Model-Based Testing Essentials - Guide to the ISTQB Certified Model-Based Tester

4ASPECTS TO CONSIDER BEFORE YOU START WRITING AN MBT MODEL

This chapter covers the learning objectives of syllabus Section 2.1 “MBT Modeling.”

There are probably as many different instances of model-based testing (MBT) approaches as companies applying this technique. The way we write and process our model strongly depends on the global approach, the system under test, the test objectives and the technical realization, that is, the tool chain.

The modeling activity is the most crucial part of MBT. This is where you spend most of your time. It is also the activity with largest impact on process quality. A bad MBT model leads to bad test cases. A good MBT model not only leads to good test cases, but also to good requirements, because it provides a comprehensive and understandable overview on the system under test, its environment, or the tests themselves. Therefore, writing the MBT model requires special care, starting with some preliminary considerations.

4.1 PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS ON MBT MODELING

4.1.1 What Exactly Do I Want to Test?

First, we have to determine our test objectives and, thus, the scope of our MBT model. The question to ask is “What exactly do I want to test?” The answer strongly depends on the test level (component, integration, system testing, and/or acceptance testing). We also have different tests for verification and validation. During verification, we check whether the system under test was implemented as specified. We compare the system behavior with ...