MSTAR® - Mosaic’s Structured Testing and Assessment Repository

Brings state-of-the art testing expertise to your desktop

Comprehensive -- Cost Effective -- Customized -- Easy to Use Testing Methodology

INTRODUCING MSTAR®

Mosaic has documented its testing methodology in a product called MSTAR® (Mosaic's Structured Testing and Assessment Repository). MSTAR® is a browser-based repository of testing expertise. It provides an online reference to a proven testing process and includes supporting samples, templates and forms.

MSTAR® is a requirement-based, risk-focused testing process based on decades of testing mission critical systems across multiple industries. It includes Mosaic’s testable requirements sizing process for improved measurement and visibility into testing progress and project risk. MSTAR® also provides high reusability and state of the art test data management, which support Mosaic’s object-driven test automation architecture, an integral component of the testing process.

MSTAR® is housed in an intranet-ready repository. A methodology that gathers dust on a shelf, no matter how good the methodology, will not meet the needs of your staff. MSTAR® is designed to work the way your staff works. It can be loaded on a stand-alone PC or a corporate Intranet, and viewed with a browser. When you have questions about a testing concept or deliverable, just browse through MSTAR®, which will quickly explain the concept or provide a sample of the deliverable. Since MSTAR® is easy to update, you can add your own samples and organization-specific material so that your testing methods are incorporated into the repository.

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MSTAR® was designed by Mosaic's testing consultants to help them do their work better and quicker. It is the result of experience gained on literally hundreds of projects.

Key Benefits of Mosaic's Testing Methodology

Mosaic's testing methodology is the most advanced in the industry. It has been field-proven on mainframe, client/server, PC and Web systems, and is applicable to custom developed systems, package implementations, and out-sourced development. Key emphasis areas include:

• Risk Management:
  Testing resources are focused where they will do the most good.
• Early Test Planning:
  Test planning can begin as soon as the project is initiated.
• User Involvement:
  Users are integrated into the testing process.
• Test Automation:
  Test Automation is integrated with the test planning process facilitating its application where appropriate to improve testing efficiency.
• High Reusability:
  Techniques for reusable test components are an integral part of the process to provide the required productivity and ease of test automation.
• Effective Test Data Management:
  Test data is managed as a reusable and maintainable test asset.
• Measurement:
  Key measures including sizing, coverage, progress, and defects are used to quantify the process and identify risk.
• Management Reporting:
  Management is kept informed of progress, issues, and cost/coverage tradeoffs.
• Defect Analysis:
  Defect information is used to align coverage strategies with risk, predict schedules and gain insight into development issues and problems.

KEY FEATURES OF MSTAR MSTAR® is a complete repository of testing expertise. It is easily viewed through a browser and provides straightforward navigation through a complete document map and through convenient navigation and hypertext links. The repository includes:

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• Complete instructions and guidelines for implementing the testing process and developing the required testing deliverables.
• Comprehensive samples of test plans, super scenarios, management and defect reports, and other testing deliverables.
• Templates to support the development of all testing deliverables.
• A glossary of testing terminology, which also serves as an index into the repository.
• Table of contents, index and word search navigation support
• Links to organization-specific testing deliverables and materials.
• Add-on repositories providing detailed guidelines for implementing Mosaic’s automation architecture in all the major industry test automation tools such as Mercury Quality Center.

WHO NEEDS MSTAR®

MSTAR® is a vital tool for the project team testers. This includes the developers responsible for unit testing, the system testers responsible for verification of the integrated system, the users responsible for acceptance testing and the implementation team responsible for the final pilot and/or parallel test of the system.

MSTAR® is also an excellent reference for project managers to gain an overview of the testing process. Software quality professionals will also find MSTAR® a useful tool for implementing the testing practices required to meet their software quality goals.