Test effort Estimation is done in predicting the cost of a project based on Resource, Time, skill and Environment setup.

1. INDIUM SOFTWARE
An Independent Software Testing Firm
Test Effort Estimation – A Reason
Behind Successful Testing
“Business Assurance through Quality Assurance”

2. © 2014 Indium Software
ENHANCING SOFTWARE QUALITY
Agenda
2
 Results of Poor Estimation
 Overview of Test Effort Estimation
 Why, Who and How to do Effort Estimation?
 Effort Estimation Factors
 Estimation Techniques
 Test Point Analysis
 Complexity Measurements
 Effort Estimation Accuracy
 Merits & Demerits of TPA
 Key Takeaways

3. © 2014 Indium Software
ENHANCING SOFTWARE QUALITY
Results of Poor Estimation
3
Maximum Effort
Expected
Testing
Outcome
A
C
T
U
A
L
O
U
T
C
O
M
E

4. © 2014 Indium Software
ENHANCING SOFTWARE QUALITY
Overview of Test Effort Estimation
4
Estimation is done in predicting the cost of a project based on Resource, Time, skill
and Environment setup.
Resources
Schedule
Environment
Skills

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Why, Who and How to do Effort
Estimation?
5
To avoid the exceeding timescales
and overshooting budget
Project Team,
SQA Team,
Testing
Organizations
and Customers
Proven Technology, Available
Documentation, Assumptions
and Calculated Risks

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Effort Estimation Factors
6
Effort
Estimation
Factors
Size of
the
system
Types of
Testing
Required
AS IS
Non
Testing
Activities
Test
Cycles

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Estimation Techniques
7
 Use historical data from other projects
 Your organization's approach
 Work Breakdown Structure
 Delphi method
 Expert Judgement
 Best Guess/Ad-hoc method
 Test Point Analysis

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Test Point Analysis
8
ESTIMATED
EFFORT
PROJECT
ATTRIBUTES
REQUIREMENTS
TEST POINT
ANALYSIS
TEST POINTS
ESTIMATE
TESTING
EFFORT
 Number of Verification Points
 Number of Transactions
 Interfaces
 Baseline Test Data
 Testing Type
 Application Under Test
ATTRIBUTES
TO BE
CONSIDERED
UPLIFTS

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Complexity Measurements
9
Effort Calculation – Sample Template
S.No
Test
Scenario
Description
Type of
Testing
Number
of Test
Steps
Number of
Test Steps
Weightage
Number
of
Screens
Number of
Screens
Weightage
Number
of
Validatio
n Points
Number of
Validation
Points
Weightage
Number
of
Inputs
Number of
Inputs
Weightage
Total
Complexity
Weight
Complexity
of the Test
Case
Test Points
per Test
Case
1
TR1- Test
Scenario-1
Manual-
Functional
2 0.2 3 0.2 11 1.0 6 0.6 0.5 Medium 2.00
2
TR1-Test
Scenario-2
Manual-
Functional
6 0.6 8 0.6 1 0.2 6 0.6 0.5 Medium 2.00
Test Points & Uplifts
Total Test Points 20.00
Uplifts(in percentage % w.r.to Total Test Points)
For Retesting & Rework 5% 1.00
For Environment Issues / Downtime / etc. 5% 1.00
For co-ordination, Calls / Meetings 10% 2.00
For other reasons, if any 0% 0.00
Final Test Points 24.00
Effort Calculation
Baseline Effort per Test Point (in hours) 1.0
Overall Effort (in man minutes) 1440
Analysis & Design 40% 576
Review 10% 144
Execution 35% 504
Defect Tracking 15% 216
Number of Test Steps Number of Screens Number of Validation Points Number of Input Complexity Weightage Test Point
<=5 <=5 <=5 <=5 Simple 0.2 1.00
6 to 10 6 to 10 6 to 10 6 to 10 Medium 0.3 to 0.6 2.00
>=11 >=11 >=11 >=11 Complex 0.7 to 1.0 4.00

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Effort Estimation Accuracy
10
Activities Planned Days Actual Days
Planning 3 2.5
Test Design 30 29
Review 3 3
Execution 20 18.5
Defect Cycle 10 12 3
30
3
20
10
2.5
29
3
18.5
12
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Planned Days
Actual Days
Test Point Analysis
93%
Other Techniques
76%

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Merits & Demerits of TPA
11
Demerits
× Dependency on test phase
specific factors like test data
complexity, test environment
setup, network latency, etc.
× Can be effectively applied when
proper understanding or KT
session is offered.
× Not applicable when requirements
are inadequate or ambiguous.
× No universally accepted or
benchmarked data available on
various weights used in the
method
Merits
 Easy to implement and reflect real
complexity of test cases
 Independent with the number
of steps
 Improved Test Estimation Accuracy
 Testing Size is estimated–
makes it amenable to
productivity computation,
comparison and benchmarking

12. © 2014 Indium Software
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Key Takeaways
12
Expected
Testing
Outcome
Required Effort
Simple, Easy to Understand and
relatively accurate
Significant reduction of test effort
estimation variance
Efficient planning, execution
and monitoring of tasks
involved in testing life cycle
Built around boundaries and
expectations

13. © 2014 Indium Software
ENHANCING SOFTWARE QUALITY
13
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