Test Suite (TS)

Definition

A test suite is a testing work product consisting of a cohesive collection of related test cases.

Objectives

The objectives of a test suite are to:

• Organize the cohesive testing of component or application.
• Execute its test cases.

Benefits

A test suite provides the following benefits:

• Collects a set of related test cases, making them easier to understand and maintain.
• Automates the execution of multiple test cases, thereby increasing test productivity.

Contents

• Documentation of test suite objectives.
• One or more test cases.
• Optionally, script for executing test cases.

Stakeholders

• Producers:
  • The Requirements Team for requirements model test suites.
  • The Architecture Team for architecture model test suites.
  • The Software Development Team for design model and unit test suites.
  • The Integration Team for integration test suites.
  • The Independent Test Team for system test suites.
• Evaluator: Test Inspection Team
• Approvers: None.
• Maintainers:
  • The Requirements Team for requirements model test suites.
  • The Architecture Team for architecture model test suites.
  • The Software Development Team for design model and unit test suites.
  • The Integration Team for integration test suites.
  • The Independent Test Team for system test suites.
• Users:
  • The Requirements Team for model testing of the:
    • use case model
    • domain object model
  • The Architecture Team for:
    • Model testing of the software architecture
    • Unit testing of the software architecture prototype
  • The Software Development Team for:
    • Model testing of the software design
      Unit testing of the software components
    • The Integration Team for performing integration testing.
    • The Independent Test Team for performing system testing.

Phases

• Initiation: Completed
• Construction: Completed
• Delivery: Completed
• Usage: Maintained
• Retirement: Archived

Preconditions

A test suite typically can be started if the following preconditions hold:

• The relevant sections of the Project Test Plan are completed.
• The relevant team is staffed.
• The relevant requirements, architecture, or design are completed.
• The relevant items under test are started.

Inputs

• Work products:
  • Project Test Plan
  • System Requirements Specification
  • System Architecture Document
  • Software Architecture Document
  • Javadoc including responsibilities
• Stakeholders:
  • None

Guidelines

• Test suites will be used at all levels of testing (e.g., model testing, unit testing, integration testing, and system testing).
• To support regression testing, test suites will be automated whenever practical.
• Because the test suite developer can make mistakes, test suites need to be evaluated for defects.
• If the quality of the test suites is not at least as good as the quality of the item under test, then it will be difficult to know if the defect causing the failure is in the item under test or in the test suite.
• Test suites do not document the results of the tests, which are documented in the associated test report.

Conventions

A test suite is constrained by the following conventions:

• Inspection Checklist
• Inspection Checklist

Examples

• Example Test Suite