BS 7925-2: the software component testing standard

Abstract

This paper covers both the development of BS 7925-2 and compliance with the finished standard. The process used to produce BS 7925-2 is described by presenting a history of its development, showing how initial chaotic development evolved with experience into a systematic process. This process was found to bear a strong resemblance to the software engineering process, and borrowed techniques from it, drawing particularly from those that support verification and validation. The knowledge gained from this development should be applicable to many areas of standardisation. The most important clauses of BS 7925-2 describe a generic test process and definitions of test case design techniques and test measurement techniques. These are explained in detail and compliance with BS 7925-2 is described in the context of following the test process, which, in turn, requires the user to select techniques from the other two clauses.