Standard Glossary of Terms used in Software Testing Version 3.2
Foundation (New) Terms
International Software Testing Qualifications Board
Copyright Notice
This document may be copied in its entirety, or extracts made, if the source is acknowledged.
Copyright © International Software Testing Qualifications Board (hereinafter called ISTQB®).
acceptance criteria
Ref: ISO 24765 The criteria that a component or system must satisfy in order to be accepted by a user, customer, or other authorized entity.
acceptance testing
Ref: After ISO 24765 See Also: user acceptance testing Formal testing with respect to user needs, requirements, and business processes conducted to determine whether or not a system satisfies the acceptance criteria and to enable the user, customers or other authorized entity to determine whether or not to accept the system.
accessibility
Ref: After ISO 25010 The degree to which a component or system can be used by people with the widest range of characteristics and capabilities to achieve a specified goal in a specified context of use.
accessibility testing
Ref: Gerrard Testing to determine the ease by which users with disabilities can use a component or system.
actual result
Synonyms: actual outcome The behavior produced/observed when a component or system is tested.
ad hoc reviewing
Ref: After ISO 20246 A review technique carried out by independent reviewers informally, without a structured process.
alpha testing
Simulated or actual operational testing conducted in the developer's test environment, by roles outside the development organization.
anomaly
Ref: IEEE 1044 See Also: defect, error, fault, failure, incident, problem Any condition that deviates from expectation based on requirements specifications, design documents, user documents, standards, etc., or from someone's perception or experience. Anomalies may be found during, but not limited to, reviewing, testing, analysis, compilation, or use of software products or applicable documentation.
audit
Ref: After IEEE 1028 An independent examination of a work product, process, or set of processes that is performed by a third party to assess compliance with specifications, standards, contractual agreements, or other criteria.
availability
Ref: After ISO 25010 The degree to which a component or system is operational and accessible when required for use.
Page: 2 of 29F oundation (New) Terms
behavior
The response of a component or system to a set of input values and preconditions.
beta testing
Synonyms: field testing Simulated or actual operational testing conducted at an external site, by roles outside the development organization.
black-box test technique
Synonyms: black-box technique , specification-based technique , specification-based test technique A procedure to derive and/or select test cases based on an analysis of the specification, either functional or non-functional, of a component or system without reference to its internal structure.
boundary value
A minimum or maximum value of an ordered equivalence partition.
boundary value analysis
See Also: boundary value A black-box test technique in which test cases are designed based on boundary values.
burndown chart
A publicly displayed chart that depicts the outstanding effort versus time in an iteration. It shows the status and trend of completing the tasks of the iteration. The X-axis typically represents days in the sprint, while the Y-axis is the remaining effort (usually either in ideal engineering hours or story points).
checklist-based reviewing
Ref: ISO 20246 A review technique guided by a list of questions or required attributes.
checklist-based testing
An experience-based test technique whereby the experienced tester uses a high-level list of items to be noted, checked, or remembered, or a set of rules or criteria against which a product has to be verified.
code coverage
An analysis method that determines which parts of the software have been executed (covered) by the test suite and which parts have not been executed, e.g., statement coverage, decision coverage or condition coverage.
commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)
Synonyms: off-the-shelf software A software product that is developed for the general market, i.e. for a large number of customers, and that is delivered to many customers in identical format.
compatibility
The degree to which a component or system can exchange information with other components or systems.
Page: 3 of 29F oundation (New) Terms
complexity
See Also: cyclomatic complexity The degree to which a component or system has a design and/or internal structure that is difficult to understand, maintain and verify.
compliance
Ref: IEEE 730 The capability of the software product to adhere to standards, conventions or regulations in laws and similar prescriptions.
component
Synonyms: module , unit A minimal part of a system that can be tested in isolation.
component integration testing
Synonyms: link testing Testing performed to expose defects in the interfaces and interactions between integrated components.
component specification
A description of a component's function in terms of its output values for specified input values under specified conditions, and required non-functional behavior (e.g., resourceutilization).
component testing
Ref: ISO 24765
Synonyms: module testing , unit testing The testing of individual hardware or software components.
condition
See Also: condition testing
Synonyms: branch condition A logical expression that can be evaluated as True or False, e.g., A>B.
configuration
The composition of a component or system as defined by the number, nature, and interconnections of its constituent parts.
configuration item
Ref: ISO 24765 An aggregation of work products that is designated for configuration management and treated as a single entity in the configuration management process.
configuration management
Ref: ISO 24765 A discipline applying technical and administrative direction and surveillance to identify and document the functional and physical characteristics of a configuration item, control changes to those characteristics, record and report change processing and implementation status, and verify compliance with specified requirements.
