A direct benefit of a test improvement program is higher productivity. When test processes are streamlined, better test planning, design, and execution can lead to reduced testing times, fewer defects, and quicker turnaround of quality products. This has a direct impact on organisational efficiency, allowing for more effective use of resources and time.

The Diagnosing phase in the IDEAL test improvement cycle is focused on understanding the current state of the organization's testing processes and identifying the areas for improvement. One of the key activities during this phase is Develop Recommendations, which involves analysing the current process against the goals and proposing areas where improvements can be made to achieve the desired state. Other activities in this phase include characterizing the current and desired states .

The process area that addresses the definition of test functions and the establishment of test career paths is the Test Organization process area, found at TMMi Level 3. This process area focuses on creating a well-structured test organisation, defining various test functions, and establishing career paths for testers. Specific practices include defining roles for test specialists, assigning staff to those roles, and establishing career development frameworks to support the professional growth of testers within the organisation.

The specific practice "Define a coordinated approach that coordinates both static and dynamic testing" is part of the Advanced Reviews process area at TMMi Level 4. The goal of this process area is to integrate static and dynamic testing, particularly through peer reviews, which helps optimise both defect detection and product quality management throughout the lifecycle​​​.

The specific goal "Project Goals for Product Quality and their Priorities are Established" belongs to the Product Quality Evaluation process area, which is part of TMMi Level 4. This process area focuses on defining measurable and prioritised project goals for product quality and managing actual progress towards those goals throughout the lifecycle. Product quality goals typically include both functional and non-functional aspects of the system.

Peer Reviews is NOT a TMMi Level 2 process area. Peer Reviews is a process area at TMMi Level 3. At Level 3, organizations formalize their testing processes, including peer reviews, which involve static testing activities like inspections and walkthroughs to identify defects early.

Test Policy and Strategy, Test Monitoring and Control, and Test Environment are all process areas at TMMi Level 2.

TMMi References:

Peer Reviews are introduced at TMMi Level 3, whereas Test Policy and Strategy, Test Monitoring and Control, and Test Environment are process areas at Level 2​​.

Required components describe what an organization must comply with to satisfy a process area in the TMMi model. These components include specific goals and generic goals, and they form the basis for determining whether a process area has been successfully implemented during assessments. Expected components provide guidance on how to achieve the required goals, but they are not mandatory.

TMMi References:

TMMi defines required components as those that organizations must achieve to satisfy a process area​​.