Test Object

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A Test Object is an identifiable Data Object representing information used or produced in the specification, preparation, execution, or evaluation of testing.

Test Object provides the common conceptual parent for the principal test-information objects used by OMG TestIF and DIDO-TE.

Test Objects include:

• Test Items
• Test Environments
• Sequenced Test Objects
• Test Sets
• Test Cases
• Test Steps
• Test Executables
• Test Results
• Test Runs

A Test Object can have:

• A unique identifier
• A name
• A description
• A type
• A version
• Attributes
• Relationships to other Test Objects
• Provenance
• Traceability
• Applicable Governance Policies

A Test Object can reference other Test Objects without containing or owning them. This permits reusable Test Items, Test Environments, Test Steps, Test Executables, and other Test Objects to participate in multiple Test Definitions.

A Test Object can represent information defined before test execution or information produced during or after test execution.

Examples of Test Objects defined before execution include:

• Test Items
• Test Environments
• Test Sets
• Test Cases
• Test Steps
• Test Executables

Examples of Test Objects produced during or after execution include:

• Test Results
• Test Runs

identifiable Data Object representing information used or produced in the specification, preparation, execution, or evaluation of testing

Adapted from:

• OMG Test Information Interchange Format (TestIF), Version 1.0 Beta 3, Section 7.3.9, TestObject
• Data Object
• Test Environment
• DIDO Reference Implementation Conceptual Model
• DIDO-TE draft Requirements Register

OMG TestIF defines TestObject as the abstract base class for its defined test classes. This definition preserves that common-parent role while expressing the distinguishing characteristic of a Test Object independently of the TestIF metamodel implementation.

Test Object is an abstract concept. An instance is classified using an applicable concrete Test Object type.

A Test Object is not necessarily the subject being tested. A Test Item identifies an entity within the scope of a test, including the System Under Test.

A Test Object is distinct from a general Data Object. A Data Object becomes a Test Object when it represents information used or produced in the specification, preparation, execution, or evaluation of testing.

A Test Object does not need to contain executable instructions. Test Steps and Test Executables can contain or reference execution information, while other Test Objects can describe Test Items, Test Environments, expected outcomes, or recorded results.

A Test Object does not prescribe a particular:

• Serialization format
• Storage mechanism
• Database
• Programming language
• Test tool
• Test framework
• Test execution technology
• Communication protocol

A Test Object can conform to the OMG TestIF information model without requiring DIDO-TE to use the TestIF XML representation internally.

A DIDO-TE Test Definition references:

• A Test Item identifying a DIDO Node implementation
• A Test Environment identifying the required configuration
• A Test Case identifying the behavior to verify
• Test Steps identifying the required actions and validations
• A Test Executable containing automation instructions

Execution produces a Test Run containing Test Results.

Each identified item constitutes a Test Object because it represents information used or produced in the specification, preparation, execution, or evaluation of the test.