Page: 4 of 29F oundation (New) Terms
configuration management tool
A tool that provides support for the identification and control of configuration items, their status over changes and versions, and the release of baselines consisting of configuration items.
confirmation testing
Synonyms: re-testing Dynamic testing conducted after fixing defects with the objective to confirm that failures caused by those defects do not occur anymore.
contractual acceptance testing
Acceptance testing conducted to verify whether a system satisfies its contractual requirements.
control flow
Ref: ISO 29119 The sequence in which operations are performed during the execution of a test item.
cost of quality
The total costs incurred on quality activities and issues and often split into prevention costs, appraisal costs, internal failure costs and external failure costs.
coverage
Ref: After ISO 29119
Synonyms: test coverage The degree to which specified coverage items have been determined or have been exercised by a test suite expressed as a percentage.
coverage item
Ref: ISO 29119 An attribute or combination of attributes that is derived from one or more test conditions by using a test technique that enables the measurement of the thoroughness of the test execution.
coverage tool
Synonyms: coverage measurement tool A tool that provides objective measures of what structural elements, e.g., statements, branches have been exercised by a test suite.
data flow
Ref: Beiser An abstract representation of the sequence and possible changes of the state of data objects, where the state of an object is any of creation, usage, or destruction.
data-driven testing
Ref: Fewster and Graham See Also: keyword-driven testing A scripting technique that stores test input and expected results in a table or spreadsheet, so that a single control script can execute all of the tests in the table. Data-driven testing is often used to support the application of test execution tools such as capture/playback tools.
debugging
The process of finding, analyzing and removing the causes of failures in software.
Page: 5 of 29F oundation (New) Terms
decision
Ref: ISO 29119 A type of statement in which a choice between two or more possible outcomes controls which set of actions will result.
decision coverage
The coverage of decision outcomes.
decision outcome
The result of a decision that determines the next statement to be executed.
decision table
Ref: ISO 24765
Synonyms: cause-effect decision table A table used to show sets of conditions and the actions resulting from them.
decision table testing
Ref: Egler63 See Also: decision table A black-box test technique in which test cases are designed to execute the combinations of inputs and/or stimuli (causes) shown in a decision table.
decision testing
A white-box test technique in which test cases are designed to execute decision outcomes.
defect
Ref: After IEEE 1044
Synonyms: bug , fault An imperfection or deficiency in a work product where it does not meet its requirements or specifications.
defect density
Ref: After ISO 24765
Synonyms: fault density The number of defects per unit size of a work product.
defect management
See Also: incident management The process of recognizing and recording defects, classifying them, investigating them, taking action to resolve them, and disposing of them when resolved.
defect management tool
See Also: incident management tool
Synonyms: bug tracking tool , defect tracking tool A tool that facilitates the recording and status tracking of defects.
Standard Glossary of Terms used in Software Testing Version 3.2
Foundation (New) Terms
International Software Testing Qualifications Board
Copyright Notice
This document may be copied in its entirety, or extracts made, if the source is acknowledged.
Copyright © International Software Testing Qualifications Board (hereinafter called ISTQB®).
acceptance criteria
Ref: ISO 24765 The criteria that a component or system must satisfy in order to be accepted by a user, customer, or other authorized entity.
acceptance testing
Ref: After ISO 24765 See Also: user acceptance testing Formal testing with respect to user needs, requirements, and business processes conducted to determine whether or not a system satisfies the acceptance criteria and to enable the user, customers or other authorized entity to determine whether or not to accept the system.
accessibility
Ref: After ISO 25010 The degree to which a component or system can be used by people with the widest range of characteristics and capabilities to achieve a specified goal in a specified context of use.
accessibility testing
Ref: Gerrard Testing to determine the ease by which users with disabilities can use a component or system.
