Chapter 3 Static Techniques

K1: remember
K2: understand
K3: apply
K4: analyze

3.1 Static techniques and the test process

Terms

Dynamic testing, static testing

During static testing, software products are examined manually, or with a set of tools, but not executed.

Background

Any software work product can be reviewed, including requirements specifications, design specifications, code, test plans, test specifications, test cases, test scripts, user guides or web pages.

Advantages:

- Start static testing early in the life cycle, early feedback on quality issues can be established. Ex an early validation of user requirements.
- By detecting defects at an early stage, rework costs are most often relatively low and thus a relatively cheap improvement of the quality of software products can be achieved.
- Since rework effort is substantially reduced, development productivity figures are likely to increase.
- There is an exchange of information between the participants.
Static test contribute to an increased awareness of quality issues.

In conclusion, the quality improvement is not achieved once but has more structural character. The feedback from the static testing process to the development process allows for process improvement, which supports the avoidance of similar errors being made in the future.