十個減少軟體測試成本的方法

10 ways to reduce cost of software testing
http://shrinik.blogspot.com/2009_04_19_archive.html

Sunday, April 19, 2009
Posted by Shrini Kulkarni
Published in Thinking Tester

在目前的經濟狀況下, 許多IT人員都擔心一件事: "降低成本". 我曾經被詢問過好幾次: "如何去降低測試的成本". 有一個沒大腦的作法: "不要做任何測試...." 有多少人會採用這個作法呢? 目前IT應用程式的種類適合不要測試或是較少的測試嗎?

這裡是我所列出的一些建議...
1. Closely work with developers, do some parallel testing with them as the product/feature is getting developed

2. Identify and eliminate non-testing activities that occur in the name of process, documentation, management, metrics etc.

3. Analyze and profile every application under the portfolio to determine “stable” and “well tested” areas of the application. These areas should receive the least or no testing effort. 

4. Analyze the test scripts suite and remove redundant, worn out ones. Aim to reduce scripted test repository as small as you can.

5. Review and reduce “regression testing” on the basis of “well tested/stable areas” of the application

6. Switch from resource intensive and highly scripted testing approach to highly improvisational exploratory /rapid testing approaches

7. Plan testing in small but frequent cycles (Session based exploratory testing approach) – reduce planning and management overheads

8. Analyze and reduce the usage of costly tool licenses - especially those do not help in testing directly (test management tools)

9. Cut down on lengthy test plans, testing reports, dashboards – switch to simple but frequent test reporting.

10. Simplify defect management process – reduce defect life cycle – resort to informal/quick defect communication.

有部分的建議看起來是基本常識(排除浪費, 直接集中火力在最關鍵的工作上). 但是在現今市面上, 販售的許多有關"testing tools", "factory models", 和"cheap and best testing service"的狀況下, 任何基本常識都不容易達到.
 
那IT社群對這些建議有什麼反應呢, 大部分的反應是這樣的: "這不會work, 我們要如何去減少這些測試, 測試個案(test cases), 流程(processes), 評量(metrics), 以及管理實踐(management practices)經驗呢?" 這些建議最有可能被拒絕的理由是, 如何減少測試的成本, 可是卻不會損及原先的品質水準. IT人員認為所謂的品質是來自於 test scrits, process, metrics, testing tools 和automation等等. 可是我認為品質並不是這麼單純的事情.

再一次強調, 天下沒有白吃的午餐....如果你在想要如何降低測試的成本, 同時也會有些地方因此而帶來一些風險. 如果你解決問題(成本和品質的取捨)的方法是從品質下手(改進測試方法 - 測試的更好, 更深入, 和更寬), 那會比較有機會達到更好品質, 以及獲得一些成本效益. 但是你若是從成本出發, 儘管你可能會影響的交付產品的品質, 但是還是會達到你的目的.

請注意, 上面中所提到的建議, 是要要求測試人員, 去思考測試的根本, 並在較少的監督下工作, 較少的文件和流程限制等等. 我想重要的是從process, tools, managememt, doc轉移到 skill上面. 至於原先那些是可以讓那些外包來幫忙處理的

你是可以有選擇的, 只是你會選擇哪一種方向來解決問題? 做事方法的成本? 或是做事方法的品質?

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