What are the key elements of a test report and how do you present it to stakeholders?

A test report is a crucial document that communicates the results and insights of software testing activities to stakeholders. The key elements of a comprehensive test report include - Test Summary: 1- Project Information 2- Test Period 3- Test Environment 4- Objective 5- Test Scope 6- Total Test Cases 7- Executed Test Cases 8- Pass/Fail 9-Total Defects 10- Defect status

A comprehensive test report includes key elements such as test objectives, executed test cases, pass/fail status, defects identified, test environment details, and overall test summary. Present the report concisely, using visualizations like charts and graphs for clarity. Prioritize critical information and trends. Customize reports based on stakeholder needs, providing a balance of high-level insights and detailed results. Utilize consistent formats and documentation standards for clarity and accessibility. Regularly share reports through collaborative platforms or meetings, fostering effective communication and facilitating informed decision-making among stakeholders.

In my experience, test reports purpose can vary based on audience. If the reports are for technical stakeholders it should be detailed and circulated on daily basis including test scope of the release, timelines, test execution summary, defects summary, risks, issues and KPI's. Overall RAG (Red, Amber, Green) flag highlighting the overall health of the testing status. If the reports are for business stakeholders and senior management, it should have a brief summary highlighting all key takeaways, Quality KPI's, RAG status for overall heath check of the test progress report and including RAID log. It should be concise to convey whether testing is on track or not, and if it is not then what controlling actions are taken.

When crafting a test report as a quality engineer, focus on clarity and conciseness to effectively communicate with stakeholders. Key elements to include are: Executive Summary: Provide a high-level overview of the testing outcomes. Test Objectives: Clarify what the testing aimed to achieve, linking back to project goals and requirements. Test Coverage: Detail the aspects of the product that were tested (e.g., functional, integration, performance). Issues Found: List the defects identified, categorized by severity and impact. Test Environment: State the test conditions for reproducibility. Test Results: Include detailed results for each test case. Recommendations and Conclusions: Offer actionable insights based on the test outcomes.

The key element is a highly dynamic aspect that varies from one business to another. However, there is a protocol for presenting reports to stakeholders. Your report should convey the current status and progress accurately. Based on your report, anyone should be able to understand our current position and anticipate where we will be in the next Y days.

This can be detailed 1)For each of the release item highlighting overall number of test cases, how many passed, failed, blocked, not run, and %age of overall pass. 2)Open Defect id's with a link to defect management tool for each release item should be also stated. Highlighting ETA's if confirmed. 3)Section with Risks and Issues to be specified and updated based on progress. 4)Dashboard/Charts for overall test execution summary 5)KPI's like defects leakage prevention, defects age, etc. to be considered.

One thing I 've found helpful is giving insights on how far the product is stable based on the number of found defects with lower severities and even none blockers and critical bugs reported with its density which means are there several defects raised in a certain test scenario. Additionally, the user acceptance tests which were performed, demonstrate the readiness for deployment. Finally, the count of test cases covered the requirements, the reported bugs and E2E tests' scenarios which represent how far the delivered product is reliable and ready for the operational work as long as the execution status for the executed test cases; passed/failed/not applicable and not run(which highlights the limitation behind their execution)

In my experience, test report includes a likeable test cases to the test management repository such as Azure DevOps server, so you can go through each test case in detailed steps, expected results and execution status, requirement ID they verify and relevant defects reported in their context. Not only that, but also another report is tightly coupled with the executed test cases which is Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM) which maintains the test coverage and assures that every requirement has been covered by at least one test case.

Test Case Documentation: Provide comprehensive details of specific test cases, including steps, inputs, expected results, and outputs, ensuring clarity and accuracy. Actual Results and Observations: Record the actual results of each test case, along with observations and screenshots, to offer clear evidence of the test execution. Defect Analysis: Analyze and document the root causes, impacts, and resolutions of any defects or issues identified during testing, ensuring a thorough understanding of problems and their fixes. Compliance Verification: Detail how the testing activities complied with the test plan, test strategy, and test standards, demonstrating adherence to predefined guidelines and requirements.

A comprehensive test report includes key elements like test objectives, test environment details, executed test cases, and their outcomes. Present it to stakeholders with a clear and concise summary, highlighting critical findings and areas of improvement. Utilize visual aids such as graphs or charts for better clarity. Include metrics on test coverage, pass/fail rates, and defect density. Align the presentation with stakeholders' perspectives, focusing on the impact of testing on business goals. Regularly update and tailor the report based on project phases, ensuring relevance and effective communication throughout the testing process.

Objective Alignment: Analyze how testing activities met the objectives, scope, and limitations of the test plan, ensuring comprehensive coverage and adherence to planned goals. Stakeholder Expectations: Evaluate how well the software product met stakeholder expectations, requirements, and specifications, ensuring alignment with user needs and project goals. SWOT Analysis: Perform a SWOT analysis to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to the software product, providing a balanced view of its quality and potential risks. Lessons Learned: Document lessons learned from the testing activities, highlighting key takeaways that can inform future projects and improve testing practices.

Overall Quality: Summarize the overall quality and status of the software product, highlighting its readiness for release based on test results and quality metrics. Release Readiness: Assess whether the software product is ready for release, deployment, or delivery, based on the evaluation of test coverage and defect resolution. Risk Identification: Identify main risks, issues, or dependencies that could impact the software product's performance, stability, or usability, providing a clear risk assessment. Next Steps: Outline the next steps, actions, or follow-ups needed post-testing, including retesting, bug fixes, and further quality assurance activities.

Effectively presenting the data and conclusions stemming from our rigorous tests plays an essential role in enabling success-oriented decisions. I aim to make the stakeholder reporting presentation focused, visually communicative, and actionable based on clearly outlined results and recommendations derived from the testing effort.

RAG (Red, Amber, Green) status is must have and should be derived based on quantitative information like 1)No. of open defects 2)No. of blocker test cases 3)Timeline etc. this helps to ensure controlling actions are taken on time for deviations.

When reporting its important that the report is able to give: 1. Graphical representation of current status 2. List of tests failed if possible clubbing of similar failures 3. Details including test data used for executing a test 4. List of tests executed. 5. Severity/Priority of the failed tests.