Process and system for quality assurance for software

• US 6,601,017 B1
• Filed: 11/09/2000
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Genworth Holdings, Inc. (Genworth Financial Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: GE Financial Assurance Holdings Incorporated (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Kennedy, Joseph, Esposito, Colleen
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARBEE, MANUEL L
• Application Number:
  US09/708,715
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 702/35, 702/81-84, 702/119, 702/123, 702/179, 702/183, 705/9, 714/25, 714/37, 714/38, 714/724, 717/124
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3684 for test design, e.g. generating new test cases

Abstract

A process and system for quality assurance. The process includes developing a high level quality assurance resource estimate and a high level quality assurance time estimate; producing a business analysis outline; and creating an acceptance test plan using an acceptance test plan template with the business analysis outline. The process further includes creating a plurality of test cases to be carried out during a test execution phase of the quality assurance process using the acceptance test plan; refining the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate based on the acceptance test plan; executing each of the test cases in an acceptance test to produce a set of test results for each of the test cases; and evaluating the test results against the refined high level quality assurance resource estimate and the refined high level quality assurance time estimate. One or more defects tracked during the execution of the test cases are reported and a sign off of the acceptance test is negotiated with a client. An application audit package is created and stored for future reference.

Claims

1. A process of conducting quality assurance for acceptance testing of software, the process comprising the steps of:

(a) developing a high level quality assurance resource estimate and a high level quality assurance time estimate;

(b) producing a business analysis outline for providing an interpretation of a plurality of user requirements;

(c) creating an acceptance test plan using an acceptance test plan template with the business analysis outline wherein the acceptance test plan provides a plurality of steps to be conducted during execution of the acceptance test;

(d) refining the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate based on at least the acceptance test plan;

(e) creating a plurality of test cases to be carried out during a test execution phase of the quality assurance process using the acceptance test plan;

(f) executing each of the test cases in an acceptance test to produce a set of test results for each of the test cases;

(g) evaluating each of the sets of the test results against a set of the refined high level quality assurance resource estimate and the refined high level quality assurance time estimate;

(h) reporting one or more defects tracked during the execution of each of the test cases;

(i) correcting the one or more reported defects;

(j) re-testing the corrected one or more defects;

(k) negotiating a sign off of the acceptance test with a client; and

(l) creating and storing an application audit package.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of developing the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate comprises a sub-step of developing the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate based on a similar project estimate.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of developing the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate comprises a sub-step of adding resources to a past quality assurance experience to reduce an implementation time.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of developing the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate comprises a sub-step of estimating a number of test cases and multiplying the estimated number of test cases by an average time estimated to execute each of the test cases.

5. The process of claim 1 further comprising a step of attending one or more project meetings if the meetings are of specific value to one or more project testing goals.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of refining the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate further comprises a step of refining the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate based on the business analysis outline.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of refining the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate further comprises a step of refining the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate based on past quality assurance project data.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of developing the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate further comprises a step of producing a staff allocation document and the step of refining the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate comprises the sub-step of refining the staff allocation document.

9. The process of claim 1 wherein the quality assurance process is an acceptance test process.

10. The process of claim 1 wherein the quality assurance process is a software development acceptance test process.

11. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of creating the test cases comprises a sub-step of creating a plurality of test scripts and the step of executing the test cases comprises a sub-step of executing each of the test scripts.

12. A system for conducting a quality assurance process for acceptance testing of software comprising:

(a) means for developing a high level quality assurance resource estimate and a high level quality assurance time estimate;

(b) means for producing a business analysis outline for providing an interpretation of a plurality of user requirements;

(c) means for creating an acceptance test plan using an acceptance test plan template with the business analysis outline wherein the acceptance test plan provides a plurality of steps to be conducted during execution of the acceptance test;

(d) means for refining the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate based on at least the acceptance test plan;

(e) means for creating a plurality of test cases to be carried out during a test execution phase of the quality assurance process using the acceptance test plan;

(f) means for executing each of the test cases in an acceptance test to produce a set of test results for each of the test cases;

(g) means for evaluating each of the sets of test results against the refined high level quality assurance resource estimate and the refined high level quality assurance time estimate;

(h) means for reporting one or more defects tracked during the execution of each of the test cases;

(i) means for correcting the one or more reported defects;

(j) means for re-testing the corrected one or more defects;

(k) means for negotiating a sign off of the acceptance test with a client; and

(l) means for creating and storing an application audit package.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein each of the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate is based on a similar project estimate.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein each of the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate is based on adding resources to a past quality assurance experience to reduce an implementation time.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein each of the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate is based on estimating a number of test cases and multiplying the estimated number of test cases by an average time estimated to execute each of the test cases.

