PA 5.3 SG 4 – Establish re-use of high quality test process assets

Both test process components and test-ware are recognised as assets and re-used across the organisation when creating another test asset.

Introduction

This Specific Goal is concerned with ensuring that both test process components and test-ware are recognised as assets and, where possible, re-used across the organisation when creating another test asset.

Specific Practices

SP 4.1 Identify re-usable test assets

Examples of activities where test assets for re-use can be identified include the following:

• Project retrospectives / lessons learned sessions
• Test evaluation report
• Test process assessments (areas of strength often indicate test process components and / or test-ware of high quality that are candidates for re-use
• test process improvement efforts

SP 4.2 Select test assets to be added to the re-use library

Examples of re-use criteria for test assets include:

• The test asset should be defined and documented according to the organisational standards
• The test asset should be easy to understand and implement
• The test asset, especially test process components, should have associated measurements
• The test asset should have been carefully reviewed and successfully applied to ensure that it has been adequately tested
• Test process-related risk should be evaluated and documented
• The test asset, especially test process components, should have a well-defined interface to other related processes
• The test asset should be flexible and modifiable so it can be applied to different projects

SP 4.3 Deploy re-usable test assets

Work will typically need to be performed to make the test asset suitable for inclusion in the test process asset library. Each test asset meeting the re-use criteria should be represented by a template containing information allowing the asset to be tailored for specific projects. Examples of components for a re-use template include:

• Test asset name
• General information
• Customer description
• Interface description
• Procedure description
• Context description
• Measurement description

SP 4.4 Apply re-usable test assets in projects

Deployment notes

• Are re-usable test assets disseminated within projects and across the organisation?
• Are project staff trained in the use of the re-usable assets when they are introduces to a new project?
• Is it determined whether the re-use of the test asset is efficient and effective using the measurements taken during process execution?
• If there are issues, are they analysed and appropriate changes made to the test asset definition?