This document discusses the software testing life cycle (STLC). The STLC is a systematic process that follows a series of phases to ensure software quality. It aims to identify defects early. The main phases discussed are test planning, test case development, test execution, and test closure. A test plan is a key document that describes testing areas and activities. It outlines the test strategy, objectives, schedule, resources, and deliverables. The test plan serves as a guide for testing and helps determine timelines, estimate resources, and avoid issues.

1. UNIT 3
SOFTWARE TESTING LIFE
CYCLE
Dr. Pallawi Bulakh

2. contents
 3.1 Test Planning
 3.2 Test Plan
 3.3 What is a test Plan
 3.4 Who creates a Test Plan
 3.5 When is the Test Plan created
 3.6 Purpose of creating a Test Plan
 3.7 Components of a Test plan.
 3.8 Test design
 3.9 Test implementation and Execution
 3.10 Defect Reporting and tracking
 3.11 Defect life cycle
 3.12 Test closures
 3.13 Test metrics

3. STLC
 The Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC) is a
systematic approach to testing a software
application to ensure that it meets the
requirements and is free of defects. It is a process
that follows a series of steps or phases, and each
phase has specific objectives and deliverables.
 The STLC is used to ensure that the software is of
high quality, reliable, and meets the needs of the
end-users.

4. STLC
 The main goal of the STLC is to identify and
document any defects or issues in the
software application as early as possible in the
development process.
 This allows for issues to be addressed and
resolved before the software is released to the
public.

5. Characteristics of STLC
 STLC is a fundamental part of the Software
Development Life Cycle (SDLC) but STLC
consists of only the testing phases.
 STLC starts as soon as requirements are
defined or software requirement document is
shared by stakeholders.
 STLC yields a step-by-step process to ensure
quality software.

6. Phases of STLC

7. 1. Requirement Analysis
 Requirement Analysis is the first step of the
Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC).
 In this phase quality assurance team
understands the requirements like what is to
be tested.
 If anything is missing or not understandable
then the quality assurance team meets with
the stakeholders to better understand the
detailed knowledge of requirements.

8. The activities during the
Requirement Analysis stage :
 Reviewing the software requirements
document (SRD) and other related documents
 Interviewing stakeholders to gather additional
information
 Identifying any ambiguities or inconsistencies
in the requirements
 Identifying any missing or incomplete
requirements
 Identifying any potential risks or issues that
may impact the testing process

9. 2. Test Planning:
 Test Planning is the most efficient phase of the
software testing life cycle where all testing
plans are defined.
 In this phase manager of the testing, team
calculates the estimated effort and cost for the
testing work.
 This phase gets started once the requirement-
gathering phase is completed.

10. The activities during the Test
Planning stage
 Identifying the testing objectives and scope
 Developing a test strategy: selecting the testing
methods and techniques that will be used
 Identifying the testing environment and resources
needed
 Identifying the test cases that will be executed and
the test data that will be used
 Estimating the time and cost required for testing
 Identifying the test deliverables and milestones
 Assigning roles and responsibilities to the testing
team
 Reviewing and approving the test plan

11. Test Case Development:
 The test case development phase gets started
once the test planning phase is completed.
 In this phase testing team notes down the
detailed test cases.
 The testing team also prepares the required
test data for the testing.
 When the test cases are prepared then they
are reviewed by the quality assurance team.

12. The activities during the Test
Case Development stage :
 Identifying the test cases that will be
developed
 Writing test cases that are clear, concise, and
easy to understand
 Creating test data and test scenarios that will
be used in the test cases
 Identifying the expected results for each test
case
 Reviewing and validating the test cases
 Updating the requirement traceability matrix
(RTM) to map requirements to test cases.

13. 4.Test Environment Setup
 Test environment setup is a vital part of the
STLC. Basically, the test environment decides
the conditions on which software is tested.
 This is independent activity and can be started
along with test case development.
 In this process, the testing team is not
involved. either the developer or the customer
creates the testing environment.

14. 5. Test Execution:
 After the test case development and test
environment setup test execution phase gets
started.
 In this phase testing team starts executing test
cases based on prepared test cases in the
earlier step.

