At ZEALS, I have recently been working on the entire test process of “Robotic Process Automation,” which refers to automating the process of inputting previously collected information into a target webform at a specified URL and the automation of filling out client forms. So, for this reason, I thought it would be good to explain more about testing, as well as the importance of each step in the testing process.
Testing, despite common misconceptions, follows a systematic approach. The initial step in this process is test planning, followed by test case creation, execution preparation, and status evaluation, concluding with test closure. Consequently, the essential activities of the test process can be categorized into the subsequent stages:
- Planning and control
- Analysis and design
- Implementation and execution
- Test closure activities
Planning and Control
Test planning encompasses several crucial activities:
- Determining the test approach for conducting the test, in order to ascertain the extent of potential risks, as well as to pinpoint the objectives of testing
- Implementing test policies and a test strategy to inform PMs, testers, and developers about key issues of the testing process. — this includes the testing objectives, method of testing, total time and resources required for the project, and the testing environments
- Conducting a comprehensive evaluation to ascertain the necessary resources for testing, such as personnel, testing environments, and computer systems
- Arranging the allocation of time for carrying out tasks related to analyzing and designing tests, implementing them, executing them, and evaluating the results
- Defining the exit criteria in order to establish the conditions under which the testing phase can be concluded—these criteria are primarily focused on measuring the extent of coverage, which pertains to the percentage of software statements that must be executed during the testing process.
- Monitor the defined exit criteria to ensure testers can assess the accuracy and completeness of testing activities… additionally, these criteria provide clear guidelines for the tasks and evaluations that must be accomplished at each level of testing before the tester can declare the testing phase as complete
The main responsibilities of test control include the following:
- Assess and analyze the results of reviews and testing
- Oversee and record the advancement, scope of testing, and conditions for completion
- Provide information on testing
- Commence measures aimed at rectifying the situation
- Make decisions
Analysis and Design
The primary responsibilities of test analysis and test design encompass the following essential tasks:
- To review the test basis, the essential information for initiating test analysis and developing customized test cases that encompasses documentation that forms the foundation for test cases, including requirements, design specifications, product risk analysis, architecture, and interfaces… these test basis documents enable us to gain a comprehensive understanding of the expected functionalities and behavior of the system once it is developed
- To ascertain the conditions under which tests should be conducted
- To create the tests
- To assess the testability of both the requirements and the system, we must conduct a comprehensive evaluation
- In order to establish the test environment and determine the necessary infrastructure and tools, we must think about the design process
Implementation and execution
When conducting the implementation and execution of tests, Testers consider the test conditions and convert them into test cases and procedures, along with other Testware such as automation scripts, the test environment, and any additional testing infrastructure. Test cases are composed of conditions a tester uses to assess an application’s correct functionality. Testware refers to all the tools and resources used for testing software, including scripts, the test environment, and other infrastructure elements that can be reused in the future.
The implementation of the test involves a set of primary responsibilities
First, to assess the functionality of a software application, it is necessary to develop and prioritize test cases. These test cases involve the utilization of various techniques to create test data. Test data refers to the information entered during testing to evaluate different features and aspects of the software. Additionally, test procedures are created to provide instructions for conducting the tests. To streamline the testing process, testers may also employ test harnesses and automated test scripts. The test harness is a collection of software and test data that enable the testing of specific program units under varying conditions, allowing for the monitoring of their behavior and outputs.
Once the assessment has been completed create test suites from the test cases to streamline the process of conducting tests. Test suites refer to a compilation of test cases designed to evaluate a software program and demonstrate its predetermined set of functionalities. These test suites typically include comprehensive instructions and system configuration details to be employed during testing. Test suites serve the purpose of grouping together test cases that share similar characteristics. The final step is to execute and authenticate the setup.
Test execution has the following significant responsibilities:
- To carry out test suites and individual test cases in accordance with the specified testing procedures
- Confirmation testing or re-testing involves rerunning the tests that failed to verify a fix’s effectiveness
- The purpose of logging the test execution results in the software testing process is to document the test cases executed, their order, and the relevant details such as who executed them and their results (pass/fail) — this information is recorded in the test log, which serves as an audit trail
- To evaluate the achieved outcomes in contrast to the anticipated outcomes
- Incidents are reported when there are differences between the actual outcomes and the anticipated outcomes
Evaluating exit criteria and reporting
The risk evaluation of the project will establish the standards, known as exit criteria for each test stage, which will serve as the benchmark for determining the adequacy of testing. Exit criteria are relevant in situations where certain conditions must be met to determine when a process or activity can be considered:
- Most test cases undergo execution with a specific rate of successful completion
- bug rate dips below a specific threshold
- When the deadlines have been met
Evaluating exit criteria has the following major tasks:
- To verify the test logs against the predetermined exit criteria outlined in the test planning process
- To determine the necessity of additional tests or the need to modify the specified exit criteria
- To compose a comprehensive report on test results and findings for stakeholders
Test Closure activities
Test closure activities in software testing are typically performed upon delivery of the software. However, there are various other circumstances where the testing process can be officially concluded.
- When all the requisite data has been collected for the testing process
- In the event of the termination of a project
- When a specific objective is successfully attained
- Maintenance releases or updates are conducted
Test Closure activities encompass several essential responsibilities:
- This task verifies the completion of planned deliverables and ensures the resolution of all incident reports
- The process of concluding and storing Testware, such as test scripts and test environments, in a formal manner for future reuse
- The Testware will be transferred to the maintenance organization, which will provide software support
- To assess the outcome of the testing process and extract valuable insights for forthcoming releases and projects
Conclusion
Software testing is a process rather than a single activity. Testing must be planned and it requires discipline to carry it out. Here at ZEALS, we believe testing is a fundamental and crucial part of any software project.
Following the fundamentals of the testing process, we plan for testing adequately to ensure that the product or service is of the highest quality and meets the requirements of the user.
