Take the Pain (and Weekends) Out of Test Case Management

Agenda Why we need test case management How you know you’ve outgrown the spreadsheet Requirements, testing, and defects Practical steps for test case management Summary and questions © 2011 Seapine Software, Inc. All rights reserved.

Why We Need Test CaseManagement• Tracking • How do you know when testing is complete? • And how much longer it has to go?• Test case data and results tells us where we are © 2011 Seapine Software, Inc. All rights reserved.

How You Know You’ve OutgrownYour Spreadsheet• A common way to manage test cases is with a spreadsheet • A general-purpose tool for a specific job • Still a lot of manual effort • How to know when it’s time to change © 2011 Seapine Software, Inc. All rights reserved.

How You Know You’ve OutgrownYour Spreadsheet• You divide your attention between Sunday football games and updating your test case spreadsheet • Managing the spreadsheet is a full-time job • So is testing © 2011 Seapine Software, Inc. All rights reserved.

How You Know You’ve OutgrownYour Spreadsheet• You know precisely which tests were executed today and what the results were • But don’t have a clue as to how many of the actual application requirements you’ve verified © 2011 Seapine Software, Inc. All rights reserved.

How You Know You’ve OutgrownYour Spreadsheet• Management asks when testing will be finished, and it takes you a day to (sort of) provide an answer • You can’t perform ad hoc queries with a spreadsheet © 2011 Seapine Software, Inc. All rights reserved.

Requirements, Test Management,and Defects• It’s the circle of (testing) life • Test cases flow from requirements • Defects flow from (failed) test cases • Requirements with defects haven’t been met • Defects may become feature requests that turn into requirements• Measuring each in a vacuum gives an incomplete picture © 2011 Seapine Software, Inc. All rights reserved.

Requirements, Test Management,and Defects• Linking requirements to tests to defects enables: • The ability to flow changes through the process • Demonstrating why individual defects mean certain requirements aren’t met • Knowing what tests to re-execute when a defect is fixed. • Much more . . .• But doing so manually is time-consuming and error- prone © 2011 Seapine Software, Inc. All rights reserved.

Essentials of Test CaseManagement• Culmination of requirements and test plan • The test plan guides testing strategies that are implemented in test cases• Test cases test requirements • They must be written to provide unambiguous evidence on whether or not the requirement is met © 2011 Seapine Software, Inc. All rights reserved.

Essentials of Test CaseManagement• Biggest challenges in test case management • Keeping the data up to date • Obtaining actionable information from the data • Sharing information with stakeholders © 2011 Seapine Software, Inc. All rights reserved.

Essentials of Test CaseManagement• What you need to know about your test cases • Exact requirement they test • Any changes to the test case • When executed • Pass/fail/blocked status • Notes on execution issues © 2011 Seapine Software, Inc. All rights reserved.

Steps to Effective TestManagement• Don’t skimp on the test plan • This is your roadmap to quality • Take extra time to map your quality needs to your testing strategy © 2011 Seapine Software, Inc. All rights reserved.

Steps to Effective TestManagement• Automate data collection, analysis, and reporting • Your time is too valuable • You’ll discover information that will otherwise fall through the cracks • Automation reduces human error © 2011 Seapine Software, Inc. All rights reserved.

Steps to Effective TestManagement• Use your data • Focus on the day-to-day details • But don’t lose sight of the big picture • Good test management means higher quality © 2011 Seapine Software, Inc. All rights reserved.

Summary• Managing test cases leads to high quality • And take less time• Spreadsheets work up until a point • Then become part of the problem• Test cases, requirements, and defects should be managed together• Automation brings efficiency and accuracy to test case management © 2011 Seapine Software, Inc. All rights reserved.

Take the Pain (and Weekends) Out of Test Case Management

by Seapine Software

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