What is MDQA ?

Traditionally software process artifacts have been divided into two groups: executable code, and human-readable documentation and requirements. Models are new artifacts that bridge the gap between these two groups. They are more high-level and more abstract than executable code, but they are readable by computers and can have a well-defined meaning. At the same time they are intuitively understood by humans.

Models can be used instead of, say, text documents, for specification and design purposes. They bring in many benefits that stem from readability by computers, well-defined meaning, and commonly accepted standards. Transition to models is happening globally on a major scale, as evidenced e.g. by the UML (Unified Modeling Language) and MDA (Model Driven Architecture) movements.

Model Driven Quality Assurance (MDQA) is automatic quality assurance that is based on models. Some examples of MDQA are:

model-based testing: system models are used to generate tests that are run automatically against real implementation; and
model verification: system models are verified mathematically to see if they have desired properties or not.

Model-based testing and MDQA are gaining global momentum.

MDQA creates enormous value, because it makes it possible to automate QA based on artifacts that have already been created in the system design process. This is a huge contrast to, say, traditional script-based test automation where test scripts are created manually or by recording. This phase of manual work is simply removed by model-based testing. Similarly, system design checking is usually conducted (when it is conducted) via peer reviews and inspections. MDQA supports this process by automatic design verification and checking.

Verifying models and generating good tests from them are challenging technical problems. Therefore sophisitcated MDQA tools are best developed by dedicated experts. Our technology partner Conformiq Software from Finland is a world-leading expert and innovator in the area of MDQA.

Conformiq Qtronic is a true design model driven test automation tool for automatic test derivation, execution and analysis.

It automatically generates tests from models of the system under test, executes the tests and analyses the results. It is designed to be used in conjunction with industry-leading model-driven CASE tools.

Conformiq Qtronic represents a true innovation that catalyses a real paradigm shift.

Further information about Conformiq Qtronic

last updated: 16.06.2008

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