PDCA/Test

Most manuals assume software testing is being performed as part of a well-defined, structured development cycle based on clearly stated requirements and standards. Unfortunately, this is not often the case in the real world. Indeed, the one true constant in software development is change. PDCA/TEST presents a continuous quality framework bas

Table of Contents:
Introduction Self-Assessment Questionnaire Testing Basics Systems Development Issues The Testing Process Testing Software Changes Postimplementation Testing Testing System Documentation Prototypes Testing Computer Security Creating Tests Using Testing Tools Appendices Exhibits

About the Author :
William E. Lewis is the president of a Texas-based computer consulting firm specializing in quality assurance software testing solutions and training. He is a certified quality analyst (CQA) and certified software test engineer (CSTE) sponsored by the Quality Assurance Institute (QAI), Orlando, Florida. He has a history of successful quality assurance experience in complex leading-edge environments. Over the years, he has presented several papers to conferences. In 1998 he presented a paper to QAI's Annual International Information Technology Quality Conference, entitled "Spiral Testing," an excerpt from Section III of this book. Mr. Lewis has worked as an assistant director with Ernst & Young, LLP, located in Las Colinas, Texas. He joined E & Y in 1994 and authored the software configuration management, software testing, and application evolutionary handbooks, and participated in developing the Navigator/Fusion Methodology application improvement routemaps. He was the quality assurance manager for several application development projects and has extensive experience in test planning, test design, execution, evaluation, and reporting, and automated testing. Lewis has worked as a quality assurance analyst for the Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Aramco) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the largest oil company in Saudi Arabia, on an overseas contract assignment as a quality assurance consultant for one year. His duties included full integration and system testing. He participated in the automated tool selection committee and made recommendations to management. He also created software testing standards and procedures. In 1998 Lewis retired from IBM after 28 years. His jobs included 12 years as a curriculum/course developer and instructor and numerous years as a system programmer/analyst and performance analyst. An overseas assignment included service in Seoul, Korea, where he was the software engineering curriculum manager for the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), which is considered the MIT of higher education in Korea. Another assignment was in Toronto, Canada, at IBM Canada's headquarters, where he was responsible for upgrading the corporate education program. He has also travelled throughout the U.S., Rome, Amsterdam, Southampton, Hong Kong, and Sydney, teaching software development and quality assurance classes with a specialty in software testing. Prior to IBM, Lewis worked in the space industry. His first job out of college was with General Electric with the Apollo Support Department at the Kennedy Space Center as a real-time programmer. He also worked for another space company in that area as a real-time programmer in satellite data reduction, testing, and evaluation. He has also taught at the university level for five years as an adjunct professor. While so engaged he published a five-book series on computer problem solving. Lewis holds a B.A. in mathematics, and M.S. in operations research.