actual result
Synonyms: actual outcome The behavior produced/observed when a component or system is tested.
ad hoc reviewing
Ref: After ISO 20246 A review technique carried out by independent reviewers informally, without a structured process.
alpha testing
Simulated or actual operational testing conducted in the developer's test environment, by roles outside the development organization.
anomaly
Ref: IEEE 1044 See Also: defect, error, fault, failure, incident, problem Any condition that deviates from expectation based on requirements specifications, design documents, user documents, standards, etc., or from someone's perception or experience. Anomalies may be found during, but not limited to, reviewing, testing, analysis, compilation, or use of software products or applicable documentation.
audit
Ref: After IEEE 1028 An independent examination of a work product, process, or set of processes that is performed by a third party to assess compliance with specifications, standards, contractual agreements, or other criteria.
availability
Ref: After ISO 25010 The degree to which a component or system is operational and accessible when required for use.
Page: 2 of 29F oundation (New) Terms
behavior
The response of a component or system to a set of input values and preconditions.
beta testing
Synonyms: field testing Simulated or actual operational testing conducted at an external site, by roles outside the development organization.
black-box test technique
Synonyms: black-box technique , specification-based technique , specification-based test technique A procedure to derive and/or select test cases based on an analysis of the specification, either functional or non-functional, of a component or system without reference to its internal structure.
boundary value
A minimum or maximum value of an ordered equivalence partition.
boundary value analysis
See Also: boundary value A black-box test technique in which test cases are designed based on boundary values.
burndown chart
A publicly displayed chart that depicts the outstanding effort versus time in an iteration. It shows the status and trend of completing the tasks of the iteration. The X-axis typically represents days in the sprint, while the Y-axis is the remaining effort (usually either in ideal engineering hours or story points).
checklist-based reviewing
Ref: ISO 20246 A review technique guided by a list of questions or required attributes.
checklist-based testing
An experience-based test technique whereby the experienced tester uses a high-level list of items to be noted, checked, or remembered, or a set of rules or criteria against which a product has to be verified.
code coverage
An analysis method that determines which parts of the software have been executed (covered) by the test suite and which parts have not been executed, e.g., statement coverage, decision coverage or condition coverage.
commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)
Synonyms: off-the-shelf software A software product that is developed for the general market, i.e. for a large number of customers, and that is delivered to many customers in identical format.
compatibility
The degree to which a component or system can exchange information with other components or systems.
Page: 3 of 29F oundation (New) Terms
complexity
See Also: cyclomatic complexity The degree to which a component or system has a design and/or internal structure that is difficult to understand, maintain and verify.
compliance
Ref: IEEE 730 The capability of the software product to adhere to standards, conventions or regulations in laws and similar prescriptions.
component
Synonyms: module , unit A minimal part of a system that can be tested in isolation.
component integration testing
Synonyms: link testing Testing performed to expose defects in the interfaces and interactions between integrated components.
component specification
A description of a component's function in terms of its output values for specified input values under specified conditions, and required non-functional behavior (e.g., resourceutilization).
component testing
Ref: ISO 24765
Synonyms: module testing , unit testing The testing of individual hardware or software components.
condition
See Also: condition testing
Synonyms: branch condition A logical expression that can be evaluated as True or False, e.g., A>B.
configuration
The composition of a component or system as defined by the number, nature, and interconnections of its constituent parts.
configuration item
Ref: ISO 24765 An aggregation of work products that is designated for configuration management and treated as a single entity in the configuration management process.
configuration management
Ref: ISO 24765 A discipline applying technical and administrative direction and surveillance to identify and document the functional and physical characteristics of a configuration item, control changes to those characteristics, record and report change processing and implementation status, and verify compliance with specified requirements.