15. The activities during the test
execution stage
 Test execution: The test cases and scripts
created in the test design stage are run against
the software application to identify any defects or
issues.
 Defect logging: Any defects or issues that are
found during test execution are logged in a defect
tracking system, along with details such as the
severity, priority, and description of the issue.
 Test data preparation: Test data is prepared and
loaded into the system for test execution
 Test environment setup: The necessary
hardware, software, and network configurations
are set up for test execution

16. Contd..
 Test execution: The test cases and scripts
are run, and the results are collected and
analyzed.
 Test result analysis: The results of the test
execution are analyzed to determine the
software’s performance and identify any
defects or issues.
 Defect retesting: Any defects that are
identified during test execution are retested to
ensure that they have been fixed correctly.
 Test Reporting: Test results are documented
and reported to the relevant stakeholders.

17. 6. Test Closure:
 Test closure is the final stage of the Software
Testing Life Cycle (STLC) where all testing-
related activities are completed and
documented.
 The main objective of the test closure stage is
to ensure that all testing-related activities have
been completed and that the software is ready
for release.

18. The main activities test closure
stage include:
 Test summary report: A report is created that
summarizes the overall testing process,
including the number of test cases executed,
the number of defects found, and the overall
pass/fail rate.
 Defect tracking: All defects that were
identified during testing are tracked and
managed until they are resolved.
 Test environment clean-up: The test
environment is cleaned up, and all test data
and test artifacts are archived.

19. Contd..
 Test closure report: A report is created that
documents all the testing-related activities that
took place, including the testing objectives, scope,
schedule, and resources used.
 Knowledge transfer: Knowledge about the
software and testing process is shared with the
rest of the team and any stakeholders who may
need to maintain or support the software in the
future.
 Feedback and improvements: Feedback from
the testing process is collected and used to
improve future testing processes

20. What is a Test Plan?
 A test plan is a detailed document which
describes software testing areas and activities.
 It outlines the test strategy, objectives, test
schedule, required resources (human
resources, software, and hardware), test
estimation and test deliverables.
 The test plan is a base of every software's
testing.

21.  It is the most crucial activity which ensures
availability of all the lists of planned activities
in an appropriate sequence.
 The test plan is a template for conducting
software testing activities as a defined process
that is fully monitored and controlled by the
testing manager.
 The test plan is prepared by the Test Lead
(60%), Test Manager(20%), and by the test
engineer(20%).

22. Types of Test Plan
 Master Test Plan
 Phase Test Plan
 Testing Type Specific Test Plans

23. Contd..
 Master Test Plan
 Master Test Plan is a type of test plan that has
multiple levels of testing. It includes a complete test
strategy.
 Phase Test Plan
 A phase test plan is a type of test plan that addresses
any one phase of the testing strategy. For example, a
list of tools, a list of test cases, etc.
 Specific Test Plans
 Specific test plan designed for major types of testing
like security testing, load testing, performance testing,
etc. In other words, a specific test plan designed for
non-functional testing.

24. Objectives of the test plan
 Overview of testing activities: The test plan provides an
overview of the testing activities and where to start and stop
the work.
 Provides timeline: The test plan helps to create the timeline
for the testing activities based on the number of hours and
the workers needed.
 Helps to estimate resources: The test plan helps to create
an estimate of the number of resources needed to finish the
work.
 Serves as a blueprint: The test plan serves as a blueprint
for all the testing activities, it has every detail from beginning
to end.
 Helps to identify solutions: A test plan helps the team
members to consider the project’s challenges and identify the
solutions.
 Serves as a rulebook: The test plan serves as a rulebook
for following rules when the project is completed phase by
phase.

25. Who creates the test plan?

26. Importance of Test Plan
 Quick guide for the testing process: The test plan serves
as a quick guide for the testing process as it offers a clear
guide for QA engineers to conduct testing activities.
 Helps to avoid out-of-scope functionalities: The test plan
offers detailed aspects such as test scope, test estimation,
strategy, etc.
 Helps to determine the time, cost, and effort: Test serves
as the blueprint to conduct testing activities thus it helps to
deduce an estimate of time, cost, and effort for the testing
activities.
 Provide a schedule for testing activities: A test plan is like
a rule book that needs to be followed, it thus helps to
schedule activities that can be followed by all