Aceptance Tests without the Headache
The most critical aspect of a good Acceptance Test is a set of good requirements
A question that we commonly get asked at Viewpoint Systems is how to create an effective acceptance test. Many developers neglect the time to thoroughly test their application, resulting in frustration and wasted time by users. Sometimes tight deadlines result in prematurely released applications that haven’t been properly tested. Time constraints are just a reality we live in but even with little time, a programmer can develop a good acceptance test if they know how.
Developing an Acceptance Test is something that many avoid. It’s a pain to do, hard to fit into a busy schedule, and boring to boot. But, heartache and stress can be reduced by following some steps to assure that a useful Acceptance Test is performed on your system prior to release.
The most critical aspect of a good Acceptance Test is a set of good requirements. Without solid, well-defined requirements, you can’t know what to test the application against – specifically – the set of expected features that the application or system must fulfill.
We’ve seen requirements ranging from lists of very detailed items to broad features. The very detailed lists, such as “the XML command must contain the following elements…” are especially important when your system needs to interface with other systems being defined elsewhere or you need to deliver specific functionality to your end-users. Effective requirements also specify how the system should react to certain situations and power failure.
To learn how to create the proper system requirements for an effective Acceptance Test, read the entire article here.