TABLE OF CONTENTS As an organization moves up the levels of the Testing Maturity Model and achieves the TMM testing maturity goals, it makes significant improvements in the quality of its testing process. The overall testing process becomes defined, managed, and measured. It is more stable and predictable. As a consequence of test process improvement there is also the potential for positive gains in the quality of the software that the organization produces. At TMM level 5 the focus on process quality continues, and mechanisms are put in place so that testing can be controlled, fine-tuned, and continuously improved. The maturity goals of "Defect prevention," "Quality control," and "Process optimization" all give support to continuous process improvement. In the context of the TMM, process optimization means a testing process that can support:
automation of testing tasks;
measurements and mechanisms for process change;
control and fine tuning of process steps;
technology transfer;
reuse of process components.
These three TMM maturity goals are mutually supportive. For example, a defect prevention program supports product/process quality control. Quality control contributes to process optimization, and process optimization activities will support both defect prevention and quality control. All of these maturity goals are, in turn, supported by the continued implementation of practices acquired through achievement of the lower-level maturity goals.
Previous chapters in this book have covered topics that relate to TMM level 5 maturity goals. For example, software quality control issues are discussed in Chapter 12. In Chapter...
