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Development and testing
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Once design stage is completed, the system should be created and fully tested:
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✓ Create the file structure ( Field names, data type)
✓ Validation rules
✓ User interface, check if the user interface is friendly
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Testing
The need for testing
Once the design stage is completed, it is then necessary to create the system and fully test it.
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This section considers some of the development stages and testing strategies which are often adopted by systems
analysts.
» If the system contains files (for example, a database) then the file structure would need to be finalised at this stage
(for example, what type of data is being stored in each field, length of each field, which field will be the key field,
how will the data files be linked, etc.). Once the file structure has been determined it is then created and needs to be
fully tested to make sure it is robust when the system actually goes live.
» Because it is important that the correct data is stored in files (etc.) there are certain techniques that need to be
adopted to make sure the data populating the files/database is at least of the right type and that it conforms to
certain rules.
Validation routines and verification methods are used to ensure this happens. Again, these routines have to be fully
tested to ensure they do trap unwanted data, but also to make sure any data transferred from a paper-based system
to an electronic system has been done accurately.
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» Obviously, any system being developed will have some form of user interface. The types of hardware have already
been considered; how these are used to actually interface with the final system now needs to be identified.
For example, how the screens (and any other input devices) will be used to collect the data and the way the output will
be presented.
If specialist hardware is needed (for example, for people with disabilities) then it will be necessary to finalise how
these devices are used with the system when it is implemented.
This will be followed by thorough testing to ensure the user screens are userfriendly and that the correct output is
associated with the inputs to the system.
✓ Testing data structures
✓ Testing the file structures
✓
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Testing the input methods
✓ Testing the output methods
✓ Testing the validation rules
✓ Software is often developed in modular form. This method allows the software to be broken down into smaller
parts called module this means each part developed separately.
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✓ Once the development of each module is completed, the whole system needs to be tested.
✓ Testing take place to ensure all components of system are working correctly before the system is implemented.
Test plan, test data and live data
Once the testing designs and strategy have been determined, it then becomes necessary to formulate a test plan for
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each module.
The test plan should include:
» a list of all the tests to be performed
» what data is to be used in the testing
» what type of testing the data is designed to check (i.e. normal, abnormal or extreme – see notes below)
» what live data should be used
» what the expected outcomes are from the testing
» do the actual outcomes match what is expected?
The list above included the types of data referred to as: normal, abnormal and extreme.
Before looking at a sample test plan, we need to define these three types of data.
The example we will use is inputting a date into a database field. The entered data must take the format dd/mm/yyyy
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and all data must be numeric.
Normal
Abnormal
Extreme
Live
Example:
Test Data For Enter the Month into any table
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Test Type Example Expected outcomes Actual Outcomes
Normal
Abnormal
Extreme
Once a system has been fully tested, it is then tested with live data. This is data with known outcomes. Live data is
entered into the new system and the results compared with those produced from the existing system. If the two
outcomes do not match, then further modifications to the system may be needed. Table 7.6
shows an example of live data testing.
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So
Normal:
✓ Data that is acceptable /reasonable and has an expected outcome; for example, the Month in the range 1 to 12
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Extreme:
✓ Data at the limits of acceptability, for example, the extreme values of month can be either 1 or 12
Abnormal:
✓ Data outside the limits of acceptability, or the wrong type of data, and should be rejected or cause an error message;
values are not allowed as example inputs for the month: -15 or -1 or any value >12 or letters or non-integer 10.34 all abnormal
Live :
✓ Data is entered into the new system and the results compared with those produced from the existing system.
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We Finished Development & Testing