Black box software testing: By Cem Kaner & James Bach
Test procedures and scripts
- Video lectures
- Part 1 Introduction to test scripts
[15:48]
- What is a test script
- Perceived benefits of scripting
- Why these benefits are unlikely to be realized (experiments and examples)
- Part 2 More problems [28:06]
- More examples of the problems of relying on test scripts
- Checklisting is not scripting
- Summary: Scripting is rarely a good practice, let alone a "best practice."
- Demonstration [PDF slides]
- The phenomenon of inattentional blindness
- Implications for reliance on scripts
- Part 1 Introduction to test scripts
[15:48]
- Lecture slides [PPT]
- Essay test Questions
- Readings and tools: See the links in the slides
A test script is a step-by-step description of a test--what to do, what to expect from the program. People often talk and write about detailed procedural descriptions of test cases as if this was a good thing to do. Scripts probably provide fewer benefits, and more costs, than many of us expect.
We are setting up a mailing list for announcements about this course and, perhaps, a tightly focused and moderated discussion of how to teach it or self-study with it. (This won't be a general, high-traffic, intro-to-testing discussion.) If you're interested in the course, please sign up by sending us an email. We will NOT share your email address with third parties or send commercial advertising to you.
We are publishing this course under a Creative Commons license that allows you to freely reuse and distribute the materials and to modify the slides and associated printable materials (but not the videos). We would be appreciate a few mirror sites, to reduce the growing burden on our servers. If you can help in this way, or any other way, please send a note to Cem Kaner.
