Practical application of principles of the software testing policy
The primary objective of the testing policy is to ensure that the software testing process is carried out in an efficient manner while also following the appropriate course of action. Priority goals also include verifying, validating, and estimating the quality of the product that is being evaluated in order for it to be capable of living up to the standards set by end-users. Testing software follows a specific procedure and adheres to a set of guiding principles that are collectively referred to as the “test policy.” It is a system that outlines the strategy that ought to be utilised in relation to the testing. These standards specify what should be tested, the benefits of doing so, indicators of quality and performance, the environment in which the test is conducted, and priority targets.
Preparation
To begin, you need to start the testing process by providing as much general information as possible about the function of the software, the features it possesses, and the users you intend to cater to. In the event that the product in question is contentious, it is critical to conduct a rapid demonstration because this will make it easier to spot significant problems and offer potential resolutions. The next step that will determine the outcome is to provide all of the operating information, available build versions, user experience, previously known peculiarities, and the most problematic issues.
Team creation
Software evaluation by experts with a specific set of skills is another crucial point. However, it is also acceptable to include testers who are not intimately acquainted with a specific type of software. As a result, the programme can be tested with a “fresh eye.” The same technical issues that could affect regular consumers could also affect testing specialists. It is one way to find and get rid of the most likely drawbacks.
Risk management
The testing should be centred on locating the causes of any failure risks that have been identified. The possibility of errors may result in significant harm being inflicted upon customers, such as the disclosure of personal information, the completion of fraudulent financial transactions, or the adverse effect on the operation of other systems. However, testing should not be limited solely to the examination of potential dangers; rather, it should check the functionality that is visible to customers and is important to them, such as the design and the usability of the product.
Monitoring
In order to determine whether or not the testing strategy is appropriate, it is critical to provide a transparent display of the test results by recording data within the test documentation. The implementation of the changes and the substitution of the existing data will be made easier as a result of this. In addition to that, this will make it easier to monitor how far along the testing is.
Early planning
When developing an efficient testing strategy, it is critical to not overlook the importance of analysing the past experiences of competitors and making full use of this information. Conduct research on the available samples and marketing materials offered by competitors in order to learn from their software testing best practises. The earlier you start planning testing strategies based on these techniques, the better your chances will be of successfully releasing your product on the market and making a profit.
Communication
The final step, which is certainly not the least important, is to communicate with the people who developed or own the product, as well as with potential users, in order to learn what they expect from the software.The main stakeholders should be involved in quality control in order to ensure that the product meets its standards. Permit an impartial quality assurance service provider to guide you toward producing software of the highest possible standard and achieving a satisfying experience for end users. Maintain compliance with the rules of the policy to lessen the likelihood of something going wrong.
What should the best contents of a Test Policy document?
Even though there is no universally accepted format for the contents of a test policy, the following are some of the things that might be included in one:
1) What exactly does it mean when we talk about testing software in the company? (i.e. how much software testing the organisation expects to be done on software products).
2) The protocol for the examination that should be used (e.g. the Fundamental Test Process).
3) General standards and criteria for software testing in projects, with a particular focus on acceptance criteria (which may vary depending on the classification of the project as critical, large, small, etc.).
4) Utilization of tools to assist in software testing, including selection of appropriate tool sets to apply in various circumstances.
5) A definition of the terms used in software testing, such as “test level,” “test type,” and “test condition,” is provided so that their application in other documents can be better understood.
6) How the benefits of software testing will be evaluated going forward (e.g. by assessing the cost of software testing to prevent defects versus the cost of repair when a defect is found).
7) Identification of the organization’s preferred standard(s) for software development life cycles and associated testing life cycles.
8) The strategy for the improvement of the testing process (e.g. seeking customer feedback as part of an overall quality plan, staff training).
What are some of the benefits of having a Test Policy that is documented?
The following are some of the advantages that can result from having a test policy that is well documented.
1) a clear organisational commitment to the test effort;
2) list of essential procedures that must be followed;
3) Definition of the quality standards that must be met during testing.
4) offers a method for promoting standardisation across various projects.
Types of Unit Tests
Unit tests should be developed from the detailed design of the baseline, i.e. from either the structure diagrams or the class/function definitions. This should be the starting point for the development of unit tests. The following kinds of tests are carried out during the unit testing phase:
- White-box Tests
In order to create these tests, we first analysed the logic that is contained within each module, and then we defined the data sets that will be used as input in order to make the logic execute in a variety of different ways. Each individual data set that is input serves as a test case.
- Black-box Tests
In order to design these tests, we first analysed the requirements for each module, and then we defined the input data sets that would produce varying levels of performance (e.g. outputs). The software should be put through its paces using black-box tests that are designed to exercise its full range of inputs. Each individual data set that is input serves as a test case.
- Performance Tests
Compliance with the resource constraints that were imposed on the performance of a module by the detailed design ought to be tested. Each individual data set that is input serves as a test case.
A module’s white-box tests, black-box tests, and performance tests are all included in what is known as the module’s unit test suite. The proportion of the module’s code that is put to the test whenever the unit test suite is run can serve as a rough indicator of the quality of the unit test suite.
Importance of Software Testing
Skipping tests is a standard practise for many new businesses. They might point to their financial constraints as the explanation for why they skip over such an essential step. They believe that it would not have any significant repercussions. But in order to make a powerful and favourable first impression, it needs to be of the highest possible quality. Testing the product to ensure that it is free of errors is essential in this regard.
To get a better grasp on the significance of software testing, it is necessary to draw parallels between it and events that have occurred in the real world and that have resulted in significant problems in the past. Some examples include the following:
- The “Big Billion Sale” was an event that was hosted by Flipkart, an online retail company based in India, in the month of October 2014. After it was released, there was a lot of interest in it, but the company’s website was unable to deal with the massive influx of visitors, which resulted in the website going offline and other issues, such as the cancellation of orders. This matter had a negative effect on the organization’s reputation in a significant way.
