Manual Testing Techniques

???? Nowadays, manual testing remains a crucial aspect of quality assurance. It provides a hands-on approach to identifying defects that automated testing might miss.

?? Two fundamental techniques in manual testing that are particularly effective in uncovering hidden bugs are:

?? Equivalence Partitioning (EP)

?? Boundary Value Analysis (BVA).

? Understanding Equivalence Partitioning

Equivalence Partitioning is a black-box testing technique that divides a software application's input data into partitions of equivalent data from which test cases can be derived. The idea is that if a particular input value in a partition works, all other values in that partition should also work. Conversely, if one value in the partition fails, the others will also fail.

Key Steps in Equivalence Partitioning:

1?? Determine all possible inputs for a given function or feature.

2?? Divide the input data into partitions or equivalence classes. Each partition represents a set of valid or invalid input data.

3?? Choose one representative value from each partition for testing.

For example, consider a function that accepts an integer input for the age of a user, which must be between 18 and 60.

? Identify Input Data:

Valid range: 18 to 60

Invalid ranges: <18 and >60

? Create Partitions:

Partition 1: Valid inputs (18-60)

Partition 2: Invalid inputs (<18)

Partition 3: Invalid inputs (>60)

? Select Test Cases:

Valid: 30 (from partition 1)

Invalid: 15 (from partition 2)

Invalid: 65 (from partition 3)

Using EP, we reduce the number of test cases while ensuring coverage of all possible input scenarios.

?? ?? Exploring Boundary Value Analysis (BVA)

Boundary Value Analysis is another black-box testing technique that focuses on the values at the boundaries of equivalence partitions. It is based on the observation that errors often occur at the boundaries of input ranges rather than within them.

Key Steps in Boundary Value Analysis:

1?? Determine the boundary values of each equivalence partition.

2?? Create test cases for values at, just below, and just above each boundary.

For example, using the same age validation function (18 to 60):

? Identify Boundaries:

Lower boundary: 18

Upper boundary: 60

? Select Test Cases:

Lower boundary: 18 (exact boundary)

Just below lower boundary: 17

Just above lower boundary: 19

Upper boundary: 60 (exact boundary)

Just below upper boundary: 59

Just above the upper boundary: 61

? Applying EP and BVA in Modern Software Testing

These techniques are invaluable in today’s fast-paced development environments, especially with Agile and DevOps methodologies. Here’s how to effectively integrate them into your testing strategy:

?? Use both techniques together for comprehensive coverage. EP helps identify the partitions, while BVA ensures that boundary conditions within those partitions are tested.

?? As your application evolves, update your equivalence partitions and boundary values to reflect new features and changes in requirements.

?? Use TestCaseLab to support manual testing management to efficiently organize and execute your EP and BVA test cases.

Integrating these techniques into your testing workflow will help ensure that your software meets the highest standards of quality and reliability.

Incorporate EP and BVA into your next testing cycle and experience the benefits of a more structured, efficient, and effective manual testing process.

? TestCaseLab is here to support you every step of the way, providing the tools and features you need to excel in your testing endeavors.

Try TestCaseLab for free with a 30-day trial here: https://bit.ly/3O8Exmn

If you enjoyed this article, follow TestCaseLab to get more helpful content. ??

Share this with those who can benefit from it!

#softwaretesting #defectmanagement #qa #testcaselab #bugtracking #prioritization #qualityassurance #techtips #qatips #testingtips #qatesting #qualityassurance #softwaretestingplatform #testingtools #testing #testcasemanagement #testcaselab #softwaretesting #qa #artificialintelligence #manualtesting #testingtools #testcaseoptimization #softwaretesting #testcases #testcaselab #qualityassurance #softwaretesting #qualityassurance #testingstrategies #testcaselab