Test Director7.5 User's Guide Part1

1
Introduction
Welcome to TestDirector, Mercury Interactive’s Web-based test management
tool. You access TestDirector over the Internet or a corporate intranet via a
Web browser.
Software testing is a complex process involving the development and
execution of thousands of tests. Often, tests are required for multiple
hardware platforms, multiple configurations (computers, operating systems,
and browsers) and software versions. Managing all aspects of the testing
process can be time-consuming and difficult.
TestDirector simplifies and organizes test management by giving you
systematic control over the testing process. It helps you create a framework
and foundation for your testing workflow.
TestDirector helps you maintain a project database of tests that cover all
aspects of your application’s functionality. Every test in your project is
designed to fulfill a specified testing requirement of your application. To
meet the various goals of a project, you organize the tests in your project
into unique groups. TestDirector provides an intuitive and efficient method
for scheduling and executing test sets, collecting test results, and analyzing
the data.
TestDirector also features a sophisticated system for tracking software
defects, enabling you to monitor defects closely from initial detection until
resolution. By linking TestDirector to your e-mail system, defect tracking
information can be shared by all software development, quality assurance,
customer support and information systems personnel.
TestDirector offers integration with Mercury Interactive testing tools
(WinRunner, LoadRunner, QuickTest Professional, Astra QuickTest,
QuickTest Professional for MySAP.com Windows Client, Astra LoadTest,
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TestDirector User’s Guide • TestDirector Basics
XRunner, Visual API, and Visual API-XP) as well as with third-party and
custom testing tools, requirement and configuration management tools,
and modeling applications. TestDirector’s ability to communicate seamlessly
with the testing tool of your choice provides you with a complete solution
to fully automated software testing.
TestDirector guides you through the requirements specification, test
planning, test execution, and defect tracking phases of the testing process.
By integrating all the tasks involved in software testing, it helps ensure that
your customers receive the highest quality software.
The Test Management Process
Test management with TestDirector involves four phases:
Track Defects
Plan Tests
Execute Tests
Specify
Requirements
Specify Requirements: Analyze your application and determine your
testing requirements.
Plan Tests: Create a test plan, based on your testing requirements.
Execute Tests: Create test sets and perform test runs.
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Chapter 1 • Introduction
Track Defects: Report defects detected in your application and track how
repairs are progressing.
Throughout each phase, you can analyze data by generating detailed reports
and graphs.
Specifying Requirements
Analyze your application and determine your testing requirements.
Define Testing
Scope
Create
Requirements
Detail
Requirements
Analyze
Requirements
Define Testing Scope: Examine application documentation in order to
determine your testing scope—test goals, objectives, and strategies.
Create Requirements: Build a requirements tree to define your overall testing
requirements.
Detail Requirements: For each requirement topic in the requirements tree,
create a list of detailed testing requirements. Describe each requirement,
assign it a priority level, and add attachments if necessary.
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TestDirector User’s Guide • TestDirector Basics
Analyze Requirements Specification: Generate reports and graphs to assist
in analyzing your testing requirements. Review your requirements to ensure
they meet your testing scope.
Planning Tests
Create a test plan, based on your testing requirements.
Define
Testing
Strategy
Define Test
Subjects
Define Tests
Design Test
Steps
Automate
Tests
Analyze Test
Plan
Create
Requirements
Coverage
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Chapter 1 • Introduction
Define Testing Strategy: Examine your application, system environment,
and testing resources in order to determine your testing goals.
Define Test Subjects: Divide your application into modules or functions to
be tested. Build a test plan tree to hierarchically divide your application into
testing units, or subjects.
Define Tests: Determine the types of tests you need for each module. Add a
basic definition of each test to the test plan tree.
Create Requirements Coverage: Link each test with a testing
requirement(s).
Design Test Steps: Develop manual tests by adding steps to the tests in your
test plan tree. Test steps describe the test operations, the points to check, and
the expected outcome of each test. Decide which tests to automate.
Automate Tests: For tests that you decide to automate, create test scripts
with a Mercury Interactive testing tool, or a custom or third-party testing
tool.
Analyze Test Plan: Generate reports and graphs to assist in analyzing test
planning data. Review your tests to determine their suitability to your
testing goals.