Page: 4 of 29F oundation (New) Terms
configuration management tool
A tool that provides support for the identification and control of configuration items, their status over changes and versions, and the release of baselines consisting of configuration items.
confirmation testing
Synonyms: re-testing Dynamic testing conducted after fixing defects with the objective to confirm that failures caused by those defects do not occur anymore.
contractual acceptance testing
Acceptance testing conducted to verify whether a system satisfies its contractual requirements.
control flow
Ref: ISO 29119 The sequence in which operations are performed during the execution of a test item.
cost of quality
The total costs incurred on quality activities and issues and often split into prevention costs, appraisal costs, internal failure costs and external failure costs.
coverage
Ref: After ISO 29119
Synonyms: test coverage The degree to which specified coverage items have been determined or have been exercised by a test suite expressed as a percentage.
coverage item
Ref: ISO 29119 An attribute or combination of attributes that is derived from one or more test conditions by using a test technique that enables the measurement of the thoroughness of the test execution.
coverage tool
Synonyms: coverage measurement tool A tool that provides objective measures of what structural elements, e.g., statements, branches have been exercised by a test suite.
data flow
Ref: Beiser An abstract representation of the sequence and possible changes of the state of data objects, where the state of an object is any of creation, usage, or destruction.
data-driven testing
Ref: Fewster and Graham See Also: keyword-driven testing A scripting technique that stores test input and expected results in a table or spreadsheet, so that a single control script can execute all of the tests in the table. Data-driven testing is often used to support the application of test execution tools such as capture/playback tools.
debugging
The process of finding, analyzing and removing the causes of failures in software.
Page: 5 of 29F oundation (New) Terms
decision
Ref: ISO 29119 A type of statement in which a choice between two or more possible outcomes controls which set of actions will result.
decision coverage
The coverage of decision outcomes.
decision outcome
The result of a decision that determines the next statement to be executed.
decision table
Ref: ISO 24765
Synonyms: cause-effect decision table A table used to show sets of conditions and the actions resulting from them.
decision table testing
Ref: Egler63 See Also: decision table A black-box test technique in which test cases are designed to execute the combinations of inputs and/or stimuli (causes) shown in a decision table.
decision testing
A white-box test technique in which test cases are designed to execute decision outcomes.
defect
Ref: After IEEE 1044
Synonyms: bug , fault An imperfection or deficiency in a work product where it does not meet its requirements or specifications.
defect density
Ref: After ISO 24765
Synonyms: fault density The number of defects per unit size of a work product.
defect management
See Also: incident management The process of recognizing and recording defects, classifying them, investigating them, taking action to resolve them, and disposing of them when resolved.
defect management tool
See Also: incident management tool
Synonyms: bug tracking tool , defect tracking tool A tool that facilitates the recording and status tracking of defects.
Ref: After ISO 24765
Synonyms: fault density The number of defects per unit size of a work product.
defect management
See Also: incident management The process of recognizing and recording defects, classifying them, investigating them, taking action to resolve them, and disposing of them when resolved.
defect management tool
See Also: incident management tool
Synonyms: bug tracking tool , defect tracking tool A tool that facilitates the recording and status tracking of defects.
Ref: After ISO 24765
Synonyms: fault density The number of defects per unit size of a work product.
defect management
See Also: incident management The process of recognizing and recording defects, classifying them, investigating them, taking action to resolve them, and disposing of them when resolved.
defect management tool
See Also: incident management tool
Synonyms: bug tracking tool , defect tracking tool A tool that facilitates the recording and status tracking of defects.
Ref: After ISO 24765
Synonyms: fault density The number of defects per unit size of a work product.
defect management
See Also: incident management The process of recognizing and recording defects, classifying them, investigating them, taking action to resolve them, and disposing of them when resolved.
defect management tool
See Also: incident management tool
Synonyms: bug tracking tool , defect tracking tool A tool that facilitates the recording and status tracking of defects.
Ref: After ISO 24765
Synonyms: fault density The number of defects per unit size of a work product.
defect management
See Also: incident management The process of recognizing and recording defects, classifying them, investigating them, taking action to resolve them, and disposing of them when resolved.
defect management tool
See Also: incident management tool
Synonyms: bug tracking tool , defect tracking tool A tool that facilitates the recording and status tracking of defects.
Ref: After ISO 24765
Synonyms: fault density The number of defects per unit size of a work product.
defect management
See Also: incident management The process of recognizing and recording defects, classifying them, investigating them, taking action to resolve them, and disposing of them when resolved.
defect management tool
See Also: incident management tool
Synonyms: bug tracking tool , defect tracking tool A tool that facilitates the recording and status tracking of defects.
