Testing Complex and Embedded Systems

Book excerpt: Many enterprises regard system-level testing as the final piece of the development effort, rather than as a tool that should be integrated throughout the development process. As a consequence, test teams often execute critical test plans just before product launch, resulting in much of the corrective work being performed in a rush and at the last minute. Presenting combinatorial approaches for improving test coverage, Testing Complex and Embedded Systems details techniques to help you streamline testing and identify problems before they occur—including turbocharged testing using Six Sigma and exploratory testing methods. Rather than present the continuum of testing for particular products or design attributes, the text focuses on boundary conditions. Examining systems and software testing, it explains how to use simulation and emulation to complement testing. Details how to manage multiple test hardware and software deliveries Examines the contradictory perspectives of testing—including ordered/ random, structured /unstructured, bench/field, and repeatable/non repeatable Covers essential planning activities prior to testing, how to scope the work, and how to reach a successful conclusion Explains how to determine when testing is complete Where you find organizations that are successful at product development, you are likely to find groups that practice disciplined, strategic, and thorough testing. Tapping into the authors’ decades of experience managing test groups in the automotive industry, this book provides the understanding to help ensure your organization joins the likes of these groups.