Which metric can be used to measure the effectiveness of the testing process in achieving one of the typical objectives of testing?

The percentage of requirements covered is a key metric for assessing the effectiveness of the testing process because it directly relates to one of the primary objectives of testing: to ensure that the software satisfies the specified requirements. This metric provides insight into how much of the defined functionality the tests are verifying. High coverage indicates that a significant portion of the requirements has been validated through testing, thus reducing the risk of undiscovered defects in the delivered product.

In contrast to other metrics, such as the average number of days between defect discovery and resolution, which focuses on the defect lifecycle but not on requirements validation, or lines of code written, which pertains to productivity rather than testing quality, the percentage of requirements covered specifically ties back to ensuring the product meets the customers’ needs. Similarly, while the percentage of test effort spent on regression testing may indicate resource allocation and testing strategy, it does not provide direct insight into whether the testing is effectively validating the requirements. Therefore, this metric serves as a clear indicator of how well the testing process achieves its primary goal of quality assurance through requirements verification.