Test & Evaluation

Integrated Testing

Integrated Testing is a process intended to result in resource efficiencies (time, money, people, and assets) and an enhanced data set for separate evaluations. The goal of integrated testing is to conduct a seamless test program that produces credible qualitative and quantitative data useful to all evaluators and to address developmental, sustainment, and Critical Operational Issues (COI). Integrated testing allows for the collaborative planning of test events, where a single test point or mission can provide data to satisfy multiple objectives, without compromising the test objectives of participating test organizations. Integrated testing focuses the entire test program (contractor test, Government Developmental Test & Evaluation, Live-Fire Test & Evaluation, and Operational Test & Evaluation) on designing, developing, and producing a comprehensive plan that coordinates all test activities to support evaluation results for decision-makers at required decision reviews. [1]

Integrated testing must be embedded in the Test and Evaluation (T&E) Strategy. There is no single implementation of integrated testing that will be optimum for all programs, but planning and conducting the test program in a collaborative manner will result in a more effective and efficient test effort. [1]

One method used to develop integrated testing is to perform a mission analysis by decomposing the Critical Operational Issues (COIs) into tasks and subtasks. Being derived from the capability requirements documents and the Concept of Operations (CONOPS), the COIs are a starting point in developing the test program. Breaking the COIs into tasks and subtasks will ensure system designers, developmental testers, operational testers and user representatives are all in agreement concerning the missions, tasks, and defined capabilities. [1]

Once the COIs and tasks/subtasks are understood, the Critical Technical Parameters, Measures of Effectiveness MoE), and Measures of Suitability can be developed and presented in the Evaluation Framework, thus ensuring direct traceability and linkage of system characteristics, key performance parameters/key system attributes, specifications, and user requirements, to a mission or missions. [1]

For integrated testing to be successful, it is important that the pedigree of the data be understood and maintained. The pedigree of the data refers to accurately documenting the configuration of the test asset and the actual test conditions under which each element of test data was obtained. The T&E Working-level Integrated Product Team (T&E WIPT) plays an important role in maintaining the data pedigree within the integrated test process for a program. [1]

AcqTips:

  • Integrated testing is not an event or separate test phase, nor is it a new type of test.

AcqLinks and References:

Updated: 6/5/2018

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