Independence Testing

The degree of independence avoids author bias and is often more effective at finding defects and failures. Simply the mindset we want to use while testing and reviewing is different from the one we use while analyzing or developing an application. I mean if we are developing or building an application our approaches will be positive and we working positively to solve the problems in the design and to realize a product that meets some need. However, when we test or review a product, that means we are looking for defects and faults in the product and thus we act negatively and critical of it.

Suppose if we want to participate in cookery show, we select a dish, collect the ingredients, we cook it step by step and select the table required and present it in a delicious way. We try hard to win in the competition. If we are not participants, if we are judge of particular cookery show. Our mindset changes. We start examining in detail and critically each and every thing. To differentiate between the chefs and their performance, we praise them and as well as disclose their defects. The same happens in the software testing also. Building a software requires different mindset and testing t

he software requires a different mindset.

It doesn’t mean that a programmer cannot be a tester or a tester cannot be a programmer, although their roles in the software industry are different and separate. In fact even developers do testing. They test their on code what they have written and the integration of the system into the system.So with a right mindset programmers test their own code and find defects and resole them before someone notices them. However one cannot find all the defects on his own, some right person is necessary to find out complete correctness of the system. That will be a tester. So, Business analysts, marketing staff, architects and programmers often rely on others to help to test their work. This other person might be a fellow analyst, designer or developer. A person who will use the software may help test it. Business analysts who worked on requirements may do some tests. Testing professionals or specialists are always involved in testing the systems and builds. In fact, testing may involve a people carrying of different level of testing. This allows an independent test to the system.

Independent testing is performed by testing specialists who have not been involved in the system’s development to ensure whether the delivered software is meeting both functional and non-functional requirements.There are many industries who follow these Independence testing. There are many levels of independence testing here we have a level which is listed here from the lowest level of independence to the highest:

• Tests by the person who wrote the item.
• Tests by another person within the same team, like another programmer.
• Tests by the person from some different group such as an independent test team
• Tests by a person from a different organization or company, such as outsourced testing or certification by an external body.

When we think about how independent the test team is? It is really very important to understand that independence is not an either/or condition but a range. At one end of the range lies there will be no independence because the programmer performs testing within the programming team. Moving toward independence, we find an integrated tester or group of testers working with the programmers, and reporting to the development manager. Then moving little bit more towards independence we find a team of testers who are independent and outside the development team, but reporting to project management , means they are from trhe same organisation but from different team.In the next stage, we see a separate test team reporting into the organization at a point equal to the development or project team. We find specialists in the business domain (such as users of the system), specialists in technology (such as database experts), and specialists in testing (such as security testers, certification testers, or test automation experts) in a separate test team, as part of a larger independent test team, or as part of a contract, outsourced test team.They are completely from different organisation who just test the prodcts. So this is how independent testing is done.

Advantages of Independence Testing

• An independent tester can repeatedly find out more, other, and different defects than a tester working within a programming team or a programmer.
• Hidden defects can be identified because all professionals are involved
• An independent tester who reports to senior management can report his results honestly and without any concern that might result from pointing out problems in coworkers and the manager’s work.
• An independent test team often has a separate budget, which helps ensure the proper level of money is spent on tester training, testing tools, test equipment, etc

Risks of independence and integrated testing:

• There is a possibility that the testers and the test team can get isolated. This leads to communication problems, feelings of unfriendliness and hostility.
• Lack of identification with and support for the project goals, spontaneous blame festivals and organisational politics may occur.

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