Estimating what you can test: Fundamentals
Estimating what you can test: Important considerations
Estimating what you can test: Refinements
Exercise: Developing an estimate | Selling your estimate
Exercise: Presenting and defending a budget Exercise: Calculating costs of failure Adapting to project constraints
Exercise: Risk-driven reductions in test subproject scope |
The class materials include a bibliography of books related to software testing, project management, quality, and other topics of interest to the test professional.
Method Used
Presentations, discussions, and hands-on exercises
