SDLC, STLC & V-Model: Testing Tutorial 3

This tutorial explains in detail the Software/System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) like the Waterfall
cycle !terative cycle like "#!D #$ile% !t then proceeds to explain the &'(odel of testin$ and
STLC(Software Test Life Cycle)%
&ideo Transcript with )ey Takeaways Highlighted *

Suppose+ you are assi$ned a task+ to develop a custom software for a client%
,ach -lock -elow represents a step re.uired to develop the software%
!rrespective of your technical -ack$round+ try and make an educated $uess a-out the se.uence of
steps you will follow+ to achieve the task
The correct se.uence would -e%
/ather as much information as possi-le a-out the details specifications of the desired software
from the client% This is nothin$ -ut the Requirements gathering stage%
0lan the pro$rammin$ lan$ua$e like 1ava + php + %net 2 data-ase like oracle + mys.l etc which would
-e suited for the pro1ect% also some hi$h level functions architecture% This is the Design Stage.
#ctually code the software% This is the uilt Stage.
3ext you +Test the software to verify that it is -uilt as per the specifications $iven -y the client% This
is the T!ST stage.
4nce your software product is ready + you may to do some code chan$es to accommodate
enhancements re.uested -y the client% This would -e Maintenan"e stage.
#ll these levels constitute the #ater$all method of software development lifecycle%#s you may
o-serve+ that testing in the model starts onl% a$ter im&lementation is done%
5ut if you are workin$ in lar$e pro1ect+ where the systems are complex+ its easy to miss out key
details in the re.uirements phase itself% !n such cases + an entirely wron$ product will -e delivered to
the client% 6ou will have to start a fresh with the pro1ect
4r if you mana$e to note the re.uirements correctly -ut make serious mistakes in desi$n and
architecture of you software you will have to redesi$n the entire software to correct the error%
#ssessments of thousands of pro1ects have shown that de$e"ts introdu"ed during requirements
& design ma'e u& "lose to hal$ o$ the total num(er o$ de$e"ts
#lso+ the "osts o$ $i)ing a de$e"t in"reases a"ross the de*elo&ment li$e "%"le% The earlier in
li$e "%"le a de$e"t is dete"ted, the "hea&er it is to $i) it. #s the say+ 7# stitch in time saves a
nine7
To address this concern + the V model o$ testing was developed where $or e*er% &hase , in the
De*elo&ment li$e "%"le there is a "orres&onding Testing &hase
The left side of the model is Software Development Life Cycle ' SDLC
The ri$ht side of the model is Software Test Life Cycle ' STLC
The entire fi$ure looks like a & + hence the name V - model
6ou a find a few sta$es different from the waterfall model%
These differences + alon$ with the details of each testin$ phase will -e discussed in later tutorial
#part from & model + there are iterative development models + where development is carried in
phases + with each phase addin$ a functionality to the software%
Each phase comprises of, its own independent set of development and testing activities.
Good examples of Development lifecycles following iterative method are Rapid
Application Development, Agile Development
Before we close this software testing training a few pointers -
You must note that, there are numerous development life cycle models. Development model
selected for a project, depends on the aims and goals of that project
Testing is not a stand-alone activity and it has to adopt with the development model chosen
for the proect.
!n any model, testing should performed at all levels i.e. right from re"uirements until
maintenance.