The impact of test definition standards on TPS quality

Abstract

One of the chronic problems associated with Test Program Set (TPS) development has been the lack of unambiguous standards for test definition. Elements of the definition include, but are not necessarily limited to, the questions of what constitutes a test, what aspect or failure mode of the UUT is being addressed by the test, why the test is being performed at that particular point in the overall test flow, and how the test relates to other tests within the main performance verification path or any of the diagnostic branches. Moreover, test definition standards are very closely related to the way in which unambiguous fault defection and fault isolation metrics are implemented, as well as the way in which overall (TPS) test strategy is documented. Definitive standards for test definition will support not only demonstrable TPS quality but also TPS documentation that is both descriptive and indicative of the levels of quality that are being achieved.