The Graphical Format of TTCN-3 in the Context of MSC and UML

Graphical system design techniques like Message Sequence Chart (MSC) and Unified Modelling Language (UML) are gaining more and more acceptance because they ease the development, understanding, and maintenance of software systems. In the testing area no accepted graphical test specification and implementation techniques exist. To overcome this shortcoming, a graphical presentation format for the Testing and Test Control Notation (GFT) has been defined. GFT supports the graphical design, implementation, visualization, documentation and tracing of test behaviour. GFT is based on MSC and extends it with test specific concepts like verdicts and defaults. GFT is also the basis for the definition of a UML testing profile to enable the integrated system and test development with UML models. This paper discusses GFT and its relation to MSC and to the UML testing profile.