- Because of a glitch, the Royal Bank of Scotland was unable to process approximately 600,000 payments in the year 2015. They were given a fine of 66 million pounds as a consequence of this.
- Yahoo suffered a major data breach in September 2016, which resulted in the compromise of the login credentials for 500 million users.
- A software flaw led to a recent security breach at the American authentication company Okta, which may have compromised the personal information of some of the company’s users. Okta has also experienced a hit to its reputation as a result of this.
In a similar vein, well-established businesses have an obligation to preserve both their customer base and their reputation. Therefore, it is necessary for them to guarantee the delivery of error-free products to the final consumer. In order to better understand why software testing is so important to the development of high-quality software, let’s look at a few key points:
Enhance Product Quality
The only way for a business to provide value to its customers is to ensure that the product that is provided to them is perfect. In addition, in order to accomplish this goal, companies must ensure that customers do not experience any difficulties when making use of their product. Having a product that is free of bugs is the most failsafe method of accomplishing this goal. Before releasing a product, companies need to put their primary focus on testing applications and fixing any issues that are discovered during testing. The quality of the deliverable improves whenever problems are solved by the team in advance of the product being sent to the customer.
Improve Security
When consumers make use of the product, they will invariably divulge some type of personally identifying information. Before the software is made available to the public, it must first pass stringent security tests. This will prevent malicious actors from gaining access to sensitive information. When a company employs the appropriate testing procedures, it can ensure the safety of its products, which in turn helps customers feel secure when they are using those products.
For instance, banking applications and online shops both require information regarding payment methods. In the event that security-related bugs are not fixed by the developers, it may result in significant financial loss. The other aspect of security is ensuring that none of your data is lost. The practise of storing one’s data in a cloud environment has become increasingly common in recent years. Additionally, it is likely that you have your files and photographs stored on iCloud or Google drive. What are your options in the event that something goes wrong and you lose all of your data? Is this not one of your worst nightmares? Not only does the security of a product protect information from being stolen by hackers, but it also guarantees that the information will not be lost or corrupted.
Detect Compatibility With Different Devices and Platforms
Customers no longer perform all of their work on cumbersome desktop computers as frequently as they once did. In this day and age, testing the compatibility of a product with various mobile devices is an absolute requirement. Take, for instance, the case where your company has developed its own website. The tester is responsible for determining whether the website functions properly across a variety of device resolutions. In addition to that, it should function properly on a variety of browsers. The ever-expanding number of browser options is one more factor that contributes to the growing significance of testing. What runs smoothly in Google Chrome might not behave as expected in Safari or Internet Explorer. Because of this, it is necessary to conduct cross-browser testing, which involves determining whether or not the application is compatible when run on various browsers.
Software Testing Process
Testing software, like any other process, can be broken up into multiple phases just like any other process. The software testing life cycle refers to this progression of stages in software development. Let’s take a cursory look at them, shall we?
Planning
Planning is the first step in every process. During this phase, you will collect all of the necessary information regarding the product. You compile a list of the activities that need to be validated initially. If you are testing the software after a bug has been fixed, you will want to know what the problem was in the first place and what the expected behaviour should be. The next step is to arrange the items on your checklist in descending order of importance. If the entire team is participating, then task allocation can also be done during this phase of the process.
Preparation
After you have determined what steps need to be taken, the next step is to lay the groundwork for testing. This includes getting the test environment ready, gathering the test cases, and doing research on both the product features and the test cases. In this stage of the process, you should also be collecting testing tools and techniques and familiarising yourself with them.
Execution
This is the stage at which the product is subjected to actual testing. You put the test cases through their paces and collect the results. The results are then compared to the expected result, and it is determined whether or not the product is functioning as intended as a consequence of this comparison. You keep a record of all of the tests and test cases that passed and those that did not pass.
Reporting
At this point in the software testing process, you are in the final phase, during which you are required to document all of your findings and then hand them over to the relevant personnel. The failures of the test cases are what we are most interested in here. A correct and understandable explanation of the tests that were run and the results should be mentioned. In the case of more involved tests, detailed instructions on how to replicate the bug, along with any relevant screenshots, should be provided.
Testing Is Software’s Lifeline
No business can afford to undervalue the significance of providing customers with the very best product that is available. In addition, new kinds of tests are constantly being developed, and this list is far from complete. You can put your products through a variety of testing procedures according to the characteristics and range of your inventory. The deliverable is considered to be ready for distribution in the market as soon as the testing team gives it the all clear. However, businesses should not lose sight of the fact that earning the trust of consumers is not a simple task. To assist in gaining the trust of your customers, you need to provide products that are reliable and consistent. It is for this reason that testing is an essential component of the life cycle of software development.
References
Vasylyna, B. N. (2021, July 22). Basics of Software Testing Policy – QATestLab Blog. QATestLab Blog | Blog About Software Testing. Quality Is a Rule. https://blog.qatestlab.com/2011/10/14/basics-of-software-testing-policy/
Software Unit Test Policy — LSST DM Developer Guide main documentation. (n.d.). https://developer.lsst.io/coding/unit-test-policy.html
Gupta, Y. (2018, October 10). An Insight to Software Testing Policies & Strategies used by Expert Test Managers. Software Testing Genius. https://www.softwaretestinggenius.com/an-insight-to-software-testing-policies-strategies-used-by-expert-test-managers/
Testim. (2022, November 4). What is software testing? all the basics you need to know. AI-driven E2E automation with code-like flexibility for your most resilient tests. Retrieved December 15, 2022, from https://www.testim.io/blog/software-testing-basics/