You’re looking for test management software. What are the top features to consider?

1 Integration with other tools

One of the most important features of test management software is its ability to integrate with other tools that you use in your software development lifecycle. For example, you may want to connect your test management software with your requirements management tool, your issue tracking system, your code repository, your automation framework, or your continuous integration and delivery platform. This way, you can easily link your test cases to your requirements, bugs, code, and test results, and have a seamless flow of information across your tools.

2 Customization and scalability

Another feature to look for in test management software is its customization and scalability. You may have different testing needs, processes, and standards depending on your project, team, and organization. You may also have to deal with changing requirements, scope, and complexity as your project evolves. Therefore, you need a test management software that can adapt to your specific testing scenarios and workflows, and that can handle the volume and variety of your test data. You should be able to customize your test fields, reports, dashboards, permissions, and notifications according to your preferences and needs.

3 Collaboration and communication

Test management software should also facilitate collaboration and communication among your testing team and other stakeholders. You should be able to share your test plans, cases, and results with your team members, assign tasks and responsibilities, track progress and status, and provide feedback and comments. You should also be able to communicate with your developers, managers, customers, and users about the quality and issues of your software product. Test management software should support various communication channels, such as email, chat, video, or audio.

4 Test automation and execution

Test automation and execution are essential features of test management software, as they can help you save time, effort, and resources in your testing activities. You should be able to automate your test cases using various scripting languages, frameworks, and tools, and execute them on different browsers, devices, and environments. You should also be able to schedule your test runs, monitor your test execution, and analyze your test results. Test management software should provide you with detailed and accurate test reports, metrics, and insights that can help you identify and resolve issues, improve your test coverage, and optimize your test performance.

5 Security and reliability

Security and reliability are also crucial features of test management software, as they can affect the integrity and availability of your test data and processes. You should be able to protect your test data from unauthorized access, modification, or deletion, and comply with the relevant security standards and regulations. You should also be able to access your test data and processes anytime and anywhere, and recover them in case of any disaster or failure. Test management software should offer you various security and reliability options, such as encryption, authentication, backup, recovery, cloud hosting, or on-premise installation.

6 User experience and support

The last feature to consider when looking for test management software is its user experience and support. You should be able to use your test management software easily and intuitively, without any steep learning curve or technical difficulties. You should also be able to get help and guidance from your test management software provider, in case you encounter any problems or questions. Test management software should have a user-friendly interface, clear documentation, online tutorials, and responsive customer service.

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?