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The theme of the workshop focuses on bridging the gap between the theories
and practice of software test automation. The topics covered by the workshop
include, but are not limited to, the following.
1) Methodology:
Software test automation in the context of various
software development methodologies, such as in
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traditional heavy weight methodologies,
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rapid prototyping and evolutionary
development methodology, |
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component-based software development, and
object-oriented software development, and aspect-oriented methodologies, |
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agile and test-driven methodology,
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software architecture and product lines,
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service-oriented and agent-oriented
software engineering. |
2) Technology:
Automation of various test techniques and methods used in various test
related activities, such as
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The techniques that enable various
testing activities to be automated, such as
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test case generation, |
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test oracle and test result checking, |
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test driver, stubs, harness and test script
generation, |
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test adequacy and coverage measurement, |
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test effective analysis, and test report generation,
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test related software artifact generation,
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maintenance, and reuses, management of testing
activities and recourses. |
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The techniques that support various
software testing methods, such as
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structural testing, |
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functional testing, |
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error based testing, |
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fault-based testing, |
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partition testing and combinatorial testing,
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random testing, |
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usability testing, performance testing, load testing
and stress testing, |
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program-based testing, |
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specification based testing, |
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model-based testing, |
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risk-based testing, etc. |
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Techniques that support the testing of
various specific types of software in various application domains, such as
for testing
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Internet and Web-based applications, such as web
services, Peer-to-peer applications and Grid systems, semantic web,
search engines, etc. |
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Database applications and information systems,
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Systems software such as middleware, architecture and
reference models, XML schemes, compilers, OS, etc. |
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Ubiquity, pervasive and mobile computing systems,
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Multimedia and hypermedia applications, |
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Security protocols and application systems,
encryption and decryption algorithms, |
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Real-time systems, concurrent and parallel systems,
communication systems and protocols, embedded systems, |
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Applications of AI techniques, such as data mining systems, machine
learning algorithms, agents and multi-agent systems, ontologies, neuron
networks, etc. |
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3) Tools and environments: Issues in the development, operation,
maintenance and evolution of software testing tools and environments, such
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The functional, architectural and
interface design of automated software testing tools and environments; |
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The construction of practical and
prototype systems of automated testing and implementation issues;
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Evolution of testing tools and
environments as software artifacts evolve and change and as software
standards and development methods changes; |
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Evaluation of software testing tools and
environments; |
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Integration and interoperation of various
types of software testing tools efficiently and effectively, and with
other types of software development and maintenance tools and development
environments such as
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model-driven development environments, |
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configuration management tools, |
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model-checking and software verification tools, |
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software metrics and measurement tools, etc. |
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4) Experiments, empirical studies and experience reports and vision of
the future:
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Experiments and empirical studies and comparison of software
test automation, and reports on real experiences using automated testing
techniques, methods and tools in industry, such as
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the effectiveness of automated testing tools, methods
and techniques, such as fault detecting abilities; |
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the cost of building the automation versus savings
from the automation; |
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the usability of various techniques, methods and
tools; |
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The identification of problems that
hamper the wider adaptation of automated test techniques, methods and
tools; |
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The analysis and specification of the
requirements on automated software testing. |
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