A "Testing Framework" is provided in the form of a project "template". TALC Test Lead can contain multiple project templates that reside in the control database and fully define the data that will be used and the way it will be presented and processed. When you begin a new testing project, you can select from available templates to provide the type of information and workflow that best suits your new project. If available project templates do not meet your needs, then TALLECOM SOFTWARE provides a special configuration service to modify existing templates or to create new ones. Simply contact us with your requirements and we will provide you with a firm price to build the template that you need. Because all we need to do is to enter some data into the control database tables you will be pleasantly surprised at how little it costs.

A TALC Test Lead template is constructed from the following components:

Object - an entity used in Test Lead to hold data in a particular form. Test Lead documents (Test Plans, Test Cases etc) are all "Objects", and the terms Object and Document can sometimes be used interchangeably.(A Document is always an Object, but an Object can be other things apart from a Document, for example a "Folder").

Class - A group of objects which have the same basic characteristics (not the same data). All Test Plans belong to the "Test Plan" class, all Test Cases belong to the "Test Cases" class and so on. When you create a new object by clicking on an icon, or by selecting the object type from a menu, Test Lead uses the Object Class tables in the project template to determine how to create the object for you.

Operation - An action that you can perform on an object. For example on any given object, you may be able to edit, approve, freeze, release or view it. Each of these actions are referred to as operations.

State - The current "condition" of an object which defines how it may be treated. For example, if an object has a state of "In_Release" it cannot be edited or changed in any way.

Authority - Permission to perform a particular operation. For example, you may have been granted the authority to edit a document, while someone else may only be able to view it.

Role - A list of one or more Authorities that have been assigned to a particular user or group of users. When the Test Lead Administrator provides you with a logon and password, the roles assigned to you will define which operations you have the authority to perform.

The "Demo1" template provided with TALC Test Lead is a general purpose template based on IEEE 829 recommendations, but includes additional Risk Register, Application Model and Test Strategy components:

1. The Risk Register.

2. The Application Model.

3. The Test Strategy.

4. The Test Plan.

5. Test Designs.

6. Test Cases.

7. Test Procedures.

8. Test execution.

9. Bug tracking.

10. Change Request Management.

11. Item Transmittal documents.

The first three items above may not be familiar to all testers, since they are not drawn from the IEEE recommendations. If for some reason you do not want to use a Risk Register or Test Strategy, then you can still use the "Demo1" template, and just ignore these sections. However, the "Application Model" is a core component of the "Demo1" project and must exist, even if it does not contain any real data.