Semantic Test (SEM) is a test design technique used for testing software and especially for testing input data. It is a technique that can often be combined with the syntactic test in practice. The purpose of the semantic test is to test the relationships between data. These relationships can be between data within a screen, between data on different screens and between input data and existing data in the database. For example, consider these relationships to the 'minimum age', 'expiration date', and the like.
Example minimum ageIf a company's HRM system needs to enter a new employee's data, import controls can be added to prevent incorrect entry. For example, no young employees can be accepted, so the date of employment can not be for the employee's 16th birthday.
The SEM will test the relationship between two fields. In other words, the system will check if the date of entry into service is at least 16 years after the date of birth. In the example above, that is not the case. The employee is only 8 years old at the date of filing. The semantic test keeps this entry with, for example, a (erroneous) message.
For example, another semantic test should prevent new employees from entering the retirement age. Coverage
In a semantic test, multiple (values of input) data are tested in combination. The default cover for this design technique is Modified Condition Decision Coverage (MCDC). A light variant can be chosen for a condition / decision coverage. For a heavy variant you can choose Multiple Condition Coverage. Steps for the SEM
The semantic test has 4 generic steps:
1. Identify test situations; A semantic rule can often be described in terms of ALS (semantic rule) DAN action A ANDERS action B.
2. Draw up logical test cases; The effect of step 1 (often in truth form) in understandable variables (eg age & lt; 16 years).
3. Set up physical test cases; Translating the logical test cases into concrete physical test cases (eg age = 15 years)
4. Determine the starting situation. The necessary actions needed to obtain an initial situation. Source
Sogeti: TMap Next.
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