Skip to main content
Log in

A method of minimum reusability estimation for automated software testing

  • Published:
Journal of Shanghai Jiaotong University (Science) Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Through reusing software test components, automated software testing generally costs less than manual software testing. There has been much research on how to develop the reusable test components, but few fall on how to estimate the reusability of test components for automated testing. The purpose of this paper is to present a method of minimum reusability estimation for automated testing based on the return on investment (ROI) model. Minimum reusability is a benchmark for the whole automated testing process. If the reusability in one test execution is less than the minimum reusability, some new strategies must be adopted in the next test execution to increase the reusability. Only by this way, we can reduce unnecessary costs and finally get a return on the investment of automated testing.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Eickelmann N S, Richardson D J. An evaluation of software test environment architectures [C]//Proceedings of 18th International Conference on Software Engineering. Berlin, Germany: IEEE Computer Society Press, 1996: 353–364.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Beizer B. Software testing techniques [M]. London: Van Nostrand Reinhold (International) Co. Ltd., 1990: 1–26.

    Google Scholar 

  3. de Oliveira J C, Gouveia C C, Filho R Q. Test automation viability analysis method [EB/OL]. (2008-08-10). http://www.cesar.org.br/pdf/TestAutomationViabilityAnalysisMethod.pdf.

  4. Liu L, Zhou X S, Gu J H, et al. Agent-based automated compatibility software test for NLSF [C]//Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Machine Learning and Cybernetics. Xi’an, Shaanxi, China: IEEE Press, 2003: 1986–1989.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Brooks F P. Essence and accidents of software engineering [J]. Computer, 1987, 20(4): 10–19.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  6. Hoffman D. Cost benefits analysis of test automation [C]//Software Testing Analysis & Review Conference (STARW’ 99). Orlando, FL: Software Quality Methods, LLC, 1999.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Kelly M. The ROI of test automation [EB/OL]. (2005-06-24). http://www.stickyminds.com/getfile.asp?ot=XML&id=8502&fn=XDD8502filelistfilename1.pdf.

  8. Lonngren D D. Reducing the cost of test through reuse [C]// IEEE Systems Readiness Technology Conference (AUTOTESTCON’98). Salt Lake City, UT, USA: IEEE Press, 1998: 48–53.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Rankin C. The software testing automation framework [J]. IBM System Journal, 2002, 41(1): 126–139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Cashar E E. Development of a TPS reuse library using COTS tools [J]. IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine, 1997, 12(10): 12–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Sundmark D, Pettersson A, Thane H. Regression testing of multi-tasking real-time systems: A problem statement [J]. ACM SIGBED Review, 2005, 2(2): 31–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Skoglund M, Runeson P. A case study on regression test suite maintenance in system evolution [C]//Proceedings of 20th IEEE International Conference on Software Maintenance (ICSM’ 04). Los Alamitos, CA, USA: IEEE Computer Society Press, 2004: 438–442.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Fewster M, Graham D. Software test automation [M]. New York, USA: Addison-Wesley, 1999: 9–18.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Boehm B W. Software engineering economics [J]. IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, 1984, SE-10(1): 4–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Guo-qiang Wang  (王国强).

Additional information

Foundation item: the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 90718037)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kan, Hx., Wang, Gq., Wang, Zd. et al. A method of minimum reusability estimation for automated software testing. J. Shanghai Jiaotong Univ. (Sci.) 18, 360–365 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12204-013-1406-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12204-013-1406-1

Key words

CLC number

Navigation