A test management approach for structured testing

Despite encouraging results with various quality improvement approaches, the IT industry is still far from achieving zero defect software. Testing will remain an important activity within software development and maintenance, often taking more than 30 - 40% of the total budget. Both the increasing importance of software in the society and the costs that are involved in testing, confirm the need for structuring the testing process. This paper provides an outline description of TMap, the Test Management approach for structured testing (both white-box and black-box) of software products. It provides answers to the what, when, how, where and who questions of testing. To structure the organisation and execute the test processes TMap is based on four cornerstones: o a development process related l~te cycle modelfor the testing activities (L); o solid organisational embedding (0); • the right resources and infrastructure (I); • usable techniques for the various testing activities (T). In recent years TMap has evolved towards the standard fir software testing in The Netherlands. It is being used by more than two hundred Dutch organisations. Most Dutch banks, insurance companies, pensions funds and government departments use TMap partly or as a whole. More and more SME’s have adopted TMap and new market segments have been penetrated such as consumer electronics, telecommunications and logistics. The TMap book (in Dutch) has proven to be a best seller; international interest and awareness has resulted in a plan for the release of an English version.