Structured testing: what is it and how do you use it?

What is structured testing?

The name actually says it all. Structured testing means that you follow a specific structure or framework for your testing process. This can include creating a test plan, defining the steps and objectives of your tests, and organizing them in a systematic way.

When should you use it?

Structured testing is most useful for larger, more complex software projects. It helps keep everything organized and on track, reducing the chance of missing important tests or steps. But structured testing is also not a luxury for small projects. Of course, you always want testing to be effective and efficient.

What are the benefits?

Structured testing has a number of advantages:

• It saves time;
• It reduces errors;
• It makes for better organization;
• It ensures better communication within teams;
• It ensures that software meets all necessary requirements before it is released.

How to use it

So a structured testing approach is necessary to perform your testing effectively and efficiently. Within TMap, the testing approach is divided into four focus areas:

• Phasing: testing activities are divided into phases related to the development cycle of the (software) application;
• Organization: a logical and proper organizational integration so that everyone within the test team knows what to do and that test functions are defined;
• Testing tools and infrastructure: the choice of the right tools (tools) and infrastructure;
• Testing techniques: the useful techniques for performing the tests are chosen.

Phasing

A testing process always consists of a number of different activities. To map these, there are phasing models. In this test phasing model, you then divide the whole process into a five phases:

1. Planning and management
2. Preparation
3. Specification
4. Implementation
5. Completion

You then divide these phases into activities. For each activity you describe the goal, the input, the process, the output, the tools and so on. Your phasing model is the common thread for the testing process.

This model applies to every testing technique. Of course, the activities may vary by phase and test type. It is therefore important that you properly define who, and when, performs which test. After all, testing touches multiple disciplines and departments and therefore the various tasks, responsibilities, milestones and products must be accurately described.

Organization

Within the structured testing approach, organization is very important in two areas. On one hand, organization within the test team is needed. For example, it must be clear to everyone what their tasks and responsibilities are. On the other hand, attention must be paid to implementing structured testing within the organization. Test functions must be defined and it must be described for each test who performs the test, who is responsible and who controls and monitors the process.

Testing tools and infrastructure

Another component of structured testing, are the testing tools and infrastructure. What exactly do we mean by this? Infrastructure consists of:

• Test Environment;
  

To run tests, a stable, manageable and representative test environment is needed. This environment must also be separate from the development environment such as the DTAP model, for example. Only then can you perform reproducible tests.

• Testing tools;
  

Software testing is something you naturally want to perform efficiently. To do this, test tools are very important. For each activity in the phasing model, you can use different test tools.

• Work Environment.
  

Finally, it is of course important that the work environment of everyone involved in the testing process is properly arranged and ready. For example, make sure everyone has the right permissions within the testing process to perform the right actions.

Testing Techniques

Testing techniques, also known as, test design techniques include all types of testing that exist. These tests were created to find errors in software, systems and applications. So you use the different techniques to conduct thorough research and find out any errors. There are a lot of these testing techniques each with their own characteristics and purpose:

• Semantic Test (SEM)
• Syntactic Test (SYN)
• Decision Table Test (BTT)
• Data combination test (DCT)
• Elementary comparison test (EVT)
• Data Cycle Test (GCT)
• Use case test (UCT)
• Real Life Test (RLT)
• Process Cycle Test (PCT).

Structured testing is a valuable tool

Overall, structured testing is a valuable tool for software testing. By following a specific structure and plan, you can test your software efficiently and reduce the likelihood of errors. Give it a try in your next software testing project and see how it improves your process! Want to learn more about this? Take a test training course at Testlearning.

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