Overview

Change-Based Test Management is a software validation methodology centered on monitoring change to maximize the effectiveness of the validation cycle. Before moving into the design phase, requirements and specifications should already be set. If you assume this is true, it is easy to monitor the changes in the product because only the code is changing. By implementing a system of change monitoring as well as knowing what your tests are really testing, you can increase the effectiveness of your validation cycles.

There are two main parts of Change-Based Test Management: code deltas and code coverage. A code delta is a measurement of what has changed in the code during a give time. Code coverage is a measurement of what areas of the code a given test touches. Testing requires three things: a test suite, a software product, and an interface between the two. The idea behind coupling code deltas and code coverage is to move from black box testing to glass box or white box testing.

In black box testing, you are testing without any knowledge of the interior operations of the product. This is not an effective method of testing because hidden functionality might not be tested. Black box testing allows the test creator to assume things about the code, and these assumptions can lead to test holes. With black box testing, you are testing the product against the requirements and you are only interested in whether the test passes or fails. Figure 2.1 shows a graphical representation...