31-10-2012, 12:35 PM
The testing estimation process
Testing Estimation Process.doc (Size: 42.5 KB / Downloads: 29)
In my opinion, one of the most difficult and critical activities in IT is the estimation process. I believe that it occurs because when we say that one project will be accomplished in such time by at such cost, it must happen. If it does not happen, several things may follow: from peers’ comments and senior management’s warnings to being fired depending on the reasons and seriousness of the failure.
Before even thinking of moving to Systems test at my organization, I always heard from the development group members that the estimations made by the Systems test group were too long and expensive. Then, when I arrived at my new seat, I tried to understand the testing estimation process.
The testing estimation process in place was quite simple. The inputs for the process, provided by the development team, were: the size of the development team and the number of working days needed for building a solution before starting systems tests.
The testing estimation process said that the number of testing engineers would be half of the number of development engineers and one third of the number of development working days.
The new testing estimation process
Besides being simple, that process worked fine for different projects and years. But, I was not happy with this approach and my officemates from the development group were not, either. Metrics, project analogies, expertise, requirements, nothing were being used to support the estimation process.
I mentioned my thoughts to the testing group. We could not stand the estimation process for very long. I, myself, was not convinced to support it any more. Then, some rules were implemented in order to establish a new process.
Those rules are being shared below. I know that they are not complete and it was not my intention for estimating but, from now, I have strong arguments to discuss my estimation when someone doubts my numbers.