Case study: NewPOS system test

System test results

You are asked to assist in the system test of a new point of sale system called NewPOS (comprising four networked computerised cash registers and scanners connected to a server). You are provided with the following extracts from the functional specification.

  • 3.11 Scanning speed for any Point of Sale station is not to drop below 60 items per minute.

Once the system is tested in a multi-user environment, you observe that the most that can be scanned is 45 items in one minute, as the prompt does not move to the next field immediately once the item is scanned. You notice that the scanning performance degrades as the test goes on, but returns to normal once the test is complete.

You rerun the test with the same results and suspect that the server is unable to cope with the number of transactions being sent to it.

The project manager completed the system test log sheet as follows on the next page.

NewPOS system test log sheet

Script No. / 3.11.3 / Script name: / Performance_Test_3.11.3
System test script objective
All Point of Sales workstations are able to scan items at the rate of at least 60 items per minute without interruption
Resources required and preparation for test
4 NewPOS registers with bar code scanners and
4 register operators
4 packets of cheese widgets with barcodes printed in the packaging.
1 stopwatch to record start/stop time of test.
Procedure for test
All NewPOS register stations connected to network and logged in to the NewPOS sales screen.
Processing/scanning begins and ends on queue from tester using the stopwatch.
At end of five minutes, all users are to report the number of scans successfully completed and the average number of scans to be recorded in this log.
Expected results
At least 60 Cheese Widget packets scanned on each workstation each minute.
Testing results
Pass no problems
Pass w/ minor problems (Please describe below)
Pass w/ significant problems (Please describe below)
Fail (Please describe below, check the appropriate retest category)
Retest is required
Retest is not required
Comments
Name: / Test date:
Sign-off date: / Signature:

Case study — complete a results sheet1

© State of NSW, Department of Education and Training, 2005