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Traditional methods of managing and executing tests are disappearing into the past and almost every test specific area of IT now has a range of supporting tools available on the market. In this burgeoning industry, it is not possible for a test manager to monitor the evolution of each test tool, including any new techniques that it may bring to the area, so tool selection can be a challenging and involved process.
Finding the right test tools for your organisation is an important contributor towards optimising your test processes and this can be achieved with a well planned and controlled selection process. With a structured and systematic approach, tool selection activity will not only indicate the strong and weak aspects of each tool, but also give a high-level overview of the current situation in the market which could be important in making long term commitments to a specific vendor.
On the other hand, getting this wrong by ignoring a simple set of rules for strategic/schematic approach in test tool selection may lead to time and budget wasted on expensive licences, setup, training and support for an unsuitable tool that will eventually end up as a “shelf-ware” or not being used to its full capability. Negative consequences of a tool that is poorly selected and implemented may not appear until quite far into the project. This will either heavily impact the project schedule and cost, or will result in a poor quality product delivery.
Through our in-depth experience of best practice testing and processes, Testhouse fully understand the problems that can be associated with finding the correct tools for your organisation, implementing test tools and the related processes, and getting the return on your investment. To aid this process, Testhouse has identified the following five steps as being critical in the test tool selection process:
1. Well defined requirements - The first and most important step is to identify and document test tool requirements. This document has to be reviewed and agreed by project managers and team leaders to minimise the risk. Simply, you have to understand what you are looking for. This is the starting point for the tool selection process as well as for the way this tool will be used in the project.
2. Tool Shortlist - This will normally consist of tools you or other project members have previously had experience with, plus tools recommended in news groups or testing forums. This list will have to be shortened to several tools which best meet you criteria.
3. Vendors – In long term projects you should be well aware of the tool vendor before committing to it. Customer support services as well as tool potential and roadmaps might make a significant impact on your final decision.
4. Demos – Many vendors will make trial versions of their software available for download. Do not ignore the possibility to try out the tool in terms of its features. Although often limited, this is a good way to get a feel of the product. However, this should not be the decisive moment in the process as most tools will require qualified approach to implement and trials may not have the full range of tool features.
5. Proof of Concept - The final decision will require having good/detailed awareness of the subject. Even with hours spent reading vendor knowledge bases and forums, you may still need to actually try the tool in your current working environment before buying the licenses. It is recommended to arrange the “Proof of Concept” meetings with certified consultants, such as those employed by Testhouse, to get the deeper overview of the subject.
As well as following this proven process, Testhouse can add value to our clients through having close links with many of the leading test tool vendors and expertise in a range of test tools. This enables us to provide in-depth knowledge of each product and its licensing arrangements, and also provide assistance in choosing the best fit tools for your specific situation. In the long-term this ensures that you get most out of your chosen toolset.
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