Just Enough Software Test Automation

Requirements-Based Approaches

Requirements-Driven Cause-Effect Testing

Elmendorf describes the Cause-Effect graphing method as “disciplined specification-based testing.” (4,5) Based on Elmendorf's work, Myers defines a Cause-Effect Graph as “a formal language into which a natural-language specification is translated.” (16) The graph is a “combinatorial logic network” using notation similar to, but simpler than, standard electronics notation. More precisely, it is a Boolean graph describing the semantic content of a written functional specification as logical relationships between causes (inputs) and effects (outputs).

Because Cause-Effect graphing is a Black Box technique, it can be used early in the development process in conjunction with review ...