Software Test Tools

Software test tools offer a great deal of power and leverage to software testing. The right tools used in the right ways can add speed and precision to software testing tasks that manually could take days or weeks to perform.

I helped one of my financial clients automate the testing of an application that allowed the test time to decrease from 8 hours every day to 15 minutes each day!

This allowed the tester who was formerly tied to the same test day after day to focus on more creative and meaningful testing of other applications.

(By the way, I have no agreements, ties, contracts, etc. with any tool vendor. I am totally independent.)

What Does it Take to Be Successful with Test Tools?

First, you must understand your organization's maturity and capabilities in the context of test tools. One way to do this is by having a software test maturity assessment performed. This is a service we have performed for some of the most influential companies in the world. In this assessment we look at:

• Your testing goals,
• The testing processes and practices currently in use,
• The skill levels of testers
• The test organization and structure,
• Tools already owned (and perhaps in use),
  
• The readiness to introduce new tools and practices,
• The risks,
• The level of management investment and support,
• Your business needs.

The deliverable from this assessment is a detailed report with recommendations and an action plan.

Once you understand where you are at in terms of testing practice and skills, you can know which tools might be the most beneficial.

I have identified at least ten common challenges of just test automation alone, not to mention other types of tool usage. You can read the article here.

Where Do Tools Fit?

To be successful in software testing, you need:

• A sound process
• Trained and motivated people
• The right tools

All managed in a controlled environment.

So, tools are an important part of the testing process, but not the only part!

Before You Spend Tons on Money on Tools...

Call me (405-691-8075) or contact me here. I've worked with software test tools since their inception around 1988. I have seen some really sad mistakes made in the purchase of tools. In some cases, hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent with nothing to show in return. I can help you build the right foundation for software test tools and test automation. Then, you can be one of the success stories in software test automation!