Estimation Techniques and Testing

Testing is not based on a defined time frame. Efforts continue as long as no predetermined time frame is set, regardless of testing completion. This is mainly due to the fact that performance appraisal testing is conventionally a part of development assessment. Only in the case of assessment techniques used by WBS, such as Wideband Delphi, Three-point, PERT, and WBS, can we obtain values ​​for estimates of testing activity. If estimates are given as an FP (Function Point), then according to Caper Jones it’s:

Number of Test Cases = (Number of Function Points) × 1.2

Once you get the number of test cases, you can take productivity data from the organizational databases and get to the work required for testing.

Percentage of Development Work

The required test work is a direct share or percentage of the development work. Development work can be assessed using Code Lines (LOC) or Function Points (FP). Then the percentage of work for testing is taken from the organization's database. This percentage is used for obtaining a performance appraisal for testing.

Evaluation of Testing Projects

Several organizations provide independent validation services of the assessment method to clients, which means that project activities consist entirely of testing activities.

Assessing project testing requires experience on various software testing projects.

When evaluating a testing project, consider:

• Team skills
• Knowledge of the domain of work
• Application complexity
• Historical data
• A project’s bug cycle
• Resource availability
• Variations in productivity
• System environment and downtime
• Testing assessment techniques

The most commonly used testing assessment techniques are: the PERT method, the UCP method, WBS, the Wideband Delphi estimation method, function point/test point analysis, distribution of percentages, and experience-based assessment techniques.

A few more words, in this article and the previous two, are devoted to presenting the Delphi estimation method, which is taken as an example of how one of the assessment techniques works. From everything explained in the Estimation Techniques blog posts, it is evident that assessment techniques are an extremely important component of each project, especially when the project is time-conditioned.

The estimate determines how much money, effort, resources, and time is needed to build a particular system or product, and can be used for certain purposes even if the input data is incomplete, uncertain, or unstable. This posts have demonstrated some important components of assessment techniques, such as assessment observation, assessment accuracy, as well as assessment and testing guidelines. There are several assessment techniques, that have been briefly explained, such as FP, use case, three-point, PERT, analogous, WBS, and Delphi.