Jama Software has announced Jama Contour 3.6.2 this month. This product helps QA managers and software engineers tie their test cases back to the project requirements.
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Its developers claim that Contour ensures there is adequate test coverage for all related requirements and defects. The Jama team also says that this is effectively a means of creating and executing test cases, capturing and tracking all related defects, plus integrating with defect tracking and test automation solutions.
Why is this interesting? Well Jama says that unlike traditional test management tools that "just organize" test activities, Contour leverages the project team's collaboration to focus testing efforts to high-risk areas resulting in increased quality and reduction in costly software errors.
"Testers need to prove that their activities fulfill the project requirements. Proper test coverage connects activities to product artifacts and can trace back to the original project requirements. The person doing the testing knows all the conversations that have occurred and can test with the big picture in mind," said the company.
Testing activities can account for up to 80% of the total cost of software development. According to a study commissioned by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, an estimated $22.2 billion annually could be saved by improved testing infrastructures that ensure proper test coverage.
Product Delivery Is (or Should Be) an Iterative Process
The key to success is recognizing that product delivery is an iterative process that requires continuous information exchange and collaboration says the firm.
"Today, most testing takes place independently, locked inside error-prone matrices that have no concept of items and no way to link from one doc to another in real time. Proper test coverage connects activities to product artifacts and can trace back to the original project requirements. The person doing the testing knows all the conversations that have occurred and can test with the big picture in mind," says the Jama team.
