Many organizations rely heavily on software that works properly. To prevent small changes from causing major disruptions, more and more time is being spent on testing. It’s no surprise, then, that a testing methodology like TMap is widely adopted. Yet, according to TMap, the added value of testing often comes with (even) more administrative work. And that’s exactly where the strength of Testersuite lies!
A powerful “TMap tool”
TMap (Test Management Approach) is a collection of best practices for the testing process, developed by Sogeti (a Capgemini company) and has since 1995 become a leading standard in the testing profession. TMap has since evolved into the TMap® Suite, with TMap® HD (Human Driven) as the most recent addition for adaptive testing within Agile and DevOps environments. The two key foundational principles remain unchanged: the business-driven test management (BDTM) approach and the principles for a structured testing process.
Business driven test management
An important part of the preparation is identifying product risks. The object to be tested is broken down into smaller “products,” and together with the client (the “business”), you determine which components would cause significant damage if they did not function properly. Based on this and the probability of failure, you assign a risk class to the product. You determine the depth and order of the tests based on these risk classes. So much for the theory…
In practice, it’s quite a challenge to document the structure of products and their associated risks, coordinate them, and share them with others. Moreover, especially at larger test cycles , it’s a full-time job to ensure that the greatest risks are, in fact, addressed most thoroughly and tested first. As a result, the risk-based approach often falls short in practice.
Testersuite It allows you to create a clear tree structure in which you define the risk class for each product, including a justification if necessary. You monitor test specifications and execution using risk-based reports, after which you schedule, assign, and execute tests based on risk. With Testersuite as your tool, business-driven test management becomes easy and transparent—from start to finish.
Structured test process
By dividing test activities into phases, key components such as test preparation and wrap-up receive the attention they deserve at the right time. This allows you to make the most of the limited time window available for test execution. The TMap phasing is as follows:
Once the planning and preparation phases are complete, you’ll create test cases and test scenarios in the specification phase using Testersuite (not Excel!)—with a level of detail based on the risk class. By then scheduling the tests in the execution phase based on the risk classes as well, you address the greatest risks first. You record test findings immediately, and they appear right away on the findings list for further handling.
The completion phase is a very valuable one. During this phase, you determine, among other things, which test assets can be reused in the future. In Testersuite , you can preserve virtually everything for future reuse, from risk classes to test scenarios. This allows you to minimize the preparation and specification phases when conducting a new test. In addition to minimizing disruptions, Testersuite thus delivers significant time savings!
Are you choosing TMap (or the broader TMap Suite) to provide structure and direction for your testing approach? If so, Testersuite offers a powerful tool to easily implement and ensure this approach.
Want to learn more about test management in general? Read our explanation of exactly what test management entails.
