The Cost of Poor Testing: A U.S. Government Study (Part 2)
Charles T. Carroll · EDPACS · 2003
Last month we introduced the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) study, which attempts to quantify the cost of poor testing. We provided an overview of the study, the national estimates that comprised its conclusions, and a summary. This month we are drilling down into the study to provide the supporting work on software testing methods and tools, along with a detailed look at inadequate infrastructures for testing – infrastructure being the combination of processes, tools, policies and organizations. The purpose of this article is twofold: to provide you with enough details to analyze and improve your own operations and also to provide you with “ammunition” to convince your senior management of the utility and advisability of improving your testing infrastructure and program.