Software Development Team Roles

Software Development Team Roles

• Requirements Engineer: Critical link between client and IT team; also known as Business Analyst or Product Owner
• Product Owner: Gathers client requirements, documents them as product backlog and user stories to ensure customer needs are met
• UI (User Interface): Represents visual elements of application users interact with
• UX (User Experience): Focuses on overall design and usability; UX design informs creation of test scenarios and cases. Software testers validate
• Front-End Developer: Converts UI designs into functional code forming the visible part of an application
• Full-Stack Developer: Handles front-end and back-end development, bridging client-side and server-side operations.
• Native Application Developer: Develops applications specific to operating systems (Android or iOS) to ensure optimal performance
• Project Manager: Oversees project schedule, allocates time for each phase including testing and resolves team conflicts (between developers and testers) related to defects
• Scrum Master: Facilitates communication between team members

Software Development Lifecycle Models (SDLC)

• Sequential Development: Strict sequence of steps; once a step completes, there is no going back.

• Phases: Analysis, Design, Implementation

• Analysis: Led by Requirements Engineer/Product Owner; writes specifications (SRS or PRD) or user stories

• Design: UI design, database schemas, and other system designs are created

• Implementation: Developers write code and begin testing

• Waterfall Model: Linear and rigid phases.

• Phases: Requirements, Design, Development, Testing, Deployment, Maintenance

• Drawbacks: Testing occurs late, making early issue identification difficult; less favored by modern companies

• V-Model: Similar to Waterfall, emphasizing early testing.

• Testing activities are planned in parallel with corresponding development phases

• Agile Software Development: Focuses on early and continuous customer feedback for iterative development.

• Incremental Development: Delivers small, functional increments of the product over time

• Iterative Development: Develops the product in cycles; refining with every iteration based on feedback

• Scrum: Agile framework with iterative sprints, daily stand-ups, and regular reviews to ensure product aligns with client expectations

Basic Concepts of Software Testing

• Definition of Software Testing: Method to evaluate software quality, reducing operational failures. Involves various activities throughout the development lifecycle, not just test execution.

• Types of Software Testing

• Dynamic Testing: Executes code; inputs produced outputs

• Static Testing: Does not execute code; reviews (white-box tests) support early testing

• Categories of Software Testing

• Validation: Ensures product meets customer requirements

• Verification: Confirms the product is built correctly according to design specifications

• Objectives of Testing: Identify and fix defects, meet quality standards, and ensure intended functionality across various scenarios

• Testing and Debugging

• Testing: Identifies defects/failures in software

• Debugging: Locates and fixes the cause of detected defects

• Confirmation Testing (Retesting): Repeats steps that caused a defect to confirm resolution

Test Process

• Steps for developing and testing software effectively
• Test processes activities: Testing planning, Monitoring & Control, Analysis, Design, Implementation, Execution, Completion

Test Levels

• Test levels: Organized groups of test activities
• Each test level is an instance of the test process
• Test levels are related to other activities within the software development lifecycle
• Component Testing: Tests individual components/units of software
• Integration Testing: Validates interactions between integrated components/systems
• System Testing: Verifies the entire system meets requirements
• Acceptance Testing: Ensures the product satisfies customer needs and is ready to deploy
• Alpha Testing: Conducted in-house by development team
• Beta Testing: Performed by end-users in real-world environment

Testing Types

• Functional Testing: Validates software functionality against requirements
• Tests what the system does; usually answered as Yes/No
• Non-Functional Testing: Assesses aspects like performance, usability, and security
• Testing how the system performs; Hard to answer with Yes/No; Measured as a range
• Black-Box Testing: Focuses on inputs and outputs without considering internal code structure
• White-Box Testing: Involves reviewing the internal code structure and design; Tests while monitoring the internal structure
• Dynamic Testing: Involves executing the code

Additional Testing Types

• Retesting (Confirmation Testing): Verifies previously identified defects are fixed
• Regression Testing: Ensures that recent changes have not impacted existing functionality
• Smoke Testing: Preliminary test to verify basic functionality; checks if main functionalities of the build allow for further testing.