Testing in real-world contexts

Systematic describes its operational testing procedures at one of the largest software test conferences in the world

28 June 2010

As a developer of advanced-technology IT solutions for the defence and healthcare sectors, where mission-critical capabilities are often essential, a company like Systematic is well aware of the importance of delivering systems that are error-free. It is also important that these solutions meet users’ needs. This is why the domain advisors employed by Systematic play a key role in helping determine the product requirements and specifications, as well as in the final test phase.

Eight per cent of all those on the Systematic payroll are domain advisors, employed to make sure Systematic is always on the same wavelength as the company’s customers understands their practical needs, as well as to ensure that the solutions Systematic develops live up to their intended purpose.

At the STARWEST conference about software testing – one of the largest such conferences anywhere in the world – the program test manager at Systematic, Gitte Ottosen, will be describing how Systematic has in recent years begun to use the know-how, experience and personal networks of these domain experts in the planning and implementation of test procedures associated with the company’s SitaWare suite of command and control (C2) software.

These specialists with domain-specific knowledge often serve as the link between Systematic and the end-users that Systematic involves in the operational testing of the company’s products. Tests undertaken by actual end-users, carried out in realistic operating environments, give significantly better test results – and this in turn ensures better products. 

"Involving the end-users is alpha and omega for ensuring effective software systems. The less time users spend on dealing with the system itself, the more time they have available for the operations that the system is designed to deal with," explains Gitte Ottosen.

Gitte Ottosen will be explaining more about Systematic’s experience with operational testing at the STARWEST Software Testing Analysis & Review Conference being held in San Diego in the USA on 26 September–1 October 2010. Her particular session is scheduled for Thursday 30 September at 11.15

Read more about the STARWEST conference

See the programme for the conference

Read a description of Gitte Ottosen’s forthcoming session at the STARWEST conference