Test Driven Development: uma abordagem baseada em use cases

Abstract

The development of computer programs is a complex activity, characterized by costs and deadlines that are difficult to estimate. Requirements change frequently, resulting in products of variable reliability. Currently, there are no formal theories that completely address these underlying challenges. Several approaches have been used over time to achieve incremental progress, leading to a significant number of programming languages, development processes, and techniques. Test Driven Development (TDD) is a recently-developed approach which extends the human capabilities to develop computer programs by providing tools to mitigate the difficulties mentioned. Although TDD aggregates a set of support and control elements, it does not include mechanisms that directly help developers with deriving implementations from a set of requirements previously captured and analyzed. As result of this absence, difficulties in understanding its nature and to elaborate the software through independent modules can be observed, ultimately limiting the impact of TDD on the reliability of software. The objective of this research is to overcome the shortcomings mentioned, complementing Kent Beck s TDD proposal by introducing a modeling stage guided by Use Cases, following the ideas of Ivar Jacobson and Wirfs-Brock. Through this approach, assessed by a case study conducted together with industry professionals, enhancements in TDD usage experience could be observed, altering the manner in which this proposal is commonly understood, used and evaluated