How can you effectively report and communicate testing results?

2 Choose the right format

Depending on the type and purpose of your testing report, you might need to choose different formats to present your testing results. For instance, you can use tables, charts, graphs, or dashboards to show quantitative data, such as test coverage, defect density, or defect resolution rate. You can also use screenshots, videos, or demos to show qualitative data, such as user feedback, usability issues, or functional gaps. You should choose the format that best suits your message, audience, and medium, and make sure it is easy to read, understand, and compare.

3 Highlight the key findings

One of the main goals of reporting and communicating testing results is to highlight the key findings that can help the stakeholders make informed decisions, take actions, or resolve issues. Therefore, you should always emphasize the most important or relevant information in your testing reports, such as the test objectives, the test results, the defects found, the risks involved, or the recommendations made. You can use headings, subheadings, bullet points, colors, or icons to draw attention to the key findings, and provide clear and concise explanations for each one.

4 Provide evidence and context

Another goal of reporting and communicating testing results is to provide evidence and context that can support your key findings, and help the stakeholders understand the testing process, the testing criteria, and the testing outcomes. Therefore, you should always include relevant and reliable data sources, references, or documentation in your testing reports, such as test cases, test scripts, test logs, test data, or test tools. You should also provide context for your testing results, such as the scope, the assumptions, the limitations, or the dependencies of your testing activities.

5 Use feedback loops

Reporting and communicating testing results is not a one-way process, but rather a continuous and interactive one. Therefore, you should always use feedback loops to ensure that your testing reports are received, understood, and acted upon by the stakeholders, and that you can incorporate their feedback, suggestions, or questions into your testing activities. You can use various feedback mechanisms, such as surveys, polls, interviews, or workshops, to collect and analyze the feedback from your audience, and use it to improve your testing reports, communication methods, or testing quality.

6 Follow up and follow through

Finally, reporting and communicating testing results is not a one-time event, but rather a regular and ongoing one. Therefore, you should always follow up and follow through with your testing reports, and make sure that they are updated, delivered, and reviewed in a timely and consistent manner. You should also monitor and track the actions, resolutions, or changes that result from your testing reports, and communicate them to the stakeholders as well. By doing so, you can ensure that your testing reports and communication are effective, relevant, and valuable.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?