kubuntu-council team mailing list archive

[Engineering and Systems Software Research Group - UFAL <mp+468867@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Engineering and Systems Software Research Group - UFAL has proposed merging lp:~easy-ufal/ubuntu-manual-tests/improve-1577 into lp:ubuntu-manual-tests.

Requested reviews:
  Ubuntu Testcase Admins (ubuntu-testcase)

For more details, see:
https://code.launchpad.net/~easy-ufal/ubuntu-manual-tests/improve-1577/+merge/468867

Greetings!

The goal of this merge request is to improve test cases by identifying and removing test smells. The term test smell is often used in automated tests but current research has demonstrated that they also exist in natural language test cases. Potential problems they can cause are non-deterministic behavior,  incomplete verification, poor maintainability, and loss of productivity.

In this merge request, we address the Ambiguous Test smell, which indicates an action in a test case not specific enough, leaving room for different interpretations by the testers. 

The first verification of this test may lead to the following questions: Which audio file should the tester use? Where should it be downloaded from? Notice that this may lead to loss of productivity and non-deterministic behavior, as there is no way of knowing upfront which type and size of file the tester would select.

To avoid the mentioned problems, we relied on a precondition, where a link to a downloadable file can be placed by the QA team on the QATracker. This way, the tester can focus on the actual functionality instead of finding a file.

References:

Manoel Aranda, et Al. "A Catalog of Transformations to Remove Test Smells in Natural Language Tests." 28th International Conference on Evaluation and Assessment in Software Engineering (EASE 2024).

Elvys Soares, et Al. "Manual Tests Do Smell! Cataloging and Identifying Natural Language Test Smells." 17th ACM/IEEE International Symposium on Empirical Software Engineering and Measurement (ESEM 2023).

-- 
Your team Ubuntu Testcase Admins is requested to review the proposed merge of lp:~easy-ufal/ubuntu-manual-tests/improve-1577 into lp:ubuntu-manual-tests.

=== modified file 'testcases/packages/Studio/1577_Audacity'
--- testcases/packages/Studio/1577_Audacity	2015-12-17 11:34:55 +0000
+++ testcases/packages/Studio/1577_Audacity	2024-07-05 19:04:33 +0000
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
 This test will check that Audacity Transport Toolbar Works
+<em>
+    To perform this test download the following file.
+    <ul>
+        <li>[INSERT LINK TO AN AUDIO FILE]</li>
+    </ul> 
+</em>
 <dl>
     <dt>Go to File menu and then Click on "Open..."</dt>
-        <dd>A new window should appear, pick up an audio file and open it.</dd>
+        <dd>A new window should appear, pick up the file you just downloaded and open it.</dd>
         <dd>Can you see the file information on the desk?</dd>
     <dt>Go to Audacity Transport Toolbar, once there...</dt>
     <dt>Click on Play icon</dt>