Before we dig deep into Test Cases let me just bring out few points regarding Test Documents. Test Documents can be described as a Superset of Test Cases. This are all the documents which are prepared by the test engineers for the testing activities. Once we get the requirements the developers are busy in writing the code that is developing the application and test engineers simultaneously starts preparing the necessary test documents. Test Cases are one of the most important Test Documents that are prepared by the Test Engineers.
Before writing any TC the best practice for any Test Engineers is to write the Test Scenarios.
Test Scenarios:
- It is a high-level document that consists of all the possible combinations or ways of testing the application.
- Generally, it is written to understand the flow of the applications.
What is a Test Case?
- It is an In-detailed document that consists of step-by-step procedure to test the application.
- A test case consists of all the possible scenarios, navigation steps, inputs which are used to test the application.
What are the Advantages of writing Test Cases or Why should a test engineer write test cases?
- To document the knowledge of the Test Engineer so that he/she will not forget about their understanding of the application gained during requirement gathering phase.
- To have the maximum test coverage that is to cover all the positive and negative values.
- Achieve Test Consistency. By Test Consistency we mean that testing will happen in a proper flow with same sets of values and can be tested across multiple releases without missing out on anything.
- Test Cases are time saving and reusable. Even if a new test engineer comes, he can start testing the application by following the simple test steps that are written in the test cases.
- Testing becomes process dependent rather than person dependent if we write Test Cases. Generally different people will have different views on testing and may vary from person to person. But when we document it becomes process oriented.
- TC can later be used to write automation Test Case.
What are the Test Case design Techniques?
This is the techniques or methods which are followed while writing or designing the Test Cases to have maximum test coverage.
There are 3 types of Test Case design techniques:
- Error Guessing
- Equivalence Partitioning
- Boundary Value Analysis
Error Guessing:
In this technique we keep on guessing the values based on our understanding of the requirements.
Equivalence Partitioning:
- If the requirements are range of values, then derive the test cases for one valid and two invalid inputs.
- When the requirements are set of values, then derive the test case for one valid and two invalid inputs.
- If the requirement is a Boolean, then derive the test case for both true an well as for false condition.
Boundary Value Analysis:
If the requirements are range of values that is (a,b) derive the test case as follows:
- a, a+1, a-1
- b, b+1, b-1
What is Test Case Review Process and What are the test case review ethics?
- Once the Test Cases is written by the author it is send to review process.
- The reviewer opens the test cases and corresponding requirements and checks for the correctness of the Test Cases that is if proper flow is maintained and proper test coverage is done.
- During the review process the reviewer may find some mistakes which are send back to the author.
- The author makes the necessary changes and sends it back once again to the reviewer.
- This process continues until both of them accepts for the correctness of the test cases.
- During the review process the Test Leads or Test Managers should be kept in loop and finally he/she should take the ownership to approve the Test Case.
- This Test cases which are written, reviewed, and approved are stored in a centralized place know as Test Case Repository.
- These Baseline TC can be used for future Test Execution.
Review Ethics:
Rules that should be followed while reviewing the Test Cases are as follows:
- Look for Maximum Test Coverage
- Find Mistakes NOT Solutions
- Both Author and Reviewer are responsible for the Test Case
- And this is the most import point – Review the Content and Not the Author
So that it for this blog. I hope you find this blog informative and useful. For all the latest blog post updates please follow our Facebook and Instagram page. To know more about Software Test Lifecycle please check our earlier blogs.