Testing SAP R/3: A Manager's Step-by-Step Guide

Chapter 2. Status Quo Review of Existing Testing Practices

In order to establish a successful SAP testing program it is important to determine what strengths and weaknesses the existing testing approach offers. The status quo for many SAP projects is outdated testing documentation, underutilized automated test tools, overlooked lessons learned, and testing resources who are fillers or standins until a formal and dedicated test team is established.

Reviewing the status quo requires elimination of flawed testing practices and the furthering of successful practices. Naturally, this is easier to discern when lessons learned are captured. However, even in the absence of lessons learned, it is possible to dissect and detect the program's testing strengths and weaknesses by reviewing the project's methodologies, reviewing the reported defects, holding testing seminars, or hiring third-party organizations that specialize in software testing.

HOW ARE YOU TESTING?

Project managers at most SAP installations have the perception that their projects follow structured testing approaches, that their project members "know how to test," and that they successfully completed testing for previous system releases. While this notion is prevalent at many SAP installations, most SAP installations cannot accurately answer the following 10 questions:

1. What is the number of fulfilled testable requirements for a previous testing cycle, or how does the system design trace back to all captured functional, development, ...