Black/White Box Testing

Black box testing

1. Some of the commonly used testing methods here are equivalence partitioning, boundary value analysis, all-pairs testing, fuzz testing, model-based testing, etc.
2. It is common for black box testers to find bugs that were not traced during program execution.
3. Here the user is not aware of the internal implementation of the testing software.
4. The primary disadvantage with this testing is that the tester will not be aware even if some part of the code has not been tested.

White box testing

1. The most commonly used testing methods here are static testing, API or Application Programming Interface testing, mutation testing methods etc.
2. With this testing the tester can be assured of completely testing the module or code which is of prime importance.
3. Above all, the tester is aware of the algorithm of the test software and is able to structure the test cases accordingly.

Using software test automation tools can enhance productivity of these tests.

Grey Box Testing

Software test case management is the process of executing software codes that are based on the input provided by the clients. Once the required output is got, the module is said to be compliant with client requirements. Software developers follow three main types of testing – the black box testing, grey box and white box testing; of which grey box testing is a combination of white and black box testing.

Grey box testing methodology -
1. Here, although the tester has access to internal data structures and algorithms to for purposes of designing test cases, the testing as such is done similar to black box testing.
2. This testing is widely used in case of integration testing, which is conducted to test the joint output of two modules.

White Box Testing

In white box testing the tester is aware of the algorithm of the test software and is able to structure the test cases accordingly. The most commonly used testing methods here are static testing, API or Application Programming Interface testing, mutation testing methods etc.

With this testing the tester can be assured of completely testing the module or code which is of prime importance. Use testing automation tools that make test case management simple and trouble-free for all kinds of testing methodologies.

Black Box Testing

Black box testing, the user is not aware of the internal implementation of the testing software. Some of the commonly used testing methods are equivalence partitioning, boundary value analysis, all-pairs testing, fuzz testing, model-based testing, etc. It is common for black box testers to find bugs that were not traced during program execution.

The primary disadvantage with this testing is that the tester will not be aware even if some part of the code has not been tested. Today testing automation tools are also available as a SaaS service, making it simpler to deal with test execution, test metrics and test documentation.

New Capabilities of Testing Tools

With new test automation tools testing teams can now,

1. Communicate upwards, sideways and down easily using the tool.

2. Projects and releases have drill-down features for easy tracking and monitoring purposes.

3. Teams can share all the latest news at all times.

4. Minimal updation is required from the test manager since most of the information comes from centralized data repositories.

5. Above all, the team lead has full control on what information is visible, for how long and whether something is a new addition or not.

Testing Dashboards

Testing teams can no longer dread weekly and monthly status reports, thanks to new automated testing tools. These tools help to set up all relevant documents that can be accessed by the rest of the team and the rest of the company. They provide quick and easy access to methodology, templates, internal and external links; which is of great help when coordinating test efforts within the project.

They provide test dashboard that has live charts, track key department level metrics and are presented in full drill-down mode, which makes it very convenient for users to assess productivity. These are also auto updated information change features that require no refreshes and are done on the backend itself.

Capabilities of Testing Tools

Testing automation tools that are available with following capabilities need to be used by software test teams.

1. The tool must be easily integrated with other test tools like Bugzilla and JIRA.

2. The tool must provide exhaustive list of reports that can be centrally viewed by all test teams.

3. Provision for project management and human resource management must be made available.

4. Provision for a highly secure test repository with adequate controls.

5. Complete automation of test planning, execution scheduling and test case execution.

Test Management Process

Test case management is an activity that is executed at each phase of software development. Once the test cases are executed successfully, the module is allowed to pass on to the next stage of development. Test case execution takes the name of unit testing, integration testing, system testing and acceptance testing depending upon the development stage. It is at this phase that test tools are highly required.

Test reporting is to assess the productivity and throughput of the test teams. It is also used as a dashboard to assess the quality of the software product at any given point of time. Client reports are also prepared at each testing phase.

Use a Simple Robust Test Tool to Realize High Throughput

Enterprises need to choose test platforms that are simple, inexpensive, and easy to install. The chosen tool should be capable of customizing its features to suit the organizational needs. The tool must be built based on standard testing best practices, methodologies, tools and processes.

Above all, it is wise to choose test platforms that are available as a SaaS testing hosted service or on-site with a flexible subscription based pricing model that is economical for project teams of all sizes. This will help enterprises to realize high money value at short time. Realization of short term economic gains will only prove beneficial for enterprises in the long run.

Choosing the Right Enterprise Test Tool

It is essential for enterprises to choose test automation tools built on extensible management platforms. By doing so, users are able to leverage their existing tool investments as well. The tools must have interoperating capabilities with commercial, open source or home grown automation tools in order to work in tandem and provide test reports.

The test platform that is chosen, if available as a SaaS hosted service or on-site with a flexible subscription based pricing model, would be greatly beneficial to test teams. Enterprises need to ensure that the test platform is based on excellent best practices, methodologies, tools and processes.