What are the best practices for ensuring SDLC testing covers all requirements and scenarios?

Over the years, one way of avoiding ambiguity and breaking deliverables into smaller chunks of work which can be easily tested is to have the user story and also to use the Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) Test cases. This combination clears out grey areas. The BDD Test case uses keywords such as GIVEN, WHEN, THEN and AND. Below is an example Scenario: Successful login Given I am on the login page When I enter valid credentials (username and password) Then I should be logged in and redirected to my profile page

Ensuring comprehensive SDLC testing is pivotal for robust software. Firstly, conduct a meticulous requirements analysis, documenting all aspects. Create detailed test cases covering functional and non-functional requirements, prioritizing based on critical functionalities. For instance, in an e-commerce platform, test scenarios should include user registration, order processing, and payment gateways. Employ a mix of testing types – unit, integration, system, and user acceptance testing. Automate repetitive tests to save time and ensure consistency. Implement continuous monitoring and regression testing to catch issues early. Regular feedback loops and documentation maintain transparency.

Prioritize testing based on potential risks to the system, focusing on critical functionalities and areas. Develop a detailed test plan outlining test scenarios, test cases, entry/exit criteria, resources, and timelines. Create a traceability matrix to link each requirement with its corresponding test cases, ensuring coverage alignment. Design a diverse set of test cases covering functional, non-functional, positive, negative, and boundary scenarios. Implement regression testing to ensure that changes or updates haven't affected existing functionalities. Conduct exploratory testing to uncover unforeseen scenarios and enhance test coverage. Have peers review test cases to identify gaps or areas for improvement in coverag

All said and done, creating process and marking checklist is one thing but in my opinion team members are an important element of a group out of your quantitative measures. There are many improved methodologies in the market a team can utilize, like: 1. Epic, Feature, User stories structure. 2. Using Given, When, Then format for the Acceptance criteria. 3. Have a 3 Amigos and intermediate touch points with the Dev, QA and BA/PO. 4. Implementing Integration and automation testing where possible. etc. But not to forget the people over process approach and make sure your "Team" understands, agree and aligned on the outcome and expectations of whatever methodology you are using either waterfall or agile.

To Use a Traceability Matrix: Create a traceability matrix that links requirements to test cases. This ensures that each requirement has corresponding test cases, and you can easily track coverage. Implement Requirement Reviews: Conduct requirement reviews with stakeholders to validate and clarify requirements early in the SDLC. Prioritize Requirements: Prioritize requirements based on business impact, criticality, and complexity. Focus more testing effort on high-priority requirements. Use Test Design Techniques:

Ensuring that Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) testing covers all requirements and scenarios is crucial for delivering a high-quality software product. Here are some best practices to achieve comprehensive testing: Understand Requirements Thoroughly: Ensure that all team members understand the project requirements completely. Ambiguities and misunderstandings can lead to incomplete testing. Define Test Objectives: Clearly define the objectives of each testing phase, such as unit testing, integration testing, system testing, and user acceptance testing (UAT). Make sure the objectives align with the project requirements.

Testing a feature or MVP or CR can be done perfectly as part of SDLC below steps can resolve much complication before moving to upper environments 1. Requirements should be clear 2. Understanding requirements and doing a detail design and presenting with QA and developers will help to any gaps 3. QA needs to design test cases based upon the requirements and give walk through with PO, DEV,PM and get approval on design of test cases. 4. Not leaving any edge case scenarios and proper signoff by verifying the coverage of test cases All these testing should done before going to UAT. These should be done in lower environment (SIT and DIT) with real and virtuak environments

Use a Traceability Matrix: Create a traceability matrix that links requirements to test cases. This ensures that each requirement has corresponding test cases, and you can easily track coverage. Implement Requirement Reviews: Conduct requirement reviews with stakeholders to validate and clarify requirements early in the SDLC. Prioritize Requirements: Prioritize requirements based on business impact, criticality, and complexity. Focus more testing effort on high-priority requirements. Use Test Design Techniques: Employ structured test design techniques like equivalence partitioning, boundary value analysis, and decision tables to identify test cases for different scenarios.

In my experience, adding a risk-based testing approach complements these practices well. Prioritizing test cases based on potential business impact helps in optimal allocation of resources, ensuring critical functionalities that affect the customer experience the most are tested rigorously. Furthermore, engaging in early test planning sessions with cross-functional teams can surface hidden requirements and scenarios, which might be overlooked otherwise.

Hands down Requirements Traceability Matrix is top priority. 1. Draft test scenarios first and then test cases. One scenario can have multiple test cases. 2. Do a test case walk-through and get sign off from all stakeholders (BA and clients) 3. Follow the proper format of test case drafting (whichever might be the model). Each test step should have only one single verification criteria. That way one does not miss out on any aspect of the expected test result. It also helps in arriving at actual data for Testing Metrics - Test Case Efficiency and Testing Productivity. 4. Most importantly, test result documentation. Those should not be dumps of screen shots but well documented that they can be used as reference docs as well as training.

Risk-Based Testing: Identify and assess potential risks in the project and allocate testing efforts accordingly, focusing on high-risk areas. Usability and User Acceptance Testing: Include usability testing and user acceptance testing to validate that the software meets user expectations. Security Testing: Integrate security testing to assess vulnerabilities and compliance with security requirements. Performance Testing: Focus on covering critical and high-risk scenarios while keeping the testing effort balanced with project constraints. Regular communication and collaboration among team members testing aligns with project requirements and scenarios.

In my experience and from good old days below are few things which helps one and team to ensure most of the scenarios are covered and below are some best practices to achieve comprehensive test coverage Requirements Traceability Use Test Planning Equivalence Partitioning Boundary Value Analysis Happy flow testing User Stories and Use Cases Exploratory Testing Regression Testing User Acceptance Testing (UAT) Automated Testing Error Handling and Edge Cases Performance and Load Testing Security Testing Documentation Continuous Feedback By combining these practices, you can create a robust testing strategy that systematically covers all requirements and scenarios, increasing the likelihood of a successful SDLC outcome.

Here are some great practices that can be implemented apart from the once mentioned above:- 1. Create a Test plan and get it signed off after a review by stakeholders. 2. Have a clear traceability matrix. It helps to have clear mapping of each test case to the test scenarios. 3. Make sure the test scripts are based on BRD/FRD and not on specs given by development teams as this might lead to error of judgement. 4. Have clearly documented defects even the once that are unresolved and have been accepted by Stakeholders.

Kartik gave a nice list. I've seen cases where exploratory testing can be very valuable when there are multiple not-so-easily uncovered paths to get to an "unhappy" or "happy" outcome