Risk management features during the life cycle of software testing

The modern understanding of the concepts of “risk” and “risk management” is revealed. The dual nature of risk, as a source of not only threats, but also opportunities for the project, based on uncertainty, is explored. The prerequisites for applying a risk-based approach to software quality assurance are identified, such as limited resources, project complexity, critical software, outdated systems, and time constraints. The main stages of risk management in a software development project are analysed — risk identification, risk assessment and analysis, risk mitigation, monitoring and control. The main tools and methods of risk management are considered. Artifacts that need to be obtained when working with uncertainty are defined – risk management plan, risk response plan, list of risks, change request. Modern approaches to risk assessment are studied. An own scale for assessing potential threats that may arise on the project is proposed, which allows clearly prioritizing risks, both in terms of the priority of working with them, and in terms of the technical complexity of their solution. A product risk matrix is constructed. Basic strategies for working with quality risks are developed, including not only measures to respond to potential dangers, but also activities for the development of a positive component of uncertainty. Typical obstacles to the implementation of testing are identified – lack of proper planning, difficulty in identifying risk, lack of resources, insufficient test coverage, lack of consistency. The main benefits that can be obtained from the implementation of a risk-based quality management system are identified, such as increased business productivity and end-user satisfaction, software quality improvement, structured testing, resource use optimization, issues early detection, additional security for compliance with regulations

Keywords: risk, risk management, risk based testing, risk identification, risk assessment and analysis, risk mitigation, risk monitoring and control, product risk matrix.

doi: 10.32403/0554-4866-2023-2-86-71-78