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Service Validation and Testing

C2

Ensure that the service design and its functionality deliver a new or changed service that meets the needs of the business.

Improvement Planning

Practices-Outcomes-Metrics (POM)

Representative POMs are described for Service Validation and Testing at each level of maturity.

2Basic
  • Practice
    Perform service validation testing activities within the IT function to ensure the service matches the design specification.
    Outcome
    While some validation of the IT service is undertaken, test cases are normally developed only after the service is implemented.
    Metric
    Existence of service validation records.
3Intermediate
  • Practices
    • Perform service validation and user acceptance testing in accordance with an agreed test strategy.
    • Conduct all testing in controlled environments.
    • Establish the test levels (i.e. unit, integration, system, acceptance, regression etc.) to be performed and the independence that is required between development and testing.
    Outcome
    Validation of the service design ensures it meets minimum requirements — matching the design specification and meeting the business needs.
    Metrics
    • Existence of service validation plan.
    • Existence of service validation records.
4Advanced
  • Practices
    • Use advanced testing and validation processes and tools to perform service validation testing in accordance with an agreed life cycle model, with test planning and control, test analysis, test design, and test execution perceived as distinct testing phases.
    • Capture and analyse a comprehensive set of test measures.
    Outcomes
    • Advanced testing and validation processes facilitate test automation and the scripting of regression tests, with the degree of validation in proportion to risk and business criticality of the service.
    • Metrics can be analysed to track test progress and provide constructive feedback and quality assurance for the desired degree of service confidence.
    • Issues, errors, and risks to the service can be identified, assessed, and addressed in a proactive way.
    Metrics
    • Availability of a library of test scripts/models/environments for reuse (test assets).
    • Existence of service validation records.
5Optimized
  • Practice
    Continually monitor validation and testing processes and use the data gathered, together with input from relevant business ecosystem partners, research, and industry best practice knowledge sources to optimize validation and testing organization-wide.
    Outcome
    Test measurement and monitoring systems facilitate continual improvement in the efficiency and effectiveness of the validation and testing processes.
    Metric
    # of test improvements made per year.