Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
B
Back-to-back testing:
Testing in which two or more variants of a component or
system are executed with the same inputs, the outputs compared, and analyzed in
cases of discrepancies. [IEEE 610]
Baseline:
A specification or software product that has been formally reviewed or
agreed upon, that thereafter serves as the basis for further development, and that
can be changed only through a formal change control process. [IEEE 610]
Basic block:
A sequence of one or more consecutive executable statements contain-
ing no branches.
Basis test set:
A set of test cases derived from the internal structure of a component or
specification to ensure that 100% of a specified coverage criterion will be achieved.
Behavior:
The response of a component or system to a set of input values and
preconditions.
Benchmark test:
(1) A standard against which measurements or comparisons can
be made. (2) A test that can be used to compare components or systems to each
other or to a standard as in (1). [IEEE 610]
Bespoke software:
Software developed specifically for a set of users or customers.
The opposite is off-the-shelf software. Also known as custom software.
Best practice:
A superior method or innovative practice that contributes to the
improved performance of an organization under given context, usually recognized
as “best” by other peer organizations.
Beta testing:
Operational testing by potential and/or existing users/customers at
an external site not otherwise involved with the developers, to determine whether
or not a component or system satisfies the user/customer needs and fits within the
business processes. Beta testing is often employed as a form of external acceptance
testing for off-the-shelf software in order to acquire feedback from the market.
Big bang testing:
A type of integration testing in which software elements, hard-
ware elements, or both are combined all at once into a component or an overall
system, rather than in stages. [IEEE 610] See also
integration testing
.
Black box technique:
See
black box test design technique
.
Black box testing:
Testing, either functional or nonfunctional, without reference
to the internal structure of the component or system.
Black box test design technique:
Procedure to derive and/or select test cases based
on an analysis of the specification, either functional or nonfunctional, of a compo-
nent or system without reference to its internal structure.
Blocked test case:
A test case that cannot be executed because the preconditions
for its execution are not fulfilled.
Bottom-up testing:
An incremental approach to integration testing where the
lowest-level components are tested first and then used to facilitate the testing of
higher-level components. This process is repeated until the component at the top of
the hierarchy is tested. See also
integration testing
.
