Software Testing Methodology in Brief

    Testing Methodologies is a combination of two things; 1)Test Strategy 2)Testing Tactics
Test Strategy would indicate the risks that are associated with the software been tested & also would suggest methods to reduce these risks. Testing tactics are the actual test plan & the testings carried out. Testing methodologies are approaches to test from unit testing through system testing and beyond. Good testing methodologies has helped companies  to minimize project risk, simplify testing releases. The following testing methodologies are the popular one which is widely practised across the industry.

• Waterfall Model:  This is a non-iterative, top-down approach. It is a very simple and systematic approach. The following are the four basic steps of methodologies.
              a> Requirement Analysis
              b> Test Case Design
              c> Test Case implementation
              d> Testing, debugging and validating
              e>  Delivery and maintenance
  In this approach, you move to the next step after finishing one step. You can not move back and forth in this approach.
• Agile Model: This model is neither sequential nor iterative approach. This is a combination of both. Fast and incremental method of testing is the main goal of this model. Also, continuous customer participation and satisfaction is an important part of this approach.
• Rapid Action Development (RAD): RAD Testing is integrated, incremental and undertaken by developers and end users. After understanding different requirements of the end user, a prototype is prepared and it is then compared with the expected output conditions and standards. If any modification or change is required, then it is done after the joint discussion with the customers and developers.
• V Model:  The testing involvement starts from the design state itself & continues till system test. In this methodology Development and Testing take place at the same time with the same kind of information in their hands. Typical V shows Development Phases on the Left hand side and Testing Phases on the Right hand side. However, this model follows both a ‘top-down’ and ‘bottom-up’ approach.
• Rational Unified Process (RUP): In this model, the entire test procedure is broken into different processes. Each process contains four phases ie. inception, elaboration, construction and transition.  At the end of the each process, the output is verified and send it to the next process if necessary.
• Spiral Model: In this model, all of the sequential steps are conducted in cycle. At the end of each cycle the output is verified and an analysis is conducted. If the output does not comply with the standard or specification, then the cycle is repeated. It is an iterative approach.