Workflow Detail: Plan and Design Performance Test

Purpose

The purpose of this workflow detail is to identify and describe the performance testing that will be implemented and executed.  This is accomplished by generating a test plan which contains the requirements for test and test strategies, and developing the test model, which contains the workload model, test procedures, and test cases.

Planning and designing the testing is done so the test efforts can be measured and managed.

How to Staff

The test designer is the principle worker involved in this workflow detail, with input from the end-user representative(s), Stakeholder,  Customer, System Integrator, and Implementer.

Work Guidelines

The following are sample techniques that can be applied to ensure that the appropriate information is derived:

• Interviews
• Questionnaires
• System Monitoring

In the elaboration phase of the software development lifecycle, performance testing should focus on establishing / verifying that performance benchmarks have been achieved or established.  In the construction and transition phases, the performance tests will focus on the system's ability to handle varying workloads and system conditions.