Examining the Current State of System Testing Methodologies in Quality Assurance

Sophocleous, Rafaela; Kapitsaki, Georgia M.

Testing is an important phase of every software system, as it can reveal defects early and contribute to achieving high software quality. In this process of quality assurance, organizations are usually relying on one testing technique. However, a combination of techniques may prove more beneficial to the organization, as it might give the chance to discover a larger number of defects early. In order to examine the above, in the current work we present a survey on the use of system testing methodologies. We have gathered data from 252 individuals that reveal current trends in testing, such as whether requirements are used in the test case definition and whether the testing techniques used are affected by parameters, such as years of experience, whereas we examine the combination of smoke testing and regression testing. We also demonstrate an industrial use case, where this combination was applied, reducing the number of defects identified by the customer.