Test Automation Strategy Out of the Garage - Part 3

Mark Rossmiller, SWQA Software Design Engineer,Hewlett Packard

If it doesn't contribute, it doesn't leave the garage.

Automating or simplifying unnecessary work only makes it more efficient--it does not make it necessary. Of one of our most recent printer driver products, only 23% of the defects reported resulted in development code changes. Of that 23% resulting in code changes, 21% of those were found by the documented testing cases or "canned tests" that are currently used to develop automated test scripts. Therefore, only 5% of documented or canned test cases result in code changes or product improvements.

Figure 1: Defects resulting in code changes

Tools and automation should be deployed where testing methods have the highest repetition and/or result in the most return on investment - in the form of bona-fide defect resolution that result in product improvements. Moreover, areas of defect prevention in the design phase, code inspection, and validation of feature changes are the best area candidates for organizational and product improvements in software testing.

Believe that together we can do anything.

I believe we can accomplish a great deal more than we currently do. How do we get participation? Here are some suggestions:

• Get management commitment to the automation and tooling process
• Ensure management availability throughout the process not just the beginning and end
• Nurture proper communication channels: be direct, open, and honest about progress
• Let people be involved in decisions that affect them
• Demonstrate mutual respect by listening to each other; listening includes empathizing
• Get those involved in the process to talk to each other
• Invest in training; we need knowledge workers
• Eliminate class distinctions and adversarial relationships; not SWQA + R&D = R&D

Attention to these requirements will create advantages for the whole organization by improving communication, spreading knowledge, increasing collaborative attitude, and improving motivation and morale.

Invent.

You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.

From a financial and internal business perspective, software quality's best contribution to the bottom line is in reducing cost. This means focusing our resources and automation tool effort at the most optimal point in the value chain. Tools that will provide verification between R&D delivery of the software driver and preceding planned verification in software quality. Fortunately, efforts are underway to introduce automation where it is most effective. Baseline acceptance, code inspection, driver file and library verification tools are excellent opportunities to reinvent the way we test and deliver our software products.

The learning and growth perspective will require more knowledge workers. To accomplish this requires a regular assessment to increase our internal core competencies and to bring the technical expertise on board that offers efficiency opportunities to the organization.

References:

1. Grady, Robert B., Successful Software Process Improvement. Hewlett Packard Company. Prentice Hall, New Jersey, 1997.
2. Fiorino, Carly. The Journey: Rules of the Garage. Hewlett Packard Company. Palo Alto, CA. 1999.
3. Degrace, Peter and Leslie Hulet Stahl. Wicked Problems, Righteous Solutions: A Catalogue of Modern Software Engineering Paradigms. Yourdon Press Computing Series, 1999.
4. Visual Test6 Bible by Thomas R. Arnold II
5. Bumbarger, Wm. Bruce. OPERATION FUNCTION ANALYSIS. Presentation, WSU Engineering Management, 1999.

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This article was originally published in the Summer 2001 issue of Methods & Tools