Improved Software Quality & ROI with SDT’s 3rd Generation Test Solution
Catalina Marketing Corporation is the premier targeted marketing services company providing worldwide one-to-one dialogue with consumers through many different media / touch points. Catalina Marketing balances the needs and objectives of four distinct constituencies: Manufacturers, Retailers, Consumers and Government regulators. Catalina provides a wide range of strategic marketing solutions by means of interrelated operating groups that strive to influence purchasing behavior of consumers wherever and whenever they make purchase decisions. Through these operating groups, Catalina is able to reach consumers internationally and domestically in-store, using incentives, loyalty programs, sampling and advertising messages; at-home, through direct mailings; and online.
Given Catalina’s reliance on both technology and information, Senior Management recognized the need for best-in-class software test methodologies, test automation techniques, and a solutions-oriented toolset across their testing organization. After attending SDT’s Establishing a 3rd Generation Test Automation System tutorial, and reading Edward Kit’s book (Software Testing in the Real World), Catalina asked SDT to implement a roles-based, 3rd generation software test design and automation approach using SDT’s Keyword Test Design and Automation approach.
Catalina had previously purchased and successfully deployed Mercury Interactive’s software testing tool suite. After realizing there would soon be a significant Return on Investment (ROI) using traditional second generation techniques, such as Mercury’s, Catalina wanted to substantially increase the ROI and improve their test environment while expanding their test coverage and still preserve the initial investment. SDT’s Unified TestPro’s roles-based, 3rd generation software test design and automation approach allowed Catalina to leverage this investment for even higher levels of return with minimal cost.
Mercury Interactive’s commitment to an open architectural framework enabled implementation of a fully integrated UTP solution, building on Catalina’s current test investment. Using Mercury Interactive’s functional testing tool and their test management tool, WinRunner™ and Test Director™ respectively, with the UTP toolset provided a proven solution capable of creating and maintaining Test Script Language (TSL) code – while driving down the total test design and automation time.
Catalina deployed UTP to their software test architect, test designers, and test automation engineers. Specific tasks were assigned to specific roles. Test Automation Engineers operated independently, yet collaboratively, to implement the English-like Keywords (e.g., ‘Create 3D Order’ and ‘Validate 3D Order’) specified by the Test Designers to represent the business flow of the application under test. Test Automation Engineers delivered Keywords through the automatic code generation capabilities in Unified TestPro.
Test Management Tool
UTP
Play / Record Tool
Applications Under Test
UTP Integration of all Test Artifacts
"What took three engineers four months to accomplish using 2nd generation methods, will now be accomplished with two engineers in two months using the UTP Methodology. Not to mention the value in the reusability of the Keywords [produced]."
— Catalina Engineers on site
Since test automation was delivered using Keywords, the Test Designers could easily create fully automated test cases without the direct support of Automation Engineers, allowing test design tasks to be done by individuals with critical business competencies. In the words of Catalina Marketing: “UTP puts the power of automation in the hands of the Test Designer”
The Keyword Test Cases could be easily modified to adjust for changes in the applications under test. Automation Engineers re-generate any supporting WinRunner TSL code in seconds; the Administrator uses UTP’s powerful AdminBench to make global changes required in the Test artifacts, thus significantly reducing test maintenance cost.
The combined capabilities of SDT’s Unified TestPro and Mercury Interactive’s products allowed Catalina to:
Implement and become productive with the Unified TestPro product set in just a few weeks.
Achieve the next level of test automation insuring a significant increase in ROI with minimal investment.
Accomplish testing tasks more quickly using fewer technical testers.
Provide a mature testing environment with a systematic and repeatable process for:
Implement a solution supported by leading technologies that provide a standard test framework, a 3rd generation methodology, and an understandable "business language" (Keywords)
Improve test coverage for the application/system under test, thereby reducing post-deployment defect risks. The customer said it best: "The Keywords being developed for our current needs will be used in the future for numerous test cases, thus expanding our coverage from the start."
Implement an Open Architecture for easy integration of any future Tool Sets
"As a Senior Test Manager, my requirements for automation technology are that it's easy for less technical staff to use, that we can adopt the new technology and become productive with a minimum of lost testing time, and that it yields both significant productivity increases and improved test coverage. We evaluated other leading test automation products and selected Unified TestPro because it exceeded all of our requirements. Implementing SDT's Test Design and automation solution with our existing capture/playback environment increased productivity significantly and allowed us to accelerate the automation of our tests. We can now design tests prior to any code being available and are ready to run tests immediately upon release from engineering."
Sr. Test Manager, Catalina Marketing Corporation
WinRunner, XRunner and Test Director are registered to Mercury Interactive Corporation
Unified TestPro® is registered to Software Development Technologies
Let’s discuss how we can help you achieve similar results with our proven methodologies and expert consulting services.
