White Box Testing - Part II

White Box Testing
Abhilash Gopi
Part II

Types of Testing Techniques
# There are available the techniques
• Black Box Testing technique, and
• White Box Testing technique.

Black Box Testing
• A testing technique where testing is done based on previously understood
requirements or functionality without any knowledge of how the code is executed.

White Box Testing
• White Box Testing, or Clear Box Testing, or Glass Box Testing, or Structural Testing is used to check that the outputs of a program, based on certain defined inputs, conform to the structural specification of the program.

Execution Features of White Box Testing

• Needs to be done with a knowledge of the code.
• Most organizations involve the programmer along with the White Box Tester when the code is more complex.
• Some organizations go to the extent of involving number of programmers for complex codes to achieve a full level of White Box test. This is done since involving more programmers will enable them to gain more varying perspectives into the possible outcomes.

Generic Workflow for Application Development
Development Workstations
Integrated Env. Staging Area Production
Development Environment


Planning White Box testing
• Proper Planning is the key to a successful White Box Test.

• Planning involves the following
a) Decide the goals/ objective for performing the White Box Test,
b) Find out to what extent White Box Testing can be done (i.e. Find out the Scope),
c) Select the best person or team to perform the White Box test.

Planning White Box testing
• Assign Roles and Responsibilities for the people involved in the testing process,
• Select the best applicable methodology for carrying out the test,
• Confirm the deliverables during the course of carrying out the White Box test.

Deciding the Goal
• For most organizations who are involved in White Box testing, the goals are as
follows
• Initiating a strategic initiative to build quality throughout the life cycle of a software product or service,
• Accept White Box testing as a complementary function to Black Box testing,
• Take steps to perform and ensure complete
coverage at the component level,
• Optimizing code and improving performance.

Deciding the Scope of testing
• It indicates that aspect of testing as regards timing and coverage.
• Testing could be done throughout the various phases of the SDLC. The extent of
test and timing of white box test is very crucial for a successful application
development (with few performance and code related issues).

Selecting the Right team
• White Box testing requires a thorough understanding and knowledge of the code and
its functioning.
• A person who is conversant with the above technical skills and also with the software development process are selected for white box
testing.
• The team should ensure complete and thorough testing of all components involved in the application.

Assigning Roles and Responsibilities

• Typically during the course of an application development, a single point of contact is decided to facilitate the final maintenance and deployment.
• Each developer in various faculties of the application development process should
contribute their part to ensure that they have delivered thoroughly tested components towards the final application.

Methodology
• The organization should decide on the methodology to go about White Box
testing.
• It will include the following
• A well defined and concise Test Plan for carrying out the White box test,
• The testing to be done based on the set of test plans need to be tracked with the
milestones in the project schedule
• The Project Management should coordinate
regularly with the client to know any changes
forthcoming from the client.
• Plan accordingly based on these changes,
• Gather any client specific process/ methods
for testing these components,
• Also coordinate with the client to obtain client
data for a comprehensive testing.

Decide the Deliverables
• The Project Management should clearly identify the deliverables.
• These deliverables should clearly support the testing process carried out,
• Typical deliverables are
• Test Plan,
• Defect reports,
• Periodic status reports,
• Client requested deliverables.

Typical areas for White Box Testing
# White Box testing can be successfully implemented in the following areas
• Component functionality,
• Database testing,
• Network testing,