What is an effective test technique for catching defects in a batch application processing customer accounts?

Decision testing is an effective test technique for identifying defects in a batch application processing customer accounts because it focuses on evaluating the logical decisions made within the code. In batch processing, there are often many conditional statements that determine how data is processed, such as whether accounts should be updated, flagged, or excluded based on certain criteria.

By applying decision testing, testers can create test cases that specifically target these conditions to ensure that all possible branches are exercised and that the system behaves as expected under different scenarios. This technique enables the identification of defects related to any incorrect processing logic or missed conditions that could impact the integrity of customer account data.

In contrast, while statement coverage looks at whether each line of code has been executed, it does not fully address the correctness of logical decisions. Checklists are useful for ensuring that testing procedures and requirements are followed but may not catch specific defects. Static analysis can identify potential issues in the code without executing it, but it may not fully reveal issues that arise from the dynamic behavior of batch processing workflows. Thus, decision testing is a powerful technique specifically aligned with the complexities of processing customer accounts in batch applications.