Standard Glossary of Terms used in Software Testing Version 3.2
Foundation (New) Terms
International Software Testing Qualifications Board
Copyright Notice
This document may be copied in its entirety, or extracts made, if the source is acknowledged.
Copyright © International Software Testing Qualifications Board (hereinafter called ISTQB®).
acceptance criteria
Ref: ISO 24765 The criteria that a component or system must satisfy in order to be accepted by a user, customer, or other authorized entity.
acceptance testing
Ref: After ISO 24765 See Also: user acceptance testing Formal testing with respect to user needs, requirements, and business processes conducted to determine whether or not a system satisfies the acceptance criteria and to enable the user, customers or other authorized entity to determine whether or not to accept the system.
accessibility
Ref: After ISO 25010 The degree to which a component or system can be used by people with the widest range of characteristics and capabilities to achieve a specified goal in a specified context of use.
accessibility testing
Ref: Gerrard Testing to determine the ease by which users with disabilities can use a component or system.
actual result
Synonyms: actual outcome The behavior produced/observed when a component or system is tested.
ad hoc reviewing
Ref: After ISO 20246 A review technique carried out by independent reviewers informally, without a structured process.
alpha testing
Simulated or actual operational testing conducted in the developer's test environment, by roles outside the development organization.
anomaly
Ref: IEEE 1044 See Also: defect, error, fault, failure, incident, problem Any condition that deviates from expectation based on requirements specifications, design documents, user documents, standards, etc., or from someone's perception or experience. Anomalies may be found during, but not limited to, reviewing, testing, analysis, compilation, or use of software products or applicable documentation.
audit
Ref: After IEEE 1028 An independent examination of a work product, process, or set of processes that is performed by a third party to assess compliance with specifications, standards, contractual agreements, or other criteria.
availability
Ref: After ISO 25010 The degree to which a component or system is operational and accessible when required for use.
Page: 2 of 29F oundation (New) Terms
behavior
The response of a component or system to a set of input values and preconditions.
beta testing
Synonyms: field testing Simulated or actual operational testing conducted at an external site, by roles outside the development organization.
black-box test technique
Synonyms: black-box technique , specification-based technique , specification-based test technique A procedure to derive and/or select test cases based on an analysis of the specification, either functional or non-functional, of a component or system without reference to its internal structure.
boundary value
A minimum or maximum value of an ordered equivalence partition.
boundary value analysis
See Also: boundary value A black-box test technique in which test cases are designed based on boundary values.
burndown chart
A publicly displayed chart that depicts the outstanding effort versus time in an iteration. It shows the status and trend of completing the tasks of the iteration. The X-axis typically represents days in the sprint, while the Y-axis is the remaining effort (usually either in ideal engineering hours or story points).
checklist-based reviewing
Ref: ISO 20246 A review technique guided by a list of questions or required attributes.
checklist-based testing
An experience-based test technique whereby the experienced tester uses a high-level list of items to be noted, checked, or remembered, or a set of rules or criteria against which a product has to be verified.
code coverage
An analysis method that determines which parts of the software have been executed (covered) by the test suite and which parts have not been executed, e.g., statement coverage, decision coverage or condition coverage.
commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)
Synonyms: off-the-shelf software A software product that is developed for the general market, i.e. for a large number of customers, and that is delivered to many customers in identical format.
compatibility
The degree to which a component or system can exchange information with other components or systems.
Page: 3 of 29F oundation (New) Terms
complexity
See Also: cyclomatic complexity The degree to which a component or system has a design and/or internal structure that is difficult to understand, maintain and verify.
compliance
Ref: IEEE 730 The capability of the software product to adhere to standards, conventions or regulations in laws and similar prescriptions.
component
Synonyms: module , unit A minimal part of a system that can be tested in isolation.
component integration testing
Synonyms: link testing Testing performed to expose defects in the interfaces and interactions between integrated components.
component specification
A description of a component's function in terms of its output values for specified input values under specified conditions, and required non-functional behavior (e.g., resourceutilization).
component testing
Ref: ISO 24765
Synonyms: module testing , unit testing The testing of individual hardware or software components.
condition
See Also: condition testing
Synonyms: branch condition A logical expression that can be evaluated as True or False, e.g., A>B.
configuration
The composition of a component or system as defined by the number, nature, and interconnections of its constituent parts.
configuration item
Ref: ISO 24765 An aggregation of work products that is designated for configuration management and treated as a single entity in the configuration management process.
configuration management
Ref: ISO 24765 A discipline applying technical and administrative direction and surveillance to identify and document the functional and physical characteristics of a configuration item, control changes to those characteristics, record and report change processing and implementation status, and verify compliance with specified requirements.
