Software testing is a crucial part of software development, but how do you plan and execute it effectively? In this article, you will learn how to define the scope and objectives of a software testing project, and why they are important for delivering quality software.
The scope of testing is the extent and boundaries of what you will test and what you will not test. It includes the features, functions, requirements, risks, and assumptions of the software under test. The scope of testing helps you focus on the most important and relevant aspects of the software, and avoid wasting time and resources on unnecessary or out-of-scope testing. To define the scope of testing, you need to understand the context, purpose, and expectations of the software, and communicate with the stakeholders, developers, and users.
Identifying the accurate testing scope of a project is the important first step in laying out quality driven delivery approach. This can be achieved by: - Conduct an in-depth analysis of requirements to gain insights into functionalities and objectives, thus consolidate the functional and non-functional requirements that must undergo thorough testing. - Determine the specific goals of the project and identify suitable test levels and types to aligns with it. - Analyse dependencies on external systems and services to ensure right level of test coverage to validate them. - Identify data driven requirements, regulatory standards, industry-specific criteria, and high-risk areas within the application, to plan focused testing activities.
Indentify the business functions and features to be tested Levels of testing needed to cover acceptance criteria Non-functional testing such as compatibility, usability and performance testing test data quality and any reconciliation requirements testing deliverables Review and approval process on testing scope Clear call out of exclusions entry and exit criteria Level of regression testing
Boundary Value Analysis and Cyclomatic Complexity are still two important methods to adapt high quality coverage on testing! Having a test plan is necessory when documenting such inscope and out of scope detailed. Hence ISTQB foundation is still a valuable exam for those starting a career in QA roles.
Scope of a software testing project is used to create boundaries testing area. Without it the trsting area wil be extensive and could be overwhelming. We can analyze the requirements and its impacted environments. Based on this analysis, we can determine the testing scope. We should also cooperate the other stakeholders in case they have some additional scopes to be included. Though in other hand, it's important to know if the proposed scope is in line with the development or not.
The test scope should be aligned with the company's objectives whether you are testing a feature or an entire system. Defining the purpose, what the feature is supposed to solve, and who interacts with it will go a long way when it comes to identifying critical areas and the most important paths to consider when testing. A well-defined feature will tell your QA team exactly what you want them to test and where to focus.
The objectives of testing are the specific goals and outcomes that you want to achieve from testing. They are derived from the scope of testing, and they guide your testing strategy, methods, techniques, and criteria. The objectives of testing should be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Some examples of testing objectives are verifying the functionality of the software, identifying and reporting defects, measuring the quality and coverage of testing, and providing feedback and recommendations.
In a project involving an online educational platform, I applied SMART testing objectives effectively. Our goal was to validate the platform's quiz feature: Specific: We focused on the quiz feature. Measurable: We tracked quiz success rates and score calculations. Achievable: Testing quizzes were within our scope and resources. Relevant: Quizzes were crucial for user engagement. Time-bound: We adhered to a set testing timeline. We created diverse test cases, covering quiz types and user scenarios. During testing, we found a mobile display bug, promptly reported and resolved it, enhancing the user experience. This emphasized the importance of SMART testing objectives in ensuring feature quality.
The testing strategy is the high-level approach and plan for testing. It defines the scope and objectives of testing, the roles and responsibilities of the testers, the testing resources and tools, and the testing environment and data. The testing strategy aligns with the project scope, objectives, and constraints, and it provides a clear and consistent direction for testing.
The testing methods are the ways of applying the testing strategy to the software under test. They include the testing techniques, processes, standards, and best practices that you use to design, execute, and evaluate test cases. The testing methods depend on the scope and objectives of testing, the characteristics and complexity of the software, the testing levels and types, and the testing tools and resources. Some examples of testing methods are black-box testing, white-box testing, exploratory testing, automated testing, and regression testing.
The testing criteria are the measures and indicators that you use to evaluate the results and outcomes of testing. They include the test-case design criteria, the test execution criteria, the test result analysis criteria, and the test completion criteria. The testing criteria help you determine the quality, effectiveness, efficiency, and completeness of testing, and to decide when to stop testing. The testing criteria should be defined in advance based on the scope and objectives of testing, the testing strategy and methods, and the stakeholder expectations.
The testing feedback is the information and communication that you provide and receive during and after testing. It includes the test reports, defect reports, test metrics, test reviews, test lessons learned, and test recommendations. The testing feedback helps you monitor and control the testing process, identify and resolve issues, improve the software quality, and enhance the testing performance. The testing feedback should be timely, accurate, clear, and actionable, and it should address the scope and objectives of testing, the testing strategy and methods, and the testing criteria.