Introduction

Quality Assurance and Test teams that deal with Maximo implementation sometimes face up the an issue of how to properly plan a test strategy accordingly to several variables such as; company policies where Maximo will run, definition of quality objectives, criteria for problems encountered during tests regarding their severity and impact, usage of test tools, design of test scenarios and management of tests.

The test activities can benefit from standards well know in the market and promoted specially by a not-for-profit association called ISTQB.

ISTQB® (International Software Testing Qualifications Board) was founded in November 2002 and is specially famous for defining the "ISTQB® Certified Tester" scheme that has become the world-wide leader in the certification of competences in software testing. It is also an organization based on volunteer work by hundreds of international testing experts.

Foundations in Software Testing

Having the knowledge in software testing will help teams to enhance the quality process of the implementations that will require test. Usually the company implementing Maximo will create an in house process that concentrates probably more on the functional aspects of the software operating and also if it will meet the company or other corporate requirements.

Even though, it's possible to use some of the knowledge promoted by the ISTQB to try to organize this complex process. ISTQB also came up with the a comprehensive material which forms the body of knowledge in software testing; a Syllabi and a Glossary.

At IBM we use this material as reference to create our own education in software testing for employees that will work with tests and also to use as main reference to plan our test strategies across different teams.

At the foundation level of ISTQB there are six chapters that cover the main knowledge of software testing; Fundamentals of Testing, Testing Throughout the Software Life Cycle, Static Techniques, Test Design Techniques, Test Management and Tool Support for Testing.

Here you will find a summary of what each of these chapters cover, so you can have a better idea of what can be re-used as professional reference to your day by day job in testing Maximo. 

More Information

ISTQB® website http://www.istqb.org/.