By

PHANI BHUSHAN NAGULAISTQB Adv TM, ISTQB CTFL, ISTQB CAT, TMMI-P,

CSM, PRINCE2 Practitioner, SSGB, ITIL V3 Foundation

Static Testing Overview

Syllabus

Static Testing

Static Techniques and Test Process

Activities of a Formal Review

Roles and Responsibilities

Types of Reviews

Success Factors for Review

WHAT IS STATIC TESTING?

Static Testing means examining the software artifacts manually or with set

of tools, but not executed.

It starts early in the Life cycle and so it is done during the verification

process.

Static Testing is used to find and remove errors and ambiguities in

documents before they are used.

One powerful technique that can be used in static testing is Review.

What is Static Testing?

A Review is a systematic examination of a document by one or more people

with the main aim of finding and removing errors.

Reviews represent the first form of testing that can take place during a

software development life cycle.

Reviews as a verification and static analysis technique should be considered

a testing activity.

Testers should be involved in review activities.

What is a Review?

Purpose of Review?

Detect and eliminate errors / defects early in the SDLC.

Higher quality software

Increased productivity (shorter rework time)

Closer adherence to project schedules (improved process control)

Increased awareness of quality issues

Teaching tool for junior staff

Opportunity to identify reusable artifacts

Reduced maintenance costs

Higher customer satisfaction

More effective test planning

Benefits of Review?

ACTIVITIES OF A FORMAL REVIEW

Activities of a Formal Review

Formal Review

1

Planning

Kick-off

Individual Preparation

4

Review Meeting

Rework

Follow-up

Defining the review criteria

Selecting the review team

Allocating roles

Defining the entry and exit criteria for more formal review types (e.g.

inspections)

Selecting which part of the document to review

Checking entry criteria (for more formal review types)

Formal Review - Planning

Distributing the documents

Explaining the objectives, process, and documents to the participants

Distribution of document under review, source documents and other

related documentation, can also be done during kick-off.

Formal Review – Kick-off

Preparing for the review meeting by reviewing the documents.

Noting the potential defects, questions and comments.

Formal Review – Preparation

Discussing or logging, with documented results or minutes (for more formal

review types)

Noting defects, making recommendations regarding handling defects,

making decisions about the defects.

Examining/evaluating and recording issues during any physical meetings or

tracking any group electronic communications.

Formal Review – Review Meeting

Fixing defects found (typically done by the author)

Recording updated status of defects (in formal reviews)

Formal Review – Rework

Checking the defects have been addressed

Gathering metrics

Checking on exit criteria (for more formal review types)

Formal Review – Follow-up

ROLES AND RESPONSIBLITIES

Manager Role

Manager:

• Decides on what is

to be reviewed.

• Plan the task in

Project Plan.

• Defines exit criteria.R & R

1

Manager

Moderator

AuthorReviewer

Scribe

Moderator Role

Moderator:

• Also known as review

leader

• Performs entry check

• Follow-up on the

rework

• Schedules the meeting

• Coaches other team

• Leads the possible

discussion and stores

the data that is

collected

R & R

1

Manager

Moderator

AuthorReviewer

Scribe

Author Role

Author:

• Illuminate the

unclear areas and

understand the

defects found.

• Fix any agreed

defects.

R & R

1

Manager

Moderator

AuthorReviewer

Scribe

Reviewer Role

Reviewer:

• Check any material

for defects, mostly

prior to the meeting

• Identify and

describe findings

(e.g. defects) in the

product under

review.

R & R

1

Manager

Moderator

AuthorReviewer

Scribe

Scribe Role

R & R

1

Manager

Moderator

AuthorReviewer

Scribe

Scribe:

• Documents all of

the issues and

defects, problems

and open points

that were identified

during the meeting.

TYPES OF REVIEWS

Types of Reviews

Reviews

Formal

Walk-through

Technical Review

Inspections

Informal

Peer Review

Formal Reviews vs Informaal Reviews

Formal Reviews Informal Reviews

A review characterized by documented procedures and requirements, e.g. inspections

A review not based on a formal (documented) procedures.

Conducted at the end of each life cycle phase I.e. Formal Agenda.

Conducted on an as-needed I.e. Informal agenda.

The agenda for the formal review must be addressed in the Project Plan.

The date and the time of the agenda for the Informal Review will not be addressed in the Project Plan.

Facilitated by a moderator Facilitated by author.

All the document provided before hand to team members.

All the document provided and the reviewer can review the document based his/her convenience.

Participants come prepared for the meeting No agenda or preparation time.

Review team members go through all documents and come with errors, suggestions in meeting

They are typically used to confirm understanding, test ideas, brainstorm, etc.

Reviewers are selected based on skill and knowledge.

Results are formally reported. Results may be documented.

The meeting is led by the author of the document under review and

attended by members of the author’s peer group.

Review sessions are open-ended and may vary in practice from quite

informal to very formal.

Preparation by reviewers before the walk-through meeting, production of

a review report or a list of findings and appointment of a scribe who is not

the author are all optional.

It enables learning about the content of the document under review and

find defects.

Walk-through

Documented, defined defect detection process that includes peers and

technical experts with optional management participation.

May be performed as a peer review without management participation.

Ideally led by trained moderator (not the author)

Pre-meeting preparation by reviewers

Optional use of checklists

Preparation of review report which includes the list of findings

May vary in practice from quite informal to very formal

Main purpose: discussing, making decisions, evaluating alternatives, finding

defects, solving technical problems and checking conformance to

specifications, plans, regulations, and standards.

Technical Review

Led by trained moderator (not the author)

Usually conducted as a peer examination

Defined roles

Includes metrics gathering

Formal process based on rules and checklist

Specified entry and exit criteria for acceptance of software product.

Pre-meeting preparation

Inspection report including list of findings

Formal follow-up process

Optional reader

Inspections

REVIEW SUCCESS FACTORS

Each review has clear predefined objectives.

The right people for review objectives are involved.

Testers are valued reviewers who contribute to the review and also learn

about the product which enables them to prepare tests earlier.

Defects found are welcomed and expressed objectively.

People issues and psychological aspects are dealt with.

The review is conducted in an atmosphere of trust; the outcome will not be

used for the evaluation of the participants.

Review techniques are applied that are suitable to achieve the objectives

and to the type and level of software work products and reviewers.

Review Success Factors

Checklists or roles are used if appropriate to increase effectiveness of

defect identification.

Training is given in review techniques, especially the more formal

techniques such as inspection.

Management supports a good review process (e.g. by incorporating

adequate time for review activities in project schedules).

There is an emphasis on learning and process improvement.

Review Success Factors

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