Test Estimation

1.       Testing Size – the amount of testing that needs to be carried out

2.       Testing effort – the amount of effort in either person days or person hours

3.       Testing cost – the expenses necessary for testing, including the cost of human effort

4.       Testing Schedule – the duration in calendar days or months that is necessary for conducting the tests

Approaches to test effort estimation

1.       Test case enumeration based estimation

2.       Activity (Task) based estimation

3.       Testing size based estimation

Size based estimation

                For an example – Software size of 1000 Function Points, based on the effort 2 person hrs per FP, so we would require 2000 person hrs for testing the software size of 1000 FP

Test case enumeration based estimation

1.       List all test cases

2.       Estimate the testing effort required for each test case (either person hours or person days)

3.       Use best case, normal case and worst case scenarios for estimating the effort needed for each test case

Example for Login functionality use case

Expected time= [Best case + Worst case + (4*Normal case)]/6

 Task based estimation

Looks at the project from the standpoint of tasks to be performed in executing the project like Project initiation, project planning, test planning, test case design, integration load and system testing etc

For example Test planning phase

Expected time= [Best case + Worst case + (4*Normal case)]/6