The Automated Testing Lifecycle Methodology (ATLM)

• By Elfriede Dustin
• May 25, 2001
• Article is provided courtesy of Addison Wesley

From the author of
Automated Software Testing: Introduction, Management, and Performance

Summary

ATLM is a structured methodology geared toward ensuring successful implementation of automated testing. The ATLM approach mirrors the benefits of modern rapid application development efforts, where such efforts engage the user early in the development cycle. The end user of the software product is actively involved throughout analysis, design, development, and test of each software build, which is augmented in an incremental fashion.

Rational Corporation lists Automated Software Testing: Introduction, Management, and Performance and the ATLM as recommended reading as part of the Rational Unified Process. Many universities and professional software test training organizations have adopted the book for their classroom. Many companies (such as Imbus GMBH, Moehrendorf, Germany) have adopted the book and ATLM as their company standard for automated software testing. Others believe that industry automated test tool vendors will soon be incorporating the book's structured methodology within their tools. Instead of performing the entire test lifecycle haphazardly, software test managers will use an ATLM-compliant test tool that automatically supports (and possibly enforces) the book's sound building-block approach to the test effort.