Effectiveness of a Software Engineering Solution

Developing a report to synthesise feedback

• Compile feedback from all sources - users, peers, automated tests, and logs
• Include summaries of each feedback category
• Identify common patterns and recurring issues across feedback sources
• Assess whether the solution meets the original requirements and stakeholder expectations
• Make recommendations for further development or improvements

Developing a test plan

• Objectives - what you want to achieve through testing
• Test cases - specific inputs, expected results, and test steps
• Test data - values used for testing, including edge cases
• Schedule - when each phase of testing will occur
• Resources - who will conduct the tests and tools needed

Testing data used/generated based on path and boundary testing

Path testing

• Ensures all logical paths in the program are executed at least once
• Branching and condition coverage - every branch of an if/else or loop must be tested
• Identifies unreachable code and logic gaps
• Test data is designed to trigger each unique path through the program

Boundary testing

• Focuses on values at the end of valid input ranges
• Catch off-by-one errors or data validation issues
• Test at the exact boundary, one below, and one above the limit
• Examples: testing minimum and maximum accepted values for a form field

Comparing actual output with expected output

Each test case should define the input values, expected output, actual output, and pass/fail status.

• Discrepancies between actual and expected output are documented
• Each discrepancy is diagnosed to identify its root cause
• Resolved through code changes, then retested to confirm the fix
• Results are recorded in the test plan for traceability