TEST PLANS
During investigations, you may need to examine something to "read" an object to
determine what it has to say, to get more EBs. The general strategy is to look at objects
changed during the occurrence (stressees) to determine who or what acted on them
(stressors) to produce the condition observed. That is how you generate EBs from tests. If
you are going to spend money on tests, make sure you will get value for the money invested in the
tests by getting EBs that you can add to your matrix. Sometimes an ounce of matrix logic is worth
a ton of testing.
"Tests" may be teardowns, simulations, operation, or just about anything you can do to
an object. Tests may address chemical residues from reactions on a wide range of objects,
debris formed during the occurrence, damaged or impaired parts or operating components,
or subsystems such as hazmat container or process control systems or "safety" devices or
software or electronic memories.
To ensure that you get what you need from any testing
work, you should insist on a test plan that describes what will be done to the object,
and what that work is expected to produce (EBs). Elements of such a test plan are
indicated in this part. Tailor them to develop any test plans you need.
Ideally, it is helpful to hypothesize the EBs or alternative EBs that might be
disclosed or verified by the testing. Occasionally, testing is undertaken to try to gain
new understanding of the behavior of people or equipment being investigated. In that
case it is also helpful to have some hypothesized EBs to focus the test effort.
Caution: "Read" all the data from objects before you agree to any testing
that will change them.
Test Plan Elements
| 1. Test/ Examination objectives. |
Why do you want to do a test on something? Short answer: get needed
EBs to fill in gaps in the Matrix. Longer answer: to either verify that what you
think happened actually did happen, or to discover what did happen, or to show
something did not happen. Focus on gaps in the incident description you want to have
addressed, or the hypothesis for which validating data are being sought. If more
than one party is involved, objectives desired by each of the parties may have to
be disclosed, documented, and superimposed on the current Matrix. Your deliverables
should be EBs to add to your Matrix, and documentation of the source data and
methods used to define them. |
| 2. Physical objects to be examined. |
Describe the object(s) being tested or examined and document them
with photos to assure tests are performed on parts everyone expects to be examine.
State any protective measures for the objects, required to preserve them for more
tests, or chain-of-custody needs. |
| 3. General test approaches. |
Use this section to record any general principles to be followed
by the testers, any assumptions that need to be documented before the test begins,
and how the objects and tests will be documented. This is where any differences in
the approach must be identified and resolved. For example, should a device be
operated before it is dismantled, or should the dismantling be done before it is
operated? Should chemical samples be combined or tested separately? What is the
progression from non-destructive examination to destructive testing? |
| 4. Test/ examination procedures to be followed. |
State the name of the test protocol and equipment, and the
citation, if it has been formalized in the literature or elsewhere. Define and
document the measurements to be produced. Specify chain-of-custody requirements,
precautions and responsibilities, points of contact, and any security tasks.
This is also the stage where you need to make sure the test conditions and
boundaries truly represent what was going on during the occurrence, and that any
simplifying assumptions are DOCUMENTED.
This section should state the specifications for the deliverables (EBs) that will be produced and quality control criteria that will be used to verify the results.
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| 5. Interpre- tation of results. |
Hypothesize potential test outcomes and state how each potential
outcome will be stated in EB format. If this task is done properly, the specific
outcome may be uncertain, but there should be no surprises at the end of the test.
The place to discover differences between you and the persons performing the work is
with a set of possible or anticipated EBs on paper, not after the test has been run,
the money spent and no usable credible EBs produced. |
| 6. Schedule. |
State what work will be accomplished (EBs delivered), when it will
start and where, the schedule for any drafts to be circulated if applicable, and
when deliverables will be delivered. |
| 7. Distribu- tion of deliverables. |
Define who "owns" rights to the deliverables and has authority to
distribute or release them, and who can use or allocate them and for what purposes
in the future. Any confidentiality or security precautions should be specified in
this section. |
| 8. Disposi- tion of tested objects. |
Name who will specify disposition of the tested object(s) and the
time limit for disposition. Anticipated litigation may influence this section. |
| 9 Funding of test work. |
Define who pays what to whom. Who will pay for the test(s), or if
more than one party is asking for work to be done, who will pay for what part of
the test(s) and who will spend and who will supply what monies? Be aware that this
requirement can be used very effectively in negotiations to dissuade proponents of
unsound hypotheses or advocates of less disciplined methods to pay for tests or
forego them. It separates the "needed" from the "nice to know" work. |
Optional test plan elements.
| 1. Media inquiries. |
Hazmat releases often generate media interest - especially large
ones or one that involved a lot of people like a traffic accident. Describe how
inquiries to the individuals and organizations actually performing the test(s) or
others who might be contacted should be handle inquiries. |
| 2. Safety precautions. |
Where risk of injury or property damage is associated with the test
procedures, any required risk control precautions and responsibilities should be
stated.< |
| 3. Concur- rence. |
When more than one party is involved, get every interested party -
including the testers - to affix a signature to the test plan signifying concurrence
in the plan.< |
Some guiding principles for test plan development.
- Whoever Owns the Ball Calls the Game. (If its your money, you are in charge!)
- NO PLAN, NO TESTS!
(one of the basic commandments for Investigation, especially if you own what is to be tested!)
- Keep Test(s) Relevant. (Get events blocks)
- Scale the Plan to the Value of the Data it Will Produce.
(Are EBs worth cost?)
Test Plan quality assurance
The quality control process begins with checking the quality of the event blocks created
during the test. If they are flawed, their further use will create problems.
Difficulty designing a test plan to produce the supporting data is usually an indicator
that the event being sought may not be adequately defined, or that the event may have to be
broken down further into additional actors or actions to get supporting data. Occasionally,
you find you are looking at the wrong object to test for the data.
Flow chart the planned procedures on a Investigation Catalyst matrix, especially if any controversy occurs
during the planning process, or is expected during the test or after the results are
received.
The concurrence process will disclose points of difference that may reflect quality
problems, as well as differences in opinions among investigators. Forcing funding decisions
about who will pay often improves the efficiency and quality of the testing, or may
motivate alternative analyses plans.
Make sure the testers are familiar with the Worksheet and your event block needs for a
worksheet before they begin their planning, testing or examination.
Source: Benner, L, 10 MES INVESTIGATION GUIDES, Ludwig Benner & Associates, Oakton,
VA 1994
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