Test Maturity Model Integration(TMMi)

Introduction to Test Maturity Model Integration(TMMi)

It is a detailed model for test process improvement and positioned as being complementary to the CMMi.

It provides a structured presentation of maturity levels, allowing for standard TMMi
assessments and certification, enabling a consistent deployment of the standards and the collection of industry metrics.

TMMi has a rapidly growing uptake across Europe, Asia and USA and owes its popularity upon it being the only independent test process measurement method.


Why we need TMMi ?

Despite encouraging results with various quality improvement approaches,the software industry is still far from zero defects.

Limited attention is given to Testing in the various software Process improvement models such as CMM or CMMi.

TMMi is a detailed model for test process improvement and It can be complemented with any Process improvement model or it can be used as STAND ALONE Model.

The TMMi has been developed to support organizations at evaluating and improving their test process.

TMMi maturity criteria will improve the test process and have a positive impact on product quality, test engineering productivity, and cycle-time effort.


Background and History of TMMi


The TMM framework has been developed by the Illinois Institute of Technology where as TMMi framework has been developed by TMMi foundation as a guideline and reference framework for test process improvement.

TMM also uses the concept of maturity levels for process evaluation and improvement.
In addition to that process areas,maturity goals and key practices are also
identified.

Sources

The development of the TMMi has used the TMM Framework developed by Illinois Institute of Technology.

It was also guided by the work done on the CMMi, a process improvement model that has widespread support in the IT industry.

TMMi has been developed as a stage model. (The stage model uses predefined sets of Process areas to define an improvement path of an organization.) but can be used as continuous model.

Last sources of the TMMi development include the Gelperin and Hetzel’s Evolution of testing model which describes the evolution of the test process over a 40 year period.

Scope

Software and System Engineering

TMMi is intended to support testing activities and test process improvement in both
the systems engineering and Software Engineering discipline.

Test Levels

Some models for test process improvement focus mainly on high level testing, The
TMMi addresses all the test levels and aspects of structured testing. With respect to
dynamic testing,both low level testing and high level testing are within the scope of
the TMMi

Levels of TMMi

TMMi consists of 5 maturity levels

Level 1: Initial
Level 2: Defined
Level 3: Integrated
Level 4: Management and Measurement
Level 5: Optimized


Levels and the Process Areas



Types of TMMi Models.

Staged Representation

Within the staged representation the architecture prescribes the stages that an
organization must proceed through in an orderly fashion to improve its testing
process.

Continuous Representation

Within the continuous representation there is no fixed level set of levels or stages to proceed through. An organization applying the continuous representation can select
areas for improvement from many different categories.

Level 1 : Initial

Objectives

- Objective of testing is that the software should work correctly.
- This level lacks trained staff, resources and tools.
- Software get delivered without Quality assurance.

Main Goal
Software should run without major failure.


Level 2: Defined

Objectives

- This Level separates testing from debugging are considered distinct activities.
- Testing Phase comes after coding.
- Primary goal of testing is to show software meets specifications.
- Basic testing techniques and methods are in place.

Main Goals

- Develop Testing and Debugging goals and policies.
- Initiate a Test Planning Process
- Institutionalize basic Testing techniques and methods

Level 3: Integrated

Objectives

- Testing gets integrated into entire life cycle.
- Test Objectives are based on requirements.
- Test Organization Exists
- Testing recognized as a professional activity.

Main Goals
- Establish a test organization
- Establish a technical training Program.
- Integrate testing into the software life cycle
- Control and monitor the Testing Process.

Level 4 : Management and Measurement

Objectives

-Testing is a measured and quantified process.
-Review at all development phases are now recognized as tests.
-Products tested for quality attributes such as reliability, usability and
maintainability.
-Test cases are collected and recorded in a test database for reuse and regression
testing.
-Defects are logged and given severity levels.

Main Goals
-Establish an organization wide review program.
-Establish a test measurement program.
-Software quality Evaluation.

Level 5 : Optimized

Objectives

-Testing is defined and managed.
-Testing costs and effectiveness can be monitored.
-Testing can be fine tuned and continuously improved.
-Defect prevention and quality control are practiced.
-Automated Tools a primary part of testing process.
-Tools provide support for test case design and defect collection and analysis.
-Test related metrics also have tool support.
-Process reuse is practiced.

Main Goals

-Defect Prevention
-Quality Control
-Test Process Optimization

Structure of TMMi



Components of TMMi

Maturity Level:
A maturity level within the TMMi can be regarded as a degree of
organizational test process quality. It is defined as an evolutionary plateau of
test process improvement.

Process Areas:
Process areas identify the issues that must be addressed to achieve a maturity level. Each process area identifies a cluster of test related activities.When the practices are all performed a significant improvement in activities related to that area will be made.

Specific Goals
A specific goal describes a unique characteristic that must be present to satisfy the process area. A specific goal is a required model component and is used in assessments to help determine whether a process area is satisfied.

Generic Goals
Generic goals appear near the end of a process area and are called ‘generic’ because the same goal statement appears in multiple process areas.

Specific Practices
A specific practice is the description of an activity that is considered important in achieving the associated specific goal.

Generic Practices
Generic practices appear near the end of a process area and called ‘generic’ because the same practice appears in multiple process areas. A generic practice is the description of an activity that is considered important in achieving the associated generic goal.

Can we assess our maturity on our own?

The Answer is “YES”Assessment makes a clear distinction between practices that are required goals) or recommended (specific practices, typical work products, etc.) to implement.

- The organization must feel the ownership.
- Support of Senior Management.
- A TMMI Framework to refer.
- A technically competent Team.

Assessment Components

Required Components
Required components describe what an organization must achieve to satisfy a process area.
Expected Components
Expected components describe what an organization will typically implement to achieve a required component.
Informative Components
Informative components provide details that help organizations get started in
thinking about how to approach the required and expected components.


What should be the approach?

- Assess your Current Testing Process.
- Develop your Current Maturity level.
- Develop and Implement an improvement plan.
- Repeat the assessment to demonstrate that improvements have been made.