11.0 The Need for A Formal Test Measurement Program

In preceding chapters of this text procedures and practices have been presented that support increasing levels of testing process proficiency, as well as improved software product quality. These procedures and practices have been discussed within the framework of TMM maturity levels and goals. In order to implement these goals, management and staff have worked together to:

• develop testing and debugging policies;

• develop training programs;

• assemble teams of qualified staff;

• define, collect, and apply simple test-related measurements for controlling and monitoring of tests;

• implement test planning;

• institutionalize basic testing techniques and methods;

• develop a technical review program;

• implement a simple defect repository.

Achieving these goals has had the benefit of putting into place a technical, managerial, and staffing infrastructure capable of continuous support for testing process improvements. With this infrastructure in place, a formal test measurement program can be established to encourage further growth and accomplishment. Such a program is essential for engineering both product and process. Indeed, if we consider ourselves to be members of an engineering profession then measurements and a measurement program must assume a central role in our practice. In our field, measurements are essential for achieving engineering goals such as:

• quantitative management of the testing process;

• evaluating the quality and effectiveness of the testing process;

• assessing the productivity of the testing personnel;

• estimating and tracking testing costs;

• monitoring test process improvement efforts;

• developing quantitative quality goals for software work products;

• supporting software quality evaluation;

• test process optimization;