Evaluating and Improving Test Efficiency

Abstract: Test efficiency measures the cost-effectiveness of a test organisation and it is measured by dividing the number of defects found in a test by the effort needed to perform the test. This thesis project investigated whether the Mobile Positioning Centre (MPC) site at Ericsson AB could improve their test efficiency or not. The purpose of the project was to identify areas that could increase the test efficiency by investigating state of the art literature and evaluating the test process at MPC. The evaluation identified unit testing and debugging as the areas at MPC where the test efficiency could be increased the most. The project work resulted in an implementation proposal containing a number of actions that would increase the test efficiency at MPC. Primarily, the actions comprised an improved test tool environment; both enhancements for the existing tools and design suggestions for new test tools. The implementation proposal also included suggestions for how to integrate the test tool improvements with the organisation and processes at MPC.