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What is testing? Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Copeland starts off with an overview of testing as a process, followed by case studies. These lay the foundation for the techniques for which a chapter is devoted to each technique. The chapters on the techniques are divided into collections of techniques that are most effective for blackbox (seven) and whitebox (two) testing. The next chapters are devoted to scripted testing with an emphasis on IEEE 829, exploratory testing, and test planning. The book wraps up with an outstanding chapter on software defect taxonomies, advice on when to stop testing, and case studies.
So why did I state this book is a page turner? Copeland has masterfully used humor, statements that catch you off guard, and a warm conversational style to hold your attention. Among the priceless gems of humor are the off-the-wall quotes that he uses in front of each chapter. One of many examples of how he holds your attention by catching you off guard is in Chapter 6 on pairwise testing: 'Why does pairwise testing work so well? I don't know', which he then follows up with one of the most cogent explanations of the technique I've had the pleasure of reading. As an aside, his treatment of pairwise testing - and the power of that technique - is reason enough to read this book.
Another aspect of this book I like is the thoroughness with which he presents techniques. This includes citing the work of other well known practitioners, using case studies, summaries, practice scenarios, and additional references for each chapter. Copeland also has a talent for clearly articulating and conveying complex topics and concepts, adding to this book's value as both courseware and a working reference.
If you are a software testing professional, or you are responsible for teaching this discipline this is one of the top books in my opinion. It is not as wide in scope as Software Testing: A Craftsman's Approach (ISBN: 0849308097), but it makes up for that by covering the essentials in the clearest possible manner.
Lee's book provides a concise description based on excellent Case Studies of Black-Box (Requirements Focused) test techniques, moving from the simple (Equivalence Class and Boundary Value testing) to the more complex (Domain Analysis and Use Case testing). He provides the best description I've seen of test case development using orthogonal arrays. Lee then addresses White-Box (Structural Focused) testing, showing how to approach Control Flow and Data Flow testing. Again, he has the best description with illustrative examples of Data Flow testing that I've ever seen.
Lee then describes two Test Paradigms: Scripted Testing and Exploratory Testing that appear to be significantly different, and shows how the two can be used together for even more effective testing. That's the way I've always done testing, by the way.
His Defect Taxonomies chapter provides valuable insight on how to use such information in test design (I never thought of that), and he concludes with a short chapter that addresses the critical question When to Stop Testing.
The Case Studies on "Brown & Donaldson" and "Stateless University Registration" are effectively used to provide valuable insight into the techniques.
This book would be a good read in combination with the book from Rick Craig and Stefan Jaskiel, "Systematic Software Testing".
In summary, this book is well done, is an easy read, and should be read by every test engineer.
Orthogonal arrays and domain testing are two very challenging topics. They are also essential test design techniques.
As important as these topics are, few books or articles present the concepts in an understandable way. Up until now, the tester had to struggle through some arcane, mystifying ideas before coming to the essence: How to use them for testing.
Lee's presentation skips the arcane and the mystical. He takes you straight to the core of the idea. After a few short pages, you will understand both of these concepts, even if you've read other authors' presentations and come away confused. More importantly, you'll understand how to use these techniques to design effective and efficient tests.
Bravo, Lee, and thank you for demystifying these concepts for the rest of us.
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