San Francisco depot
San Francisco depot is a mnemonic for the SFDPO software exploratory testing heuristic. SFDPO stands for Structure, Function, Data, Platform and Operations. Each of these represents a different aspect of a software product.
Structure
Structure is what the product is. This is its physical files, utility programs, physical materials, etc.
Function
Function is what the product does. This is like the product's functional requirements. How does it handle errors? What is its UI? How does it interface with the operating system?
Data
Data is what the product processes. What kinds of input does it process? This can be input from the user, the file system, etc. What kind of output or reports does it generate? Does it come with default data? Is any of its input sensitive to timing or sequencing?
Platform
Platform is what the product depends upon. What operating systems, browsers, runtime libraries, etc. does it run on? Does the user need to configure the environment? Does it depend on third-party components?
Operations
Operations are scenarios in which the product will be used. Who are the application's users? Where and how will they use it?
See also
- Ad hoc testing
- Exploratory testing
- Session-based testing