1.4.4 Traceability between the Test Basis and Test Work Products

As mentioned in section 1.4.3, test work products and the names of those work products vary significantly. Regardless of these variations, in order to implement effective test monitoring and control, it is important to establish and maintain traceability throughout the test process between each element of the test basis and the various test work products associated with that element, as described above. In addition to the evaluation of test coverage, good traceability supports:

• Analyzing the impact of changes

• Making testing auditable

• Meeting IT governance criteria

• Improving the understandability of test progress reports and test summary reports to include the status of elements of the test basis (e.g., requirements that passed their tests, requirements that failed their tests, and requirements that have pending tests)

• Relating the technical aspects of testing to stakeholders in terms that they can understand

• Providing information to assess product quality, process capability, and project progress against business goals

Some test management tools provide test work product models that match part or all of the test work products outlined in this section. Some organizations build their own management systems to organize the work products and provide the information traceability they require.