Overview of Structured Testing - Software Testing: Testing Across the Entire Software Development Life Cycle - page 59

Chapter 3

Overview of Structured Testing

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

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to recognize the value of checklists for technology processes
to simplify the plethora of testing checklists
to examine the usefulness of a robust, generic testing checklist

3.1 INTRODUCTION

The introduction to this topic uses examples from the automobile industry to
illustrate how testers think. This chapter will use examples from the aircraft industry
to illustrate how testers plan.
In the mid-1930s, aircrafts were complex machines with metal skins and
powerful engines that could fl y high (10,000 ft) and fast (100 mph) for a substantial
distance (500 miles). War clouds began to form over Europe. In preparation for
possible involvement in a European confl ict, the U.S. Army Air Corps asked the
American aircraft manufacturers to build a “multi-engine bomber” that would fl y
higher (20,000 ft) and faster (250 mph) and farther (1000 miles) than any aircraft in
existence. The new aircraft needed to do all these things and carry a 2-ton payload
(bombs). Martin, Douglas, and Boeing aircraft manufacturers responded with plans
and subsequent hand-built fl ying prototypes. The fi rst fl ight tests revealed the Boeing
Model 299 to perform better than Martin's 146 or Douglas's DB-1; furthermore, the
Model 299 exceeded all government specifi cations. Jumping ahead in the story, one
fi nal compulsory fl ight for all competitors stood between Boeing and a business-
rescuing government contract for 18 of these new bombers.
On October 30, 1935, the Boeing Model 299 prototype took off for its fi nal ac-
ceptance fl ight … and promptly plunged to earth, killing all on board and completely
destroying the prototype. In accordance with government bidding rules, the contract
for new bombers was given to second place Martin whose prototype did fi nish the
mandatory fi nal acceptance fl ight. [16]