1. Foundations of Software Testing
Pearson Education
Fundamentals
Applications
Aditya P. Mathur
Professor, Department of Computer Science
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
New Delhi,India
March 7, 2007

2. Education in Software Testing
Mostly commercially offered short courses.
None of the top 25 Computer Science Departments offers a course in Software Testing in a degree program (except at Purdue where the first offering was in 2005)
Demand for high quality software has shot up
Most companies hire students who have none to little formal education in software testing
Companies have started treating/hiring testers as Test and Development Engineers. [Microsoft position: Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET)]

3. What exists for use at universities
Over 30 books on software testing.
Classics such as by Glenford Meyers et al. [2nd Ed. 2004, Wiley] and Boris Beizer [2nd Ed. 1990, Van Nostrand]
Why then write yet another book on
the same topic?

4. Why another book? Because none of the existing books…
Is an “appropriate” text for a university course
Focuses on test generation and assessment algorithms and techniques
Is comprehensive
Is written specifically for undergraduate and graduate students
Employs a formal approach to introduce the subject

5. Foundations book as a textbook
Clear and in-depth exposition
Delineated examples [252]
A gradient of exercises [199] from simple to highly challenging
Comprehensive bibliography [551 entries]
Frequently updated instructor material [Slides on the web site]
Detailed subject index [4124 entries]
Courtesy author citations [670 entries]
Student cash awards [$400 already distributed]

6. Approach Fundamentals: Applications: Applications Fundamentals
Clear separation of fundamentals and applications
Fundamentals:
Test generation algorithms: simple to complex
Model-based testing
Test assessment principles and techniques
Test process
Empirical studies
Applications:
Across attributes: security, performance, usability, etc.
Across usage: WEB services, GUI, databases, etc.

7. Software Engineering Programs
Undergraduate: At least 25 [in US]
Graduate: At least 70 in US and over 100 [All over the world]
Almost every program has a course related to software quality. Most topics covered in Volume 1 of the Foundations book are invariably covered in such courses.
Numerous short courses in testing and quality assurance offered by commercial outfits.

8. Software Engineering Programs: International
China: By the end of 2001, 51 universities were offering MS in Software Engineering

Australia: By the end of 2004, 9 universities were offering BEng in Software Engineering

9. Mapping to IEEE/ACM Undergraduate Curriculum: Software Verification and Validation
IEEE/ACM Course: SE221 Software Testing
In-depth course on all aspects of testing, as well as other aspects of verification and validation, including specifying testable requirements, reviews, and product assurance.

10. Mapping to IEEE/ACM Curriculum: Software Verification and Validation
Software verification and validation related:
Topic
Volume
V&V Terminology and foundations
1/Ch 1
Objectives and constraints of V&V
Planning the V&V effort
2/Process
Documenting V&V strategy
V&V involvement at different points in lifecycle
1/Ch 1, 2/Process
Reviews
Desk checking

11. Mapping to IEEE/ACM Curriculum: [Continued]*
Distributed across chapters
Software testing related:
Topic
Volume
Unit testing
1/Ch 2
Exception handling *
Coverage analysis: structure based
1/Ch 6
Black box functional testing
1/Ch 2, 3, 4
Developing test cases based on user stories 2
Operational profile based testing
Testing across quality attributes
Regression testing
1/Ch 5
Testing tools
Deployment process

12. Mapping to IEEE/ACM Curriculum [continued]
Human computer user interface testing and evaluation related:
Topic
Volume
Human computer interface testing and evaluation
2/Application: GUI testing
Usefulness and usability X
Heuristic evaluation
Cognitive walkthroughs
2/Process
User testing 2/
Web usability
Formal experiments
2/Empirical studies

13. Mapping to IEEE/ACM Curriculum [continued]
Problem analysis and reporting related:
Topic
Volume
Formal experiments
2/Empirical studies
Analyzing failure reports
2/Fault models and classification
Debugging
2/Static analysis and applications
Defect analysis
2/ 2/Fault models and classification
Problem tracking
2/Fault models and classification 2

14. Evolution Plan Volume One: Volume Two: Second edition in June 2008.
One new edition every two years thereafter.
Solutions manual: December 2007.
Translations: Chinese, Portugese, Spanish
Volume Two:
Expected manuscript completion: June 2008.
Likely publishing date: December 2008

15. Marketing Conferences: COMPSAC 2006: Chicago, USA
COMPSAC 2007: July 24-27,Beijing, PRC.
ISSRE 2007: 5-9th of November, Trollhätan, Sweden.
QSIC 2007: October 11-12, Portland, Oregon
Color posters:
Large (16”x20”): 100 copies.
Small (8.5”x11”): 500 copies
Short courses:
Feb 6-7, Advanced course in software testing and reliability, Sao Carlos, Brazil
Complementary copies:
International: ~100
Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, US.
SAARC: ~25

16. Thank You!