16. The system of claim 12 further comprising means for attending one or more project meetings if the one or more project meetings are of specific value to one or more project testing goals.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein the means for refining the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate further comprises means for refining the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate based on the business analysis outline.

18. The system of claim 12 wherein the means for refining the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate further comprises means for refining the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate based on past quality assurance project data.

19. The system of claim 12 wherein the means for developing the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate further comprises means for producing a staff allocation document and wherein the means for refining the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate includes means for refining the staff allocation document.

20. The system of claim 12 wherein the quality assurance process is an acceptance test process.

21. The system of claim 12 wherein the quality assurance process is a software development acceptance test process.

22. The system of claim 12 wherein the means for creating the test cases includes means for creating a plurality of test scripts and wherein the means for executing each of the test cases includes means for executing each of the test scripts.

23. A process of conducting a staff allocation in a quality assurance process comprising the steps of:

developing a high level quality assurance resource estimate and a high level quality assurance time estimate using a business analysis document;

recording the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate in a staff allocation module document;

confirming the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate by reviewing the business analysis document, creating one or more statements, and verifying the one or more statements; and

refining the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate by listing a project by one or more functions, creating a plurality of statements, verifying the statements, confirming the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate, and identifying a plurality of acceptance test characteristics.

24. The process of claim 23 wherein the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate is based on a similar project estimate.

25. The process of claim 23 wherein the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate is based on adding resources to a past quality assurance experience to reduce an implementation time.

26. The process of claim 23 wherein the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate is based on estimating a number of test cases and multiplying the estimated number of test cases by an average time estimated to execute each of the test cases.

27. The process of claim 23 wherein the step of developing the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate further comprises a sub-step of using a past quality assurance project acceptance test plan and data.

28. The process of claim 23 wherein the quality assurance process is a software development process.

29. A process of conducting a staff allocation in a quality assurance process comprising the steps of:

developing a high level quality assurance resource estimate and a high level quality assurance time estimate using a business analysis document;

recording the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate in a staff allocation module document; and

refining the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate by listing a project by one or more functions, creating a plurality of statements, verifying the statements, confirming the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate, and identifying a plurality of acceptance test characteristics;

wherein the acceptance test characteristics include a number of functions, a number of test cases, a number of remaining test cases, a number of defects, a number of open defects, a responsible party and a status.

30. A system for conducting a staff allocation in a quality assurance process comprising:

means for developing a high level quality assurance resource estimate and a high level quality assurance time estimate using a business analysis document;

means for recording the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate in a staff allocation module document;

means for confirming the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate by reviewing the business analysis document, creating one or more statements, and verifying the one or more statements; and

means for refining the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate by listing a project by one or more functions, creating a plurality of statements, verifying the statements, confirming the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate, and identifying a plurality of acceptance test characteristics.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the means for developing the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate comprises means for developing the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate based on a similar project estimate.

32. The system of claim 30 wherein the means for developing the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate comprises means for adding resources to a past quality assurance experience to reduce an implementation time.

33. The system of claim 30 wherein the means for developing the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate comprises means for estimating a number of test cases and means for multiplying the estimated number of test cases by an average time estimated to execute each of the test cases.

34. The system of claim 30 wherein the means for developing the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate further comprises means for using a past quality assurance project acceptance test plan and data.

35. The system of claim 30 wherein the quality assurance process is a software development process.

36. A system for conducting a staff allocation in a quality assurance process comprising:

means for developing a high level quality assurance resource estimate and a high level quality assurance time estimate using a business analysis document;

means for recording the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate in a staff allocation module document; and

means for refining the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate by listing a project by one or more functions, creating a plurality of statements, verifying the statements, confirming the high level quality assurance resource estimate and the high level quality assurance time estimate, and identifying a plurality of acceptance test characteristics

wherein the acceptance test characteristics include a number of functions, a number of test cases, a number of remaining test cases, a number of defects, a number of open defects, a responsible party and a status.