Download Pilot Project for Model Based Testing using Conformiq Qtronic

Scale
The scale of the test determines on what level in the system the test is being
performed. The smallest part of the system is referred to as a unit. This can be a
single method or class within the system. Since units are small, and often very simple
the unit tests are often done by the programmers themselves during the
implementation process. If a faulty unit is implemented, the time and effort to find its
fault will increase with each level, which is why unit testing is important.
The next level on the scale hierarchy is the component, which consists of several
units. The tests carried out on the component level consist of testing each component
separately. At this level it is less likely that the testing is made by the programmer.
The reason behind this is the increased amount of time required to do more thorough
tests due to the magnitude and complexity of the components.
The third level of the scale is integration testing. This is the testing of integration
between two or more components communicating with each other. At this level it will
not be possible to locate a fault within a component, which means that all components
should have been tested thoroughly. This is time demanding and should, just like
component testing, be done by dedicated testers.
The final testing level is system testing, which is performed on the entire system. This
test makes sure that all integrations between the subsystems are working as intended.
The system should at this point be free of any major errors, since an error at this level
would require a lot more effort to find, diagnose and repair.
Characteristics
The characteristics of the tests determine the types of errors the tester is looking for.
If a test is meant to find erroneous behaviour of the system functions when the
provided input is correct the characteristics of the tests are called functional or
behavioural testing. This type of test is done to find errors in the code or design of the
system under test (SUT).
If a test on the other hand is meant to analyse error-handling, due to faulty input
values, broken hardware or network failure, the characteristics is called robustness
testing. This type of testing ignores whether the coding is correct or not and instead
focuses on how the SUT handles unforeseen events.
In many systems performance is just as important as function. When put under heavy
stress a system should not only continue working as intended, but also ensure that
computations are performed within reasonable time. This is tested by simulating an
environment which causes heavy load (like multiple users or intense calculations).
This type of testing is known as stress testing.
The final characteristics of testing is the usability testing. This is done to test the ease
of use of the user interface, for example by observing users to see if they might be
confused or make mistakes while using the software.
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