Test Strategy

The first step in planning white box testing is to develop a test strategy based on risk analysis. The purpose of a test strategy is to clarify the major activities involved, key decisions made, and challenges faced in the testing effort. This includes identifying testing scope, testing techniques, coverage metrics, test environment, and test staff skill requirements. The test strategy must account for the fact that time and budget constraints prohibit testing every component of a software system and should balance test effectiveness with test efficiency based on risks to the system. The level of effectiveness necessary depends on the use of software and its consequence of failure. The higher the cost of failure for software, the more sophisticated and rigorous a testing approach must be to ensure effectiveness. Risk analysis provides the right context and information to derive a test strategy.

Test strategy is essentially a management activity. A test manager (or similar role) is responsible for developing and managing a test strategy. The members of the development and testing team help the test manager develop the test strategy.