Test Conduct and Reporting System (TCRS)

TCRS Overview

The Test Conduct and Reporting System (TCRS) is a requirement-driven system which attains efficiencies through detailed research, analysis, and coordination during test planning, focused and quality assured data collection during test conduct, and predefined reporting formats.

Current Capabilities

  • Collection and consolidation of requirements
  • Test planning and control
  • Development of a Time-Ordered Events List (TOEL) to ensure efficient data collection and execution of events
  • Configuration management of test or experiment configurations
  • Rapid data entry for performance data
  • Browsing, grouping, and sorting of data
  • Tracking of discrepancies
  • Consolidation and aggregation of data, by requirement, and/or system
  • Flexibility of reports

TCRS has the capability to link the TOEL to the test data requirements for each experiment and test in order to meet objectives. TCRS provides the necessary database support for test organization and reporting. This is accomplished by linking TOEL to distributable test data requirements and by publishing customized test data requirement result reports.

Background

TCRS v1.0 was an evolutionary test tool developed between 1998 and 2004 at the US Army Electronic Proving Ground (EPG), Fort Huachuca, Arizona, to support command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) and other Army Battle Command System (ABCS) testing. TCRS v1.0 was employed only by EPG and not distributed to outside agencies. In September 2004, v2.0 was created and underwent configuration management (CM) at EPG. TCRS underwent a verification and validation (V&V) test on 10 October 2004. Since that time, enhancements to the basic TCRS function were added.

Test Events

TCRS has been used in numerous test events including:

  • Distributed Test Event (DTE)
  • Multi-Service Distributed Environment (MSDE)
  • Cross Command Collaborative Effort (3CE)
  • Initial Operating Capability (IOC) 3
  • Field Test (FT) 4 and FT 5
  • Maneuver Control System (MCS).

Future Capabilities

  • Enhanced collaboration with TestTalk web-based display
  • Further customized test plans, data collection and reports.

Summary

TCRS is useful for tracking requirements, generating time-ordered events lists (TOEL) and preparing performance data of a tested software/system. It’s a valuable tool for the testing, planning, execution and reporting process. The user enters prearranged data using Access then creates a TOEL using Visual Basic. He or she then prints their reports in whatever format they choose.

Software Environment

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 or XP
  • Microsoft Access 2002 or later, Service Pack 3
  • 256 Mbytes of RAM
  • 1024 x 768 pixels Screen Resolution
  • 500 Mbytes of hard drive (free space)
  • Printer (recommend 15 to 18 pages per minute)