Testing strategies. 42 ways to make your project successful

STRATEGY (in operations research) - a method of using tools and resources aimed to achieve the goals of the operation. The strategy defines by accepted determined values of ​​controlled variables. For selection of these values ​​is important to know the conditions of "external environment", i.e. the values ​​of uncontrolled variables. In multistep processes the method can change itself, in this case the strategy defines the rules for further action (ie, the choice of the trajectory) based on the obtained information about each stage of the process and changes in the environment. The task of operations research, as a rule, is precisely in selecting the optimal number of alternative strategies (alternatives) based on one or another criterion.

From scientific, proceed to the common understanding.

Strategy is prioritization kinds of action aimed at achieving results with the lowest cost. For example, an attack of fortified enemy positions during World War II could suggest the following steps: pre-clearance, barrage, a joint attack by infantry and tanks. Use the same steps in the reverse sequence will lead to increased losses at the achievement of the desired result.

The same way, choosing the right testing strategy can increase testing efficiency significantly. The opposite is also true. I witnessed how a wrong testing strategy led to a decrease in efficiency tenfold.

I started to collect and classify the material in 2001. Almost all of the strategies that I will speak, I used in my projects, or watched their live application. As well I analyzed the limits of their applicability. As far as I know, there is no such classification like this in the ex-Soviet Union.