Page: 4 of 29F oundation (New) Terms
configuration management tool
A tool that provides support for the identification and control of configuration items, their status over changes and versions, and the release of baselines consisting of configuration items.
confirmation testing
Synonyms: re-testing Dynamic testing conducted after fixing defects with the objective to confirm that failures caused by those defects do not occur anymore.
contractual acceptance testing
Acceptance testing conducted to verify whether a system satisfies its contractual requirements.
control flow
Ref: ISO 29119 The sequence in which operations are performed during the execution of a test item.
cost of quality
The total costs incurred on quality activities and issues and often split into prevention costs, appraisal costs, internal failure costs and external failure costs.
coverage
Ref: After ISO 29119
Synonyms: test coverage The degree to which specified coverage items have been determined or have been exercised by a test suite expressed as a percentage.
coverage item
Ref: ISO 29119 An attribute or combination of attributes that is derived from one or more test conditions by using a test technique that enables the measurement of the thoroughness of the test execution.
coverage tool
Synonyms: coverage measurement tool A tool that provides objective measures of what structural elements, e.g., statements, branches have been exercised by a test suite.
data flow
Ref: Beiser An abstract representation of the sequence and possible changes of the state of data objects, where the state of an object is any of creation, usage, or destruction.
data-driven testing
Ref: Fewster and Graham See Also: keyword-driven testing A scripting technique that stores test input and expected results in a table or spreadsheet, so that a single control script can execute all of the tests in the table. Data-driven testing is often used to support the application of test execution tools such as capture/playback tools.
debugging
The process of finding, analyzing and removing the causes of failures in software.
Page: 5 of 29F oundation (New) Terms
decision
Ref: ISO 29119 A type of statement in which a choice between two or more possible outcomes controls which set of actions will result.
decision coverage
The coverage of decision outcomes.
decision outcome
The result of a decision that determines the next statement to be executed.
decision table
Ref: ISO 24765
Synonyms: cause-effect decision table A table used to show sets of conditions and the actions resulting from them.
decision table testing
Ref: Egler63 See Also: decision table A black-box test technique in which test cases are designed to execute the combinations of inputs and/or stimuli (causes) shown in a decision table.
decision testing
A white-box test technique in which test cases are designed to execute decision outcomes.
defect
Ref: After IEEE 1044
Synonyms: bug , fault An imperfection or deficiency in a work product where it does not meet its requirements or specifications.
defect density
Ref: After ISO 24765
Synonyms: fault density The number of defects per unit size of a work product.
defect management
See Also: incident management The process of recognizing and recording defects, classifying them, investigating them, taking action to resolve them, and disposing of them when resolved.
defect management tool
See Also: incident management tool
Synonyms: bug tracking tool , defect tracking tool A tool that facilitates the recording and status tracking of defects.
Standard Glossary of Terms used in Software Testing Version 3.2
Foundation (New) Terms
International Software Testing Qualifications Board
Copyright Notice
This document may be copied in its entirety, or extracts made, if the source is acknowledged.
Copyright © International Software Testing Qualifications Board (hereinafter called ISTQB®).
acceptance criteria
Ref: ISO 24765 The criteria that a component or system must satisfy in order to be accepted by a user, customer, or other authorized entity.
acceptance testing
Ref: After ISO 24765 See Also: user acceptance testing Formal testing with respect to user needs, requirements, and business processes conducted to determine whether or not a system satisfies the acceptance criteria and to enable the user, customers or other authorized entity to determine whether or not to accept the system.
accessibility
Ref: After ISO 25010 The degree to which a component or system can be used by people with the widest range of characteristics and capabilities to achieve a specified goal in a specified context of use.
accessibility testing
Ref: Gerrard Testing to determine the ease by which users with disabilities can use a component or system.
