Silk Central, Risk-Based Testing, and Quality Goals

Often during software development, a balance must be struck between testing scope, time, and cost. One commonly used method in determining this balance is risk-based testing.

A key practice of risk-based testing is the process of categorizing test assets based off of factors important to the quality and to the end users of the application.

Based off of this categorization process, quality practitioners can determine the appropriate set of tests based off of time available and the desired goals of the quality process. Executing a subset of tests involves some amount of risk. Quantifying this risk in a relevant way ensures that the stakeholders are informed throughout the process, which is key for a successful implementation of risk-based testing.

In Silk Central, factors used for risk-based testing are completely customizable using Quality Goals. A quality goal can be created for any List type custom attribute or requirement property which are used to categorize testing assets. This allows users to define a subset of tests that need to be executed in order for the project to meet specific quality criteria. Quality goal reporting allows users to communicate to stakeholders the test planning and execution process, relevant scope, time, and quality metrics on testing assets.