Page 157 - SOFTWARE TESTING & QUALITY ASSURANCE

Software Testing and Quality Assurance

One way of avoiding the testing tasks from being crunched is by avoiding absolute dates for starting
and ending tasks in the test schedule.

The table 10.1 shows an example of a test schedule that can be used by a testing
team during test planning process.

Table 10.1 A Sample Test Schedule Based on Fixed
Dates

Testing Task Date
Test Plan Complete 4/7/2010

Test Cases Complete 7/3/2010

Test Pass #1 7/17/2010–9/2/2010

Test Pass #2 9/17/201011/2/2010

Test Pass #3 11/17/2010–12/16/2010

If relative dates that are defined by the entrance and exit criteria of the testing phases are used in the
test schedule, it becomes clearer that the testing tasks rely on some other deliverables being completed
first. The time taken by the individual tasks also becomes more noticeable.

The table 10.2 shows an example of a test schedule with relative dates.

Table 10.2 A Sample Test Schedule Based on Relative
Dates

Testing Task Start Date Duration
Test Plan Complete 9 days after specification 5 weeks
complete
Test Cases Complete Test plan complete 15 weeks
Test Pass #1 Code complete build 8 weeks

Test Pass #2 Beta build 8 weeks

Test Pass #3 Release build 4 weeks

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