A taxonomy of risk-based testing

TL;DR

This paper introduces a comprehensive taxonomy of risk-based testing approaches, providing a framework to categorize, assess, and compare methods to improve testing efficiency and risk mitigation in software development.

Contribution

It presents a novel taxonomy framework for risk-based testing, aligning risk considerations across all testing phases to aid in method selection and customization.

Findings

Developed a taxonomy based on analysis of existing literature

Applied the taxonomy to recent risk-based testing approaches

Facilitates comparison and tailored application of risk-based testing methods

Abstract

Software testing has often to be done under severe pressure due to limited resources and a challenging time schedule facing the demand to assure the fulfillment of the software requirements. In addition, testing should unveil those software defects that harm the mission-critical functions of the software. Risk-based testing uses risk (re-)assessments to steer all phases of the test process in order to optimize testing efforts and limit risks of the software-based system. Due to its importance and high practical relevance several risk-based testing approaches were proposed in academia and industry. This paper presents a taxonomy of risk-based testing providing a framework to understand, categorize, assess, and compare risk-based testing approaches to support their selection and tailoring for specific purposes. The taxonomy is aligned with the consideration of risks in all phases of the test process and consists of the top-level classes risk drivers, risk assessment, and risk-based test process. The taxonomy of risk-based testing has been developed by analyzing the work presented in available publications on risk-based testing. Afterwards, it has been applied to the work on risk-based testing presented in this special section of the International Journal on Software Tools for Technology Transfer.