The automatic estimation of the expected test effort is one of the new functions in the current Version V4.2 of the unit test tool TESSY.
This estimation is based on a stored formula that is made up of metric values of the test object. This formula can be adapted by the user to his own situation, for example by changing or adding factors or summands.
TESSY V4.2 calculates three new metrics that can be used in the formula: Statement Count, Call Count and Maximum Depth. But previous metrics, such as cyclomatic complexity, can also be used in the formula.
This estimation is particularly useful in larger test projects containing a large number of test objects, because TESSY automatically generates an initial estimate of the total test effort at the beginning.
In addition, TESSY V4.2 offers the possibility to record the actual test effort for a test object in TESSY after completion of the tests. TESSY then calculates the ratio of the actual effort to the estimated effort. Depending on two adjustable threshold values for the ratio, the actual test effort is highlighted in red, yellow, or green.