HIGH ASSURANCE SOFTWARE TESTING IN BUSINESS AND DOD

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Sahinoglu, Mehmet | Bayrak, Coskun | Cummings, Timothy

Affiliations: Department of Computer and Information Science, Troy State University Montgomery, Montgomery, AL | Computer Science Department, Donaghey College of Information Science and Systems Engineering, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, AR | HQ Standard Systems Group, Maxwell AFB – Gunter Annex, Montgomery, AL

Abstract: This paper argues that software testing can be less thorough yet more efficient if applied in a well-managed, empirical manner across the entire Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). To ensure success, testing must be planned and executed within an Earned Value Management (EVM) paradigm. A specific example of empirical software testing is given: the Empirical Bayesian Stopping Rule (EBSR). The Stopping Rule is applied to an actual Department of Defense (DoD) software development to show potential gains with respect to archaic testing methods that were used. The result is that a considerable percentage of the particular testing effort could have been saved under usual circumstances, had the testing been planned and executed under EVM with the Empirical Bayesian Stopping Rule algorithm.

Journal: Journal of Integrated Design & Process Science, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 107-114, 2002