Beyond their value in numerically assessing test data adequacy, test data adequacy criteria have additional value in the software process.

Test Improvement

Mutation Adequacy

• Examine all mutants that are not killed.
• Determine which mutants are equivalent and which are not (human as oracle).
• For the non-equivalent mutants, add new test cases to kill these mutants.
• Unkilled mutants help identify specific weaknesses in the test suite.

White Box Adequacy

• Determine statements or branches that are not covered.
• Determine which statements or branches are dead (human as oracle).
• For the live uncovered code cases, add new test cases to cover the cases.
• Uncovered code cases help identify specific weaknesses in the test suite.

Defined and Repeatable Process

An organization can use the adequacy results from one project as feedback to improve the definition and quality of the software process.

• Numerical adequacy values that are found to correspond to customer acceptance in one project can become defined minimum adequacy levels in the company's overall process.
• Types of weaknesses in test coverage found in one project can be identified as specific criteria for initial test case generation in subsequent projects.