A Scalable Testing Framework for Location Based Services
Mobile applications are increasingly becoming location-based; that is, their functionality is both interactive and context-aware. Considering the ever-increasing complexity of the devices delivering location based services, and the growing number of possible networks that they can participate in, these systems require a high degree of testing. This paper introduces a novel testing framework for location based services. The proposed framework is based on the TTCN-3 testing system and provides the ability to test location based services from six testing perspectives: functionality, usability, network performance, server capacity, interoperability, and security. A case study is presented in which the testing framework was applied to a typical mobile service tracking system. The implementation of the testing framework illustrates both the functionality and the feasibility of the framework as proposed. The framework is also evaluated in comparison to several other methodologies currently available for the testing of location based applications. It is concluded that the proposed testing framework is the most robust of the available methodologies, being equipped to test the widest array of application attributes and allowing for the automation of testing activities.