Testing

Static

Chapter 6

Objectives
End Goals

to examine the necessity of testing all documentation

produced by a software development project
to list the variety of software development documentation
that should be tested
to describe the techniques for testing software
development documentation

Coverage
Overview of Topics

Goal of Static Testing

Candidate Documents for Static Testing
Static Testing Techniques
Tracking Defects Detected by Static Testing

Introduction
What is Static Testing?

Static
Testing!

Goal of Static Testing

Has the largest potential for reducing defects in software

under development

defect reduction in the software by reducing

defects in the documentation from which the
software is developed

Candidate Documents for Static

Testing

Software development managers documents

Software
requirements

the foundation on which all

subsequent documentation and
code are written.

contain the roadmap that the

software development will
follow for this particular system
or product.

Software project
plan

Software developers documents

Use
Cases

Code
Software
specifications

Software
Designs

Online
operating
environment
specifications
Screen/wind
ow/page
specification
s

Data Flow
Diagrams

Batch
operating
environment
specifications

Security
specifications

Database
and File
designs

Interfaces

Report
Specifications

Connectivity
(network)
specifications

Testers documentation

Test Plans
Test Data
Sources and
Preparation
Test Cases

Test
Environment
Specifications

Test Tool
Installation and
Operation

Administrators Documentation

Installation
Guides

Operation/
Administration
Guides

documents the steps that must

be taken by technical staff to
install and support the new
system or application

End Users Documentation

Users guides

Help Screens

Training Manuals

Documents the steps that

must be taken by business
end users to perform their
routine daily activities on the
new system or application

Static Testing Techniques

The Two-Step Approach

1. Cosmetic clean-up

Example

Check spelling, grammar, punctuation, formatting

2. Techniques that seem appropriate to focus expert review

on document contents

Example

Desk Checking
Inspections
Walkthroughs

Tracking Defects Detected by Static Testing

Spreadsheets

Databases

Tracking Defects Detected by Static Testing

WHY?

To enable the project

management to verify the
corrections are actually
applied to the tested
document in a timely
manner
To demonstrate the
importance of current,
correct documentation to
the early success of the
project

Static

Testin
g

END

Module Updates
Document Version Details
Versio
n

Date Updated

1.0

10/20/2011

Changes/Details
Created Document

Author
Engr. K. Fajardo

This document must not be used for other purposes outside the USC
Department of Computer Engineering without permission.