Activity: Implement Test

Record or program test scripts

Perform the following:

• Create or acquire test scripts
• Test / debug test scripts
• Review and evaluate test implementation coverage

Create or acquire test scripts

For each structured test procedure in the test model at least one test script is created.

The following considerations should be addressed when creating or acquiring test scripts:

• maximize test script reuse
• minimize test script maintenance 
• use existing scripts when feasible
• use test tools to create test scripts instead of programming them (when feasible)
• refer to application GUI objects and actions in the method that is most stable (such as by object name or using mouse clicks)

The following steps are performed to create or acquire test scripts:

1. Review existing test scripts for potential use
2. Set-up the test environment (including all hardware, software, tools, data, and application build)
3. Initialize the environment (to ensure the environment is in the proper state or condition for the test)
4. Create or acquire the test scripts:
   1. Record / capture:  for each structured test procedure, execute the test procedure to create a  new test script by following the steps / actions identified in the structured test procedure and using the appropriate recording techniques (to maximize reuse and minimize maintenance)
   2. Modifying existing scripts: edit the existing manually, or delete the non-required instructions and re-record the new instructions using the recording description above
   3. Programming:  for each structured test procedure, generate the instructions using the appropriate programming techniques
5. Continue to create or acquire test scripts until the desired / required test scripts have been created
6. Modify the test scripts as necessary (as defined in the test model)

Test / debug test scripts

Upon the completion of creating or acquiring test scripts, they should be tested / debugged to ensure the test scripts implement the tests appropriately and execute properly. This step should be performed using the same version of the software build used to create / acquire the test scripts.

The following steps are performed to test / debug test scripts:

1. Set-up the test environment (if necessary)
2. Re-initialize the environment
3. Execute the test scripts
4. Evaluate Results
5. Determine appropriate next action:
   1. Results as expected / desired: no actions necessary
   2. Unexpected results:  determine cause of problem and resolve

Review and Evaluate Test Coverage

Upon the completion of creating or acquiring test scripts, a requirements-based test coverage report should be generated to identify the number or percentage of requirements for test that have test scripts. 

Identify test-specific functionality in the design and implementation models

Identify the test-specific functionality that should be included in the design model and in the implementation model. The most common use of test specific functionality is during integration test where there is the need to provide stubs or drivers for components or systems that are not yet included or implemented.

There are two styles:

• Stubs and drivers that are simply "dummies" with no functionality other than being able to enter a specific value (or values) or return a pre-defined value (or values).
• Stubs and drivers that are more intelligent and can "simulate" more complex behavior.

Use the second style prudently because it takes more resources to implement.    A balance between value added (by creating a complex stub / driver) and the effort necessary to implement and test the stub / driver is necessary.

Other reasons to build test-specific components are:

• To automate test procedures for regression test when no test automation tool, or
• Building an interface between your target for test and a test automation tool.

Describe your result as test-specific requirements on the design and implementation models to be handed to the Designer and the Implementer.

Establish external data sets

External data sets provide value to test in the following ways:

• data is external to the test script eliminating hard-coded references in the test script
• external data can be modified easily with little or no test script impact
• additional test cases can easily be added to the test data with little or no test script modifications
• external data can be shared with many test scripts
• external data sets can contain data values used to control the test scripts (conditional branching logic)

Create / maintain external data sets

To create external data sets, the following steps are performed:

1. Review the test model, test cases, and structured test procedures
2. Create the data sets using the appropriate tools and methods
3. Modify the test scripts to utilize the data sets

Test / debug test scripts

Upon the completion of creating or acquiring test scripts, they should be tested / debugged to ensure the test scripts implement the tests appropriately and execute properly. This step should be performed using the same version of the software build used to create / acquire the test scripts.

The following steps are performed to test / debug test scripts:

1. Set-up the test environment (if necessary)
2. Re-initialize the environment
3. Execute the test scripts
4. Evaluate Results
5. Determine appropriate next action:
   1. Results as expected / desired: no actions necessary
   2. Unexpected results:  determine cause of problem and resolve