4 research outputs found
Some Theory Concerning Certification of Mathematical Subroutines by Black Box Testing
Several inequalities are derived for use in certifying function subroutines by means of black box testing. It is assumed that a function is approximated by means of a polynomial of limited degree on a closed interval. These inequalities give upper bounds on the error of the approximation over the entire interval based on the error measured over a finite sample and known properties of the function
Structural testing techniques for the selective revalidation of software
The research in this thesis addresses the subject of regression testing. Emphasis is placed on developing a technique for selective revalidation which can be used during software maintenance to analyse and retest only those parts of the program affected by changes. In response to proposed program modifications, the technique assists the maintenance programmer in assessing the extent of the program alterations, in selecting a representative set of test cases to rerun, and in identifying any test cases in the test suite which are no longer required because of the program changes. The proposed technique involves the application of code analysis techniques and operations research. Code analysis techniques are described which derive information about the structure of a program and are used to determine the impact of any modifications on the existing program code. Methods adopted from operations research are then used to select an optimal set of regression tests and to identify any redundant test cases. These methods enable software, which has been validated using a variety of structural testing techniques, to be retested. The development of a prototype tool suite, which can be used to realise the technique for selective revalidation, is described. In particular, the interface between the prototype and existing regression testing tools is discussed. Moreover, the effectiveness of the technique is demonstrated by means of a case study and the results are compared with traditional regression testing strategies and other selective revalidation techniques described in this thesis
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Guidelines for the verification and validation of expert system software and conventional software: Survey and assessment of conventional software verification and validation methods. Volume 2
By means of a literature survey, a comprehensive set of methods was identified for the verification and validation of conventional software. The 153 methods so identified were classified according to their appropriateness for various phases of a developmental life-cycle -- requirements, design, and implementation; the last category was subdivided into two, static testing and dynamic testing methods. The methods were then characterized in terms of eight rating factors, four concerning ease-of-use of the methods and four concerning the methods` power to detect defects. Based on these factors, two measurements were developed to permit quantitative comparisons among methods, a Cost-Benefit metric and an Effectiveness Metric. The Effectiveness Metric was further refined to provide three different estimates for each method, depending on three classes of needed stringency of V&V (determined by ratings of a system`s complexity and required-integrity). Methods were then rank-ordered for each of the three classes by terms of their overall cost-benefits and effectiveness. The applicability was then assessed of each for the identified components of knowledge-based and expert systems, as well as the system as a whole