actual result
Synonyms: actual outcome The behavior produced/observed when a component or system is tested.
ad hoc reviewing
Ref: After ISO 20246 A review technique carried out by independent reviewers informally, without a structured process.
alpha testing
Simulated or actual operational testing conducted in the developer's test environment, by roles outside the development organization.
anomaly
Ref: IEEE 1044 See Also: defect, error, fault, failure, incident, problem Any condition that deviates from expectation based on requirements specifications, design documents, user documents, standards, etc., or from someone's perception or experience. Anomalies may be found during, but not limited to, reviewing, testing, analysis, compilation, or use of software products or applicable documentation.
audit
Ref: After IEEE 1028 An independent examination of a work product, process, or set of processes that is performed by a third party to assess compliance with specifications, standards, contractual agreements, or other criteria.
availability
Ref: After ISO 25010 The degree to which a component or system is operational and accessible when required for use.
Page: 2 of 29F oundation (New) Terms
behavior
The response of a component or system to a set of input values and preconditions.
beta testing
Synonyms: field testing Simulated or actual operational testing conducted at an external site, by roles outside the development organization.
black-box test technique
Synonyms: black-box technique , specification-based technique , specification-based test technique A procedure to derive and/or select test cases based on an analysis of the specification, either functional or non-functional, of a component or system without reference to its internal structure.
boundary value
A minimum or maximum value of an ordered equivalence partition.
boundary value analysis
See Also: boundary value A black-box test technique in which test cases are designed based on boundary values.
burndown chart
A publicly displayed chart that depicts the outstanding effort versus time in an iteration. It shows the status and trend of completing the tasks of the iteration. The X-axis typically represents days in the sprint, while the Y-axis is the remaining effort (usually either in ideal engineering hours or story points).
checklist-based reviewing
Ref: ISO 20246 A review technique guided by a list of questions or required attributes.
checklist-based testing
An experience-based test technique whereby the experienced tester uses a high-level list of items to be noted, checked, or remembered, or a set of rules or criteria against which a product has to be verified.
code coverage
An analysis method that determines which parts of the software have been executed (covered) by the test suite and which parts have not been executed, e.g., statement coverage, decision coverage or condition coverage.
commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)
Synonyms: off-the-shelf software A software product that is developed for the general market, i.e. for a large number of customers, and that is delivered to many customers in identical format.
compatibility
The degree to which a component or system can exchange information with other components or systems.
Page: 3 of 29F oundation (New) Terms
complexity
See Also: cyclomatic complexity The degree to which a component or system has a design and/or internal structure that is difficult to understand, maintain and verify.
compliance
Ref: IEEE 730 The capability of the software product to adhere to standards, conventions or regulations in laws and similar prescriptions.
component
Synonyms: module , unit A minimal part of a system that can be tested in isolation.
component integration testing
Synonyms: link testing Testing performed to expose defects in the interfaces and interactions between integrated components.
component specification
A description of a component's function in terms of its output values for specified input values under specified conditions, and required non-functional behavior (e.g., resourceutilization).
component testing
Ref: ISO 24765
Synonyms: module testing , unit testing The testing of individual hardware or software components.
condition
See Also: condition testing
Synonyms: branch condition A logical expression that can be evaluated as True or False, e.g., A>B.
configuration
The composition of a component or system as defined by the number, nature, and interconnections of its constituent parts.
configuration item
Ref: ISO 24765 An aggregation of work products that is designated for configuration management and treated as a single entity in the configuration management process.
configuration management
Ref: ISO 24765 A discipline applying technical and administrative direction and surveillance to identify and document the functional and physical characteristics of a configuration item, control changes to those characteristics, record and report change processing and implementation status, and verify compliance with specified requirements.