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TestDirector User’s Guide • TestDirector Basics
Running Tests
Create test sets and perform test runs.
Create Test Sets
Schedule Runs
Run Tests
Automatically
Run Tests
Manually
Analyze Test
Results
Create Test Sets: Define groups of tests to meet the various testing goals in
your project. These might include, for example, testing a new software
version or a specific function in an application. Determine which tests to
include in each test set.
Schedule Runs: Schedule test execution and assign tasks to software testers.
Run Tests: Execute the tests in your test set automatically or manually.
Analyze Test Results: View the results of your test runs in order to
determine whether a defect has been detected in your application. Generate
reports and graphs to help analyze these results.
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Chapter 1 • Introduction
Tracking Defects
Report defects detected in your application and track how repairs are
progressing.
Add Defects
Review New
Defects
Repair Open
Defects
Test New
Build
Analyze
Defect Data
Add Defects: Report new defects detected in your application. Quality
assurance testers, developers, project managers, and end users can add
defects during any phase in the testing process.
Review New Defects: Review new defects and determine which ones should
be fixed.
Repair Open Defects: Correct the defects that you decided to fix.
Test New Build: Test a new build of your application. Continue this process
until defects are repaired.
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TestDirector User’s Guide • TestDirector Basics
Analyze Defect Data: Generate reports and graphs to assist in analyzing the
progress of defect repairs, and to help determine when to release the
software.
Working with Project Databases
When you create a TestDirector project, you need to store and manage the
data generated and collected by TestDirector. Each project is supported by a
database that stores project information.
TestDirector projects are repositories that contain requirements, tests, test
sets, test runs, defects, project documentation, and customization
information. A TestDirector user needs constant access to this data in order
to be able to work on a software testing project.
Use the following database applications to store and manage TestDirector
information:
➤ Microsoft Access
➤ Sybase (TestDirector Enterprise Edition only)
➤ Microsoft SQL (TestDirector Enterprise Edition only)
➤ Oracle (TestDirector Enterprise Edition only)
For more information on creating managing TestDirector projects, refer to
the TestDirector Administrator’s Guide.
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Chapter 1 • Introduction
User Privileges
TestDirector enables you to manage user access to a project. By creating a list
of authorized users and assigning each user a password and user group, you
control the kinds of additions and modifications each user makes to the
project. The user group determines the privileges that the user has within
TestDirector. TestDirector includes a privileges and permissions mechanism
that enables you to create rules for specific fields in a project.
For detailed information on the user groups available in TestDirector, and
on assigning passwords and privileges, refer to the TestDirector
Administrator’s Guide.
Exporting Documents from Microsoft Word
You can export requirements or testing documents from Microsoft Word
directly to the requirements tree or test plan tree. To use the Microsoft Word
export feature, you must first download the Microsoft Word add-in.
To download the Microsoft Word add-in:
1 From the TestDirector Options window, click the Add-ins Page link. The
TestDirector Add-ins page opens.
2 Click the More TestDirector Add-ins link. The More TestDirector Add-ins
page opens.
3 Click the Microsoft Word Add-in link. The Microsoft Word Add-in page
opens.
4 Click the Microsoft Word Add-in Readme link for instructions on using the
Microsoft Word add-in.
5 Click the Download Add-in link to begin installing the Microsoft Word add-
in.
For more information on the TestDirector Add-ins page, refer to the
TestDirector Installation Guide.
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TestDirector User’s Guide • TestDirector Basics
Exporting Documents from Microsoft Excel
You can export documents from Microsoft Excel to your TestDirector
project. To use the Microsoft Excel export feature, you must first download
the Microsoft Excel add-in.
To download the Microsoft Excel add-in:
1 From the TestDirector Options window, click the Add-ins Page link. The
TestDirector Add-ins page opens.
2 Click the More TestDirector Add-ins link. The More TestDirector Add-ins
page opens.
3 Click the Microsoft Excel Add-in link. The Microsoft Excel Add-in page
opens.
4 Click the Microsoft Excel Add-in Readme link for instructions on using the
Microsoft Excel add-in.
5 Click the Download Add-in link to begin installing the Microsoft Excel add-
in.
For more information on the TestDirector Add-ins page, refer to the
TestDirector Installation Guide.