Overview of Testing - Software Testing: Testing Across the Entire Software Development Life Cycle - page 25

1.5.4 Who Is on the Test Team?
As with all other software professions, the software testing profession has entry-
level skills, intermediate-level skills, and advanced skills. A good test team has a
mix of skill levels represented by its members. This enables the more experienced
testers to be responsible for the test planning, scheduling, and analysis of test re-
sults. The intermediate-level testers can work within the test plan to create the
test scenarios, cases, and scripts that follow the plan. Then, with the advice and
mentoring of the senior testers, a mix of intermediate-level and entry-level testers
executes the tests.
1.6 PUTTING SOFTWARE TESTING
IN PERSPECTIVE
Billions of dollars in business are lost annually because companies and software
vendors fail to adequately test their software systems and products. These kinds of
business losses are expected to continue as long as testing is considered just another
checkmark on a “To-do” list or a task given to employees who are on the bench and
have nothing else to do.
Testing is, in fact, a professional role that requires technical skills and a mindset
that encourages the early discovery of the problems that represent real business
risks. Although this textbook covers software testing in detail, many of the testing
concepts and techniques it presents can be applied to other engineering disciplines
and professions, as well as many personal pursuits.
1.7 SUMMARY
There are many opportunities for testing in both professional and personal life. We
fi rst explored some examples of non-computer-related testing that show patterns of
thinking and behavior useful for software testing. Then, we examined some of the
boundaries imposed upon testing by fi nancial considerations, time considerations,
and other business limitations.
1.7.1 The Four Primary Objectives of Testing
Testing can be applied to a wide range of development projects in a large number
of industries. In contrast to the diversity of testing scenarios and uses is a common
underpinning of objectives. The primary motivation for testing all business devel-
opment projects is the same: to reduce the risk of unplanned expense or, worse,
the risk of failure. This primary motivation is divided into four interrelated testing
objectives.