The Craft of Model-Based Testing

In his latest work, author Paul C Jorgensen takes his well-honed craftsman’s approach to mastering model-based testing (MBT). To be expert at MBT, a software tester has to understand it as a craft rather than an art. This means a tester should have deep knowledge of the underlying subject and be well practiced in carrying out modeling and testing techniques. Judgment is needed, as well as an understanding of MBT the tools.

The first part of the book helps testers in developing that judgment. It starts with an overview of MBT and follows with an in-depth treatment of nine different testing models with a chapter dedicated to each model. These chapters are tied together by a pair of examples: a simple insurance premium calculation and an event-driven system that describes a garage door controller. The book shows how simpler models—flowcharts, decision tables, and UML Activity charts—express the important aspects of the insurance premium problem. It also shows how transition-based models—finite state machines, Petri nets, and statecharts—are necessary for the garage door controller but are overkill for the insurance premium problem. Each chapter describes the extent to which a model can support MBT.

The second part of the book gives testers a greater understanding of MBT tools. It examines six commercial MBT products, presents the salient features of each product, and demonstrates using the product on the insurance premium and the garage door controller problems. These chapters each conclude with advice on implementing MBT in an organization. The last chapter describes six Open Source tools to round out a tester’s knowledge of MBT. In addition, the book supports the International Software Testing Qualifications Board’s (ISTQB^®) MBT syllabus for certification.

Table of Contents

PART 1 THEORY OF MODELS FOR MODEL-BASED TESTING
Chapter 1 Overview Of Model-Based Testing
Chapter 2 Flowcharts
Chapter 3 Decision Tables
Chapter 4 Finite State Machines
Chapter 5 Petri Nets
Chapter 6 Event-Driven Petri Nets
Chapter 7 Statecharts
Chapter 8 Swim Lane Event-Driven Petri Nets
Chapter 9 Object-Oriented Models
Chapter 10 Business Process Modeling And Notation

PART 2 THE PRACTICE OF MODEL-BASED TESTING
Chapter 11 About The International Software Testing Qualification Board
Chapter 12 Implementing Mbt In An Organization
Chapter 13 Information Provided To Model-Based Testing Tool Vendors
Chapter 14 Smartesting Yest And Certifyit
Chapter 15 Testoptimal
Chapter 16 Conformiq, Inc
Chapter 17 Elvior
Chapter 19 Verified Systems International Gmbh
Chapter 20 Open-Source Model-Based Testing Tools