SoftwareDevelopment and Testing

Introduction

Important as they are in establishing and enforcing optimal procedures, norms serve a broader purpose. Requirements regarding software creation and validation may be found in software engineering standards. The ANSI/IEEE Standard 829-1998 is one example standard that details how software testing procedures should be documented.

Rohtak and Haryana wrote a study in 2009 titled “A Comparative Study of Test Case Generation Techniques” for the International Journal of Computer Science and Internet Security. It examines and contrasts the different methods of creating test cases for software(Prado Lima & Virgilio, 2020). In this work, we compare and contrast the performance of various methods using a variety of quantitative and qualitative indicators. This report compares Rohtak and Haryana’s study to the ANSI/IEEE Standard 829-1998.

Research Title: A Comparative Study of Test Case Generation Techniques.

Trial Case Development Methods: A Systematic Analysis and Comparison(Prado Lima & Virgilio, 2020). Published in 2009 in the International Journal of Computer Science and Network Security, this study by Rohtak and Haryana compares and contrasts many methods used in the software validation industry to generate test cases. This research aimed to compare and contrast different approaches to creating test cases so that the designers and testers in software development may make an informed decision about which method is best for their project.

Title and number

The full title of this standard is “IEEE Standard for Software and System Test Documentation,” and its ANSI/IEEE Standard number is 829-1998. The Association for Computing Machinery (A.C.M.A.C.M.) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) co-authored ANSI/IEEE Standard 829-1998, for which A.C.M.A.C.M. and IEEE own the intellectual property.

The Australian National University is listed as an acknowledged contributor to the ANSI/IEEE Standard 829-1998.

The scope or intent of the standard

This standard aims to give best practices for writing software assessment plans. It specifies how to test documentation like the test strategy, test structure, test scenario, and test process should look and what should be included in each section. The standard also includes recommendations on how to use such materials during the inspection.

Key terms and understandings needed for the standard to be understood and applied

People and companies require defining terminology to grasp and effectively implement the standard fully. For the middle to be effectively comprehended and used, a few essential vocabulary and concepts are:

• Test plan: The strategy, scope, goals, and outputs of a program screening project may be found in the assessment plan. It defines the purposes of the test, the area to be tested, the methodology to be used, the hardware and software to be used, the people responsible for the test, the products to be tested, and the timeline for the test(Olsthoorn et al., 2022). A test strategy is an essential tool for overseeing the process of testing, presenting testing performance and findings to stakeholders, and assuring the efficiency and dependability of software platforms.
•  Test design: To ensure that a computer program is up to snuff and devoid of bugs, its designers must develop a battery of tests to run on it. To ensure that the system is functioning as expected, it is necessary to develop experiments that will be run to verify its operation. Test design guarantees that all programming system components have been examined and problems are found and fixed before the system is deployed to users. A computer program must have undergone a successful test architecture for it to be of high quality and satisfy its customers’ demands.
• Test case: A test case is a predefined scenario or series of actions to ensure an application’s function or attribute operates as expected. The data provided, measures and anticipated results for a test are all documented in a case study.
• Test procedure: A test process is a collection of written guidelines for a single test scenario. Assuring that each test case is carried out in the same way, requires an established method, which is what test procedures offer.
• Traceability matrix: A traceability matrix is a document used in developing software to keep records and connect various antiques, such as specifications, designs, codes, and test results (Olsthoorn et al., 2022). To ensure that all criteria are satisfied and tested, the traceability matrix may track them from their inception through their creation, development, and assessment. Using this technique, developers may double-check that each need is addressed by at least one test case and that each test case has a matching set of criteria.

Functions of the Standard Application

Standardized and established testing procedures are the outcome of using ANSI/IEEE Standard 829-1998. It offers a consistent method for documenting tests, which improves the readability of test findings for participants (Olsthoorn et al., 2022). To further aid in spotting problems and enhancing software reliability, the norm mandates that every step of the testing process, from preparation to implementation to reports, be recorded.

Relevance of standard towards software testing

The ANSI/IEEE Standard 829-1998 is mentioned in the study because it recommends recording software testing procedures by Rohtak and Haryana (2012). The study by Rohtak and Haryana examines several software development test case-generating approaches and evaluates their efficacy using various criteria. The article stresses the significance of uniform information and the value of test scenarios and process information in software testing. The article emphasizes the need to adhere to the ANSI/IEEE Standard 829-1998’s requirements for test case record-keeping, even if it fails to improve the standard. The study also emphasizes the significance of selecting suitable test case-generating methods depending on the intricate nature of the product and the needed degree of scope.

