All-pairs, also called pair-wise, testing is a practical way to optimize the tradeoff between testing duration and software quality. Except in the rare cases where life and death are at stake, you can achieve a statistically acceptable level of quality by testing less than 100 percent of the combinations of variables in your application.

 

The following products will put you on the path to more efficient testing using all-pairs:

 

			Begin by learning what all-pairs testing is all about. Download our All-pairs Testing and TestTrack TCM white paper. This paper is not only a great introduction to the world of all-pairs, it will also show you how software test management tools, like TestTrack TCM, can make all-pairs testing even easier to manage.
			Test case management is critical to successful testing. To implement all-pairs testing, begin by creating and managing test cases in TestTrack TCM (or TestTrack Studio). You can also import test cases from Microsoft Excel or other applications.
			Visit our Test Run Generator lab to download a .Net-based application that takes output from pair generation tools, like ALLPAIRS Test Case Generation Tool, and builds test runs in TestTrack TCM.

 

The following external resources contain additional all-pairs testing information:

• Effectiveness of Pair-wise Tests - Binstock on Software
• All-Pairs Testing - A.G. McDowell
• Determination of Test Configurations for Pair-Wise Interaction Coverage (PowerPoint presentation) - Alan Williams
• Pairwise Testing - Michael Bolton
• Pairwise Testing, Combinational Test Case Generation - Jacek Czerwonka
• Pair-wise Testing, Moving from Theory to Practice - Gretchen Henrich

Test Less So You Can Test More Effectively

All-pairs testing can reduce the number of test runs by 75 percent or more. With that time savings, you will be able to spend more time developing complex tests and less time performing mundane tests on the combination of variables. By implementing all-pairs testing along with TestTrack TCM, you also improve your ability to manage your testing effort. You will spend more time focusing on actual testing and less time worrying about whether you are testing the right things.