How This Guide Is Organized

This book describes the processes for planning and executing testing activities for Siebel business applications. These processes are based on best practices and proven test methodologies. You use this book as a guide to identify what tests to run, when to run tests, and who to involve in the quality assurance process.

The first two chapters of this book provide an introduction to testing and the test processes. You are encouraged to read Overview of Testing Siebel Applications, which describes the relationships between the seven high-level processes. The chapters that follow describe a specific process in detail. In each of these chapters, a process diagram is presented to help you to understand the important high-level steps. You are encouraged to modify the processes to suit your specific situation.

Depending on your role, experience, and current project phases you will use the information in this book differently. Here are some suggestions about where you might want to focus your reading:

• Test manager. At the beginning of the project, review Chapters 2 through 8 to understand testing processes.

• Functional testing. If you are a functional tester focus on Chapters 3 through 7 and 9. These chapters discuss the process of defining, developing, and executing functional test cases.

• Performance testing. If you are a performance tester focus on Chapters 3, 4, 7, and 10. These chapters describe the planning, development, and execution of performance tests.

At certain points in this book, you will see information presented as a best practice. These tips are intended to highlight practices proven to improve the testing process.