Pragmatic Software Testing

A hands-on guide to testing techniques that deliver reliable software and systems

Testing even a simple system can quickly turn into a potentially infinite task. Faced with tight costs and schedules, testers need to have a toolkit of practical techniques combined with hands-on experience and the right strategies in order to complete a successful project. World-renowned testing expert Rex Black provides you with the proven methods and concepts that test professionals must know. He presents you with the fundamental techniques for testing and clearly shows you how to select and apply successful strategies to test a system with budget and time constraints.

Black begins by discussing the goals and tactics of effective and efficient testing. Next, he lays the foundation of his technique for risk-based testing, explaining how to analyze, prioritize, and document risks to the quality of the system using both informal and formal techniques. He then clearly describes how to design, develop, and, ultimately, document various kinds of tests. Because this is a hands-on activity, Black includes realistic, life-sized exercises that illustrate all of the major test techniques with detailed solutions.

Rex Black is a 20-plus-year software and systems engineering veteran, and President and Principal Consultant of RBCS, Inc., a leader in software, hardware, and systems testing. He is the author of Managing the Testing Process as well as numerous articles. Black is also President of both the International Software Testing Qualifications Board and the American Software Testing Qualifications Board.