Planning and Scheduling from a Class Test Order

One of the characteristics of object-oriented software is the complex dependencies that may exist between classes due to generalization and client-server relationships. Hence, where to start testing and how to define an integration strategy are issues that require investigation. A number of techniques exist to order the test of classes with the aim of reducing costs. They usually generate a class test order that is a directed graph indicating in which order classes have to be tested, or which classes can be tested in parallel. This paper shows how such a class test order can be beneficial to testers and designers when conducting various activities, such as planning and scheduling class testing. This is illustrated by means of a case study