Tool Mentor: Developing Tests using IBM Rational Quality Manager
This tool mentor provides steb-by-step instructions on how to develp a test script using RQM.
Tool: IBM Rational Quality Manager
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Main Description

Overview

IBM Rational Quality Manager provides a feature to create a test script to test software application manually. Once you begin writing the scripts, the rich text editor and its structured outline allows you to easily organize the statements. The main step types are:

  • Execution Steps
  • Verification Points
  • Reporting Steps

Tool Steps

1. Create a New Test Case [optional]

If the test script describes how to implement an existent test case, skip over the test case related steps.

  1. Go to the Construction tab and select Create Test Case.
  2. Name the test case, assign it to an owner, and categorize it in the Summary section. Add more details in the Description field.
  3. Create the requirements associations in the Requirements section.
  4. Define the Pre-conditions and Post-conditions in the appropriate sections.
  5. Fill in the Expected Results.
  6. Attach any documents which relate to this test case in the Attachments section.
  7. Capture the overall design in the Test Case Design section.
  8. Go back to the Summary section and estimate a Weight in points for this test case, based on an agreed upon formula. Main factors which might be considered in measuring the execution effort: tester hours, units of work, priority.
  9. Review the test case with the main stakeholders: fill in the Formal Review section with the people who will review and approve this test case.

2. Create a Test Script

  1. Go to the Test Scripts section and click on the + sign to add a new Test Script.
  2. Name the new test script following an agreed upon naming convention and provide a brief description.
  3. Assign an owner.

You can associate an existent test script with a test case by clicking on the "add" button and choose from a list of existent test scripts.

3. Add Manual Steps

  1. Click on the newly created test script: this will open a test script editor tab.
  2. Start adding manual steps by going to the Click to add field. 
  3. Assign the step type (execution, verification, reporting) by clicking on the small icon at the left of the step description.
  4. At run time, for the verification and reporting steps, you'll have the option to select a result of inconclusive, pass, fail or error.

 For more tool-related information, refer to the RQM online help topic: Testing > Developing Manual Test Scripts.

An important RQM feature is the keyword support for manual tests. A keyword is a group of statements built for the purpose of reuse.  For more information, refer to Testing > Developing Manual Test Scripts > Using keywords in manual tests.

4. Establish External Data Sets

The RQM tool let you create and maintain the test data independent of the test scripts. This allows you to modify the test data without being forced to change the associated test scripts and reuse the same test data for different test scripts.

  1. Create the test data: see  Testing > Developing manual test scripts > Working with test data > Creating test data and Managing Test Data
  2. Associate the test data with the test scripts: see  Testing > Developing manual test scripts > Working with test data > Using test data in manual test scripts