Development of a test platform takes place in overlapping phases. Each iteration is marked by increasing knowledge, experience , expertise and functionality:

1. Set up a development environment for the test platform. Develop the test platform UI.
2. Develop the gDS schema for the test platform.
3. Interface to and discover the system under test. Represent it in the gDS data store from #2 above.
4. Learn to configure / manipulate the system under test from #3 above.
5. Make display(s) of the state of the system under test and the test platform.
6. Start to make the system under test perform activities (configuration, operation) it was designed to perform.
7. Develop ways to understand if the above activities (#6) complete successfully or not.
8. Develop strategies to respond to failures.
9. Design and implement ways to provoke and respond to failures in key system components (hosts, networks, storage). Notice this phase will cause the most stress on the test platform code and development efforts. It may cause significant revision to the test platform code. It is a necessary phase however.