Book excerpt: Software testing is a critical aspect of the software development process, and this heavily illustrated reference takes professionals on a complete tour of this increasingly important, multi-dimensional area. The book offers a practical understanding of all the most critical software testing topics and their relationships and inter-dependencies. This unique resource utilizes a wealth of graphics that support the discussions to offer a clear overview of software testing, from the definition of testing and the value and purpose of testing, through the complete testing process with all its activities, techniques and documentation, to the softer aspects of people and teams working with testing. Practitioners find numerous examples and exercises presented in each chapter to help ensure a complete understanding of the material. The book supports the ISTQB certification and provides a bridge from this to the ISO 29119 Software Testing Standard in terms of extensive mappings between the two; this is a truly unique feature.