Static Testing - Software Testing: Testing Across the Entire Software Development Life Cycle - page 98

the list of reviewer's suspected problems, and author's suggest corrective actions in
order to negotiate an agreed corrective action.
Walk-throughs are the most formal and most time-consuming document test-
ing techniques, but they are the most effective at identifying content problems. The
walk-through is a scheduled meeting with a facilitator, the document author, and
an audience of senior technical staff and possibly business staff. The author must
scrub the document for cosmetic errors and send the document to all participants
in advance of the meeting. The participants read the document and formulate ques-
tions about the document contents based on their own knowledge of the new system
or application. At the appointed time, the author presents his or her document to the
walk-through meeting. The facilitator becomes the clearinghouse for questions by
the audience and answers by the author. The facilitator also ensures that the ques-
tions are posed in an objective, nonthreatening way. The walk-through facilitator
documents all suspected content problems and author responses for later resolution
by the project manager in a manner similar to the inspection resolutions.

6.5 TRACKING DEFECTS DETECTED BY STATIC
TESTING

Each of the previously described static testing techniques involved writing down sus-
pected or confi rmed content problems, their suggested or negotiated corrective action, and
a correction completion date. These lists can be managed using simple tools like spread-
sheets or complex tools like databases. Either way, there are two compelling reasons for
recording and tracking these defects to correction. The fi rst reason is to enable the project
management to verify the corrections are actually applied to the tested document in a
timely manner. The second reason is to demonstrate the importance of current, correct
documentation to the early success of the project. Without defect tracking as a reminder to
get the documentation right, the attitude of “I'll document that after I've written the code”
will rise up and make Capers Jones' gloomy prediction a reality for your project too.

6.6 PUTTING STATIC TESTING IN PERSPECTIVE

Static testing is one of the most frequently overlooked testing approaches. The mis-
taken impression of static testing is that it takes up time and effort that could be
better spent on designing the system or writing the software. In fact, a few well spent
hours static testing the development project documentation as it is written could save
the project hundreds of hours correcting or redesigning the code caused by poor
documentation in the fi rst place.

KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

Static testing
Desk checks

Inspections
Presentations