Page: 4 of 29F oundation (New) Terms
configuration management tool
A tool that provides support for the identification and control of configuration items, their status over changes and versions, and the release of baselines consisting of configuration items.
confirmation testing
Synonyms: re-testing Dynamic testing conducted after fixing defects with the objective to confirm that failures caused by those defects do not occur anymore.
contractual acceptance testing
Acceptance testing conducted to verify whether a system satisfies its contractual requirements.
control flow
Ref: ISO 29119 The sequence in which operations are performed during the execution of a test item.
cost of quality
The total costs incurred on quality activities and issues and often split into prevention costs, appraisal costs, internal failure costs and external failure costs.
coverage
Ref: After ISO 29119
Synonyms: test coverage The degree to which specified coverage items have been determined or have been exercised by a test suite expressed as a percentage.
coverage item
Ref: ISO 29119 An attribute or combination of attributes that is derived from one or more test conditions by using a test technique that enables the measurement of the thoroughness of the test execution.
coverage tool
Synonyms: coverage measurement tool A tool that provides objective measures of what structural elements, e.g., statements, branches have been exercised by a test suite.
data flow
Ref: Beiser An abstract representation of the sequence and possible changes of the state of data objects, where the state of an object is any of creation, usage, or destruction.
data-driven testing
Ref: Fewster and Graham See Also: keyword-driven testing A scripting technique that stores test input and expected results in a table or spreadsheet, so that a single control script can execute all of the tests in the table. Data-driven testing is often used to support the application of test execution tools such as capture/playback tools.
debugging
The process of finding, analyzing and removing the causes of failures in software.
Page: 5 of 29F oundation (New) Terms
decision
Ref: ISO 29119 A type of statement in which a choice between two or more possible outcomes controls which set of actions will result.
decision coverage
The coverage of decision outcomes.
decision outcome
The result of a decision that determines the next statement to be executed.
decision table
Ref: ISO 24765
Synonyms: cause-effect decision table A table used to show sets of conditions and the actions resulting from them.
decision table testing
Ref: Egler63 See Also: decision table A black-box test technique in which test cases are designed to execute the combinations of inputs and/or stimuli (causes) shown in a decision table.
decision testing
A white-box test technique in which test cases are designed to execute decision outcomes.
defect
Ref: After IEEE 1044
Synonyms: bug , fault An imperfection or deficiency in a work product where it does not meet its requirements or specifications.
defect density
Ref: After ISO 24765
Synonyms: fault density The number of defects per unit size of a work product.
defect management
See Also: incident management The process of recognizing and recording defects, classifying them, investigating them, taking action to resolve them, and disposing of them when resolved.
defect management tool
See Also: incident management tool
Synonyms: bug tracking tool , defect tracking tool A tool that facilitates the recording and status tracking of defects.
Ref: After ISO 24765
Synonyms: fault density The number of defects per unit size of a work product.
defect management
See Also: incident management The process of recognizing and recording defects, classifying them, investigating them, taking action to resolve them, and disposing of them when resolved.
defect management tool
See Also: incident management tool
Synonyms: bug tracking tool , defect tracking tool A tool that facilitates the recording and status tracking of defects.
Ref: After ISO 24765
Synonyms: fault density The number of defects per unit size of a work product.
defect management
See Also: incident management The process of recognizing and recording defects, classifying them, investigating them, taking action to resolve them, and disposing of them when resolved.
defect management tool
See Also: incident management tool
Synonyms: bug tracking tool , defect tracking tool A tool that facilitates the recording and status tracking of defects.
Ref: After ISO 24765
Synonyms: fault density The number of defects per unit size of a work product.
defect management
See Also: incident management The process of recognizing and recording defects, classifying them, investigating them, taking action to resolve them, and disposing of them when resolved.
defect management tool
See Also: incident management tool
Synonyms: bug tracking tool , defect tracking tool A tool that facilitates the recording and status tracking of defects.
Ref: After ISO 24765
Synonyms: fault density The number of defects per unit size of a work product.
defect management
See Also: incident management The process of recognizing and recording defects, classifying them, investigating them, taking action to resolve them, and disposing of them when resolved.
defect management tool
See Also: incident management tool
Synonyms: bug tracking tool , defect tracking tool A tool that facilitates the recording and status tracking of defects.
Ref: After ISO 24765
Synonyms: fault density The number of defects per unit size of a work product.
defect management
See Also: incident management The process of recognizing and recording defects, classifying them, investigating them, taking action to resolve them, and disposing of them when resolved.
defect management tool
See Also: incident management tool
Synonyms: bug tracking tool , defect tracking tool A tool that facilitates the recording and status tracking of defects.