TPS report
Encyclopedia
A TPS report is a document used in software engineering
, in particular by a Software Quality Assurance
group or individual, that describes the testing procedures and the testing process.
(IEEE) as follows:
, "TPS report" has come to connote pointless mindless paperwork
, and an example of "literacy practices" in the work environment that are "meaningless exercises imposed upon employees by an inept and uncaring management" and "relentlessly mundane and enervating". According to the film's writer and director Mike Judge
, the acronym stood for "Test Program Set" in the movie. In the story, the protagonist is reprimanded by several of his superiors for forgetting to put the new cover sheet on his TPS report. When one of the efficiency consultants that visits the firm asked "What does TPS stand for?", the audio cut away so that the term was left undefined in the released film.
Software engineering
Software Engineering is the application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software, and the study of these approaches; that is, the application of engineering to software...
, in particular by a Software Quality Assurance
Quality Assurance
Quality assurance, or QA for short, is the systematic monitoring and evaluation of the various aspects of a project, service or facility to maximize the probability that minimum standards of quality are being attained by the production process...
group or individual, that describes the testing procedures and the testing process.
Definition
The official definition and creation is provided by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics EngineersInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers is a non-profit professional association headquartered in New York City that is dedicated to advancing technological innovation and excellence...
(IEEE) as follows:
- IEEE 829IEEE 829IEEE 829-1998, also known as the 829 Standard for Software Test Documentation, is an IEEE standard that specifies the form of a set of documents for use in eight defined stages of software testing, each stage potentially producing its own separate type of document...
- Test Procedure Specification - The Test Procedures are developed from both the Test Design and the Test Case Specification. The document describes how the tester will physically run the test, the physical set-up required, and the procedure steps that need to be followed. The standard defines ten procedure steps that may be applied when running a test.
Office Space
After its use in the comedic film Office SpaceOffice Space
Office Space is a 1999 American comedy film satirizing work life in a typical 1990s software company. Written and directed by Mike Judge, it focuses on a handful of individuals fed up with their jobs portrayed by Ron Livingston, Jennifer Aniston, Gary Cole, David Herman, Ajay Naidu, and Diedrich...
, "TPS report" has come to connote pointless mindless paperwork
Busy work
Busy work is a term for work or assignments that are time consuming, but not useful. It is typically used to refer to schoolwork which is time consuming for students but not educationally valuable, but can also refer to procedures or paperwork in a bureaucracy which is unnecessary...
, and an example of "literacy practices" in the work environment that are "meaningless exercises imposed upon employees by an inept and uncaring management" and "relentlessly mundane and enervating". According to the film's writer and director Mike Judge
Mike Judge
Michael Craig Judge is an American animator, film director, writer and voice actor, best known as the creator and star of the animated television series Beavis and Butt-head , King of the Hill , and The Goode Family .He also wrote, directed and in some instances produced the films Beavis and...
, the acronym stood for "Test Program Set" in the movie. In the story, the protagonist is reprimanded by several of his superiors for forgetting to put the new cover sheet on his TPS report. When one of the efficiency consultants that visits the firm asked "What does TPS stand for?", the audio cut away so that the term was left undefined in the released film.