To guarantee that critical parts of the program are evaluated first, the study further stresses the value of efficient scenario selection strategies(Klueck et al., 2018). Rohtak and Haryana’s study, on its whole, serves as a reminder of the significance of adhering to the criteria for tested protocols established by, for example, ANSI/IEEE Standard 829-1998. The article also discusses the usefulness and efficiency of various test case-generating approaches and how they may be used in various software testing situations(Klueck et al., 2018).

Commonalities and Differences between the Two Documents

Significant similarities and variations exist between the study article and the ANSI/IEEE Standard 829-1998.

Commonalities

The study report and the everyday stress the value of carefully developed test cases and well-organized testing procedures. The two works acknowledge that thoughtful preparation, layout, implementation, and documentation of tests are necessary for successful software testing.

Nevertheless, the study article’s topic and standard differ (Agarwal, 2020). The standard provides guidance for the broader adoption of recording software and network test operations. At the same time, the study article exclusively emphasizes test scenario creation methodologies and their usefulness in finding software flaws.

Differences

In contrast to the standard’s emphasis on recording testing operations pertinent to participants of all backgrounds and positions, the study journal article’s emphasis concentrates on the technical components of software testing (2009). To guarantee that screening procedures are organized, effective, and established, the recommended offers a structure that may be utilized by technicians, executives, designers, and other interested parties. Another area where a research report departs from the norm is its greater detail. The standard provides specific requirements for recording testing tasks, including preparing, creating, running, and reporting. Regarding documenting testing operations, the study article only presents an in-depth overview of the different test scenario-generating methodologies.

In conclusion, the study report offers no recommendations for enhancing the standard or problems with its application. Instead, the article sheds light on the relative merits of alternative methods for generating test cases (DiNapoli et al., 2020). However, the standard includes rules for recording testing procedures which may be utilized to enhance program monitoring’s general effectiveness and efficacy.

Conclusion

In summary, the ANSI/IEEE Standard 829-1998 offers principles for documented software testing methods, which assure uniformity and excellence in software testing. The study article by Rohtak and Haryana examines various test case development strategies and stresses the need to adopt established documentation criteria. Both papers underline the significance of successful and effective evaluation of the software. However, unlike the study article, the ANSI/IEEE Standard 829-1998 includes broad test record-keeping recommendations. Rohtak and Haryana concentrate on particular test case-generating methodologies. In summary, these materials give significant insights into optimal methods for software validation and may assist in enhancing the efficacy and productivity of software testing procedures.

References

Agarwal, E. (2020). A review of test prioritization regression testing based on time. Globus An International Journal of Management & I.T.I.T., 11(1), 35. https://doi.org/10.46360/globus.120192006

DiNapoli, R. J., Rieth, T. M., Lipo, C. P., & Hunt, T. L. (2020). A model-based approach to the tempo of “collapse”: The case of Rapa Nui (easter island). Journal of Archaeological Science, p. 116, 105094. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2020.105094

Klueck, F., Li, Y., Nica, M., Tao, J., & Wotawa, F. (2018). Using ontologies for test suites generation for automated and autonomous driving functions. 2018 IEEE International Symposium on Software Reliability Engineering Workshops (I.S.S.R.E.W.). https://doi.org/10.1109/issrew.2018.00-20

Olsthoorn, M., Stallenberg, D., Van Deursen, A., & Panichella, A. (2022). Syntest-solidity: Automated test case generation and fuzzing for smart contracts. 2022 IEEE/ACM 44th International Conference on Software Engineering: Companion Proceedings (ICSE-Companion). https://doi.org/10.1109/icse-companion55297.2022.9793754

Prado Lima, J. A., & Vergilio, S. R. (2020). Test case prioritization in Continuous Integration Environments: A systematic mapping study. Information and Software Technology, 121, 106268. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infsof.2020.106268

Suits, D. B., Mason, A., & Chan, L. (1978). Spline functions fitted by standard regression methods. The Review of Economics and Statistics, 60(1), 132. https://doi.org/10.2307/1924341