TMap provides techniques for the following: 

• Test estimation
• Defect management
• Creating metrics
• Product risk analysis
• Test design
• Product evaluation.  

TMap also offers various checklists and overviews that can be used as a tool during the preparation and/or execution of certain activities.

Test estimation 
Estimates can be made at a number of different levels. The various estimation levels are shown in the figure below.

Choosing the estimating techniques in particular is a step requiring experience. You can select from several estimating techniques: 

• Estimation based on ratios. Here, the test effort is generally measured against the development effort, e.g. in percentage ratios. 
• Estimation based on test object size.
• Estimation using a ‘Work Breakdown Structure’.
• Proportionate estimation based on the total test budget.
• Estimation on the basis of extrapolating experience figures from the beginning of the testing programme. 
• Estimation on the basis of size and strategy using TMap’s test point analysis (TPA).  

Defect management 
A defect is an observed difference between the expectation or prediction and the actual outcome. While the administration and monitoring of the defects is factually a project matter and not one of the testers, testers are usually very closely involved. A good administration must be able to monitor the lifecycle of a defect and provide various overviews. These overviews are used, among other things, to make well-founded quality statements.

Creating metrics 
The definition, maintenance and use of metrics is important to the test process because it enables the test manager an answer, supported by facts, to questions like:

• What about the quality of the test object?
• What about the progress of the test process?  

A structured approach to realise a set of test metrics is using the Goal-Question-Metric (GQM) method. In addition to describing the GQM method, TMap gives instructions to set up a practical test metrics starter set. It also provides a checklist that can be useful to make pronouncements on the quality of the object to be tested and the quality of the test process.

Product risk analysis 
A product risk analysis (PRA) is analysing the product to be tested with the aim of achieving a shared view, among the test manager and other stakeholders, of the more or less risky characteristics and components of the product to be tested so that the thoroughness of testing can be agreed upon. The focus in PRA is on the product risks, i.e. what is the risk to the organisation if the product does not have the expected quality? The result of the PRA constitutes the basis for the subsequent decisions in strategy as to light, thorough or non testing of a characteristic (e.g. a quality characteristic) or object part (component) of the product to be tested.

Test design 
A test design technique is a standardised method to derive, from a specific test basis, test cases that realise a specific coverage. The implementation of test design techniques and their definition in the test specifications have several advantages:

• It provides a well-founded elaboration of the test strategy: the agreed coverage in the agreed place.
• It is a more effective way to detect defects than e.g. ad-hoc test cases.
• The tests are reproducible because the order and content of the test execution are described in detail.
• The standardised method ensures that the test process is independent of the individual who specifies and executes the test cases.
• The standardised method ensures that the test specifications are transferable and maintainable.
• It becomes easier to plan and manage the test process because the processes of test specification and execution can be split up into clearly definable blocks.  

The decision to ‘test more thoroughly’ concretely translates to a decision to achieve more extensive coverage. Different types of coverage, termed “coverage types”, exist. For instance, it is possible to look at the possible combinations of paths in an algorithm.   But in that same algorithm, you can also look at the possibilities to cover one outcome or the other within each decision point. These are 2 different coverage types.

Each coverage type requires a specific type of information in the test basis, e.g. a structured flow chart with paths and decision points. A standard method to derive the required test situations can be created for a specific coverage type. This is called a basic technique. TMapNext describes 11 coverage types together with related basic techniques.

A test design technique is used to derive the necessary test cases that achieve the required coverage from a specific test basis. It is closely related to the test type that is executed and thereby the quality characteristic that is tested with that test type. A test design technique describes the required test basis, the intended coverage types, and the basic techniques applied to achieve these coverage types (cf. figure below).

For instance: The Process Cycle Test is a test design technique to test the ‘suitability’ quality characteristic. The required test basis is the description of the AO (Administrative Organisation) in terms of paths and decision points. The intended coverage type is ‘path coverage test depth level 2’. TMapNext describes 11 practical test design techniques and gives examples.

Product evaluation 
TMap describes and uses the following evaluation techniques:

• Inspection: In addition to determining whether the solution is adequately processed, an inspection focuses primarily on achieving consensus on the quality of a product. 
• Review: A review focuses primarily on finding courses for a solution on the basis of the knowledge and competencies of the reviewers, and on finding and correcting defects.
• Walkthrough: A walkthrough is a method by which the author explains the contents of a product during a meeting.   

Various checklists and overviews
TMap offers a great variety of checklists that will constitute a welcome addition to the tester when executing certain activities. For instance, there are checklists that can be used as support in taking stock of the assignment, determining the test facilities, determining the test project risks, establishing the test strategy, the evaluation of the test process, taking interviews, and determining whether adequate information is available to use a specific test design technique. TMap also offers other tools, such as an overview matrix of the tools per TMap activity, a test type overview, and criteria to select a tool.