QA Soft-e

Please download the following: Estimate Template and use with the instructions below to create your estimate.

Introduction:

Many have searched the World Wide Web (WWW) looking for good software testing estimate templates and have not found one. I did the same thing and then I decided to create my own estimating template. I have been using it for years to create testing estimates, in many different work environments, and have compared estimates to actuals using my template. It is stable and reliable, I have found time after time and have not searched for anything else nor will I. The only thing I ask if you decide to use it, is to give credit where credit is due to Soft-e somewhere in your documentation.

Why is Estimating Important?

There are a lot of people that do not believe in estimating or the importance of estimating. It is imperative that estimates be completed to inform early on if the project is at risk based off an estimate. There could already be pre-estimates created by others along the way and creating a testing estimate to compare to these pre-estimates can easily put the project on the right path or on an alert status. Testing estimates are to inform project stake holders if the timeline creation is skewed or if more testing bodies will be needed.

Quality Assurance Software Estimate:

Using the spreadsheet attached, the only thing you need to fill out are the yellow fields (which are described below in more detail): Review of Documentation/Planning field, (Pick one section to fill out: Define estimate with or without requirements), Communications/Meetings/Review, and Revision History. The calculations will automatically be performed for you in the Regular/Advanced Tester fields and those are your estimates.

To calculate approximately how long the quality assurance processes will take during a software life-cycle. This estimate can be created with or without requirements. The total estimate includes document processing and review, creating any required documentation, fully testing the software, and accounting for defect management re-testing time.

Requirement:

A singular documented need of what a particular product or service should be or perform.

Test Scenario:

Defines exact test steps covering all requirements and functions changing.

Review of Documentation / Planning:

This is calculated by using a 5 minute time frame multiplied by the number of pages provided to the tester regarding the web site in its entirety rounded to the nearest:

15 minutes = 0.25

30 minutes = 0.50

45 minutes = 0.75

60 minutes = 1.00

For example:

A ten page document would be (10 pages x .05 minutes =0.50 or 30 minutes) and 0.50 is what would be placed in the review of documentation / Planning field.

Define Estimate with Requirements:

A requirements document or Use Case is available to the tester.

Define Estimate without Requirements:

A requirements document or Use Case is NOT available to the tester.

High:

A test scenario is deemed high if it will take a considerable amount of time to test, could be a more complicated software function, or is a difficult database query.

Medium:

A test scenario is deemed medium if it has data set-up needs prior to test execution, additional research might be needed, or it requires advanced technical knowledge.

Low:

A test scenario is deemed low if it requires basic knowledge of computers for execution, it can be passed off to test if needed by another source, or will not take up a significant amount of execution time.

Beginner Tester:

A beginner tester would be a tester one or beginner tester. It could also mean that the application/web site is brand new and everyone is a beginner on the project.

Expert Tester:

An expert tester would be an advanced tester or senior tester, whether the application/web site is brand new or not does not apply here.

Pages:

With Requirements:

The number of pages that are contained within the Business Requirements Document, Use Case, or any other document(s) that contain requirements.

Without Requirements:

Are development pages for an existing application/web site. Examples are: .CSS .HTML .ASPX .ASP .JAVA

Communication / Meetings / Review:

This is defined by a generalization of how big the application/web site is related to the experience of the tester.

Beginner Tester:

If a small web site (less than 10 pages) = 4 hours

If a medium web site (11 – 49 pages) = 8 hours

If a large web site (50 or more pages) = 16 hours

Expert Tester:

If a small web site (less than 10 pages) = 2 hours

If a medium web site (11 – 49 pages) = 4 hours

If a large web site (50 or more pages) = 8 hours