How do you share and review test results with other testers and stakeholders?

1 Choose the right format and tool

When choosing the format and tool for your testing, you should consider your testing objectives, audience, and context. Depending on the type and scope of testing, you might need to use a spreadsheet, document, dashboard, report, or video to show your test results. You may also use tools such as Selenium, JMeter, TestRail, or Jira to generate and manage test results. Additionally, you should ask yourself how easy it is to access, view, and update the test results. Furthermore, consider how well it conveys key information such as test cases, test data, test steps, test outcomes, defects, and metrics. Additionally, consider how flexible it is to customize, filter, sort and group the test results as well as how compatible it is with other tools and platforms that you or your stakeholders use.

2 Organize and structure your test results

When organizing and structuring your test results, it's essential to choose a format and tool that will help you and your stakeholders understand and analyze the results quickly. To do this, you should adhere to some common standards and conventions. For instance, use clear and descriptive names and labels for test cases, data, steps, outcomes, defects, and metrics. Additionally, assign consistent statuses and colors to test outcomes such as 'passed', 'failed', 'skipped', 'blocked', or 'in progress'. Furthermore, categorize test cases, data, defects, and metrics with appropriate tags like priority, severity, module, feature or requirement. Finally, use proper formats and units for data, defects and metrics such as dates, times, numbers, percentages or currencies.

3 Highlight and summarize the key findings

When you share and review your test results with other testers and stakeholders, it is important to focus on the key findings that are relevant and important for them. You should not overwhelm them with too much or too little information, but rather emphasize the main points that they need to know and act on. Visual aids, such as charts, graphs, tables, or screenshots, can be used to illustrate and emphasize your key findings. Examples of these key findings include the overall quality and status of the software, major defects and issues that affect the functionality, performance, usability, or security of the software, gaps and risks that need to be addressed in the testing process, as well as recommendations and actions that need to be taken to improve the quality and status of the software.

4 Share and review your test results regularly and timely

It's best to share and review your test results with other testers and stakeholders regularly and in a timely manner. Doing so will keep everyone updated on the progress and outcome of the testing, as well as help identify and resolve any issues or problems quickly. Additionally, aligning your test results sharing and reviewing schedule with your testing plan, project milestones, and stakeholder expectations is important. Examples of regular and timely test results sharing and reviewing include daily or weekly reviews with your testing team to monitor and evaluate the testing activities, performance, and results; biweekly or monthly reviews with your project team to report and communicate the testing status, issues, and risks; and end-of-phase or end-of-cycle reviews with project sponsors, clients, or users to demonstrate and validate the testing deliverables, quality, and value.

5 Solicit and incorporate feedback

The last tip for sharing and reviewing your test results with other testers and stakeholders is to solicit and incorporate feedback. Feedback is essential for improving your testing process, methods, and results, as well as building trust and collaboration with stakeholders. You should welcome feedback from testers and stakeholders and respond to it promptly and professionally. Additionally, incorporate the feedback into your testing plan, design, execution, and reporting, showing how it has been addressed or implemented. Examples of soliciting and incorporating feedback include asking for feedback on your test results format, structure, content, and presentation; asking for feedback on your test results findings, recommendations, and actions; and asking for feedback on your testing performance, quality, and value. Acknowledge or appreciate any compliments or suggestions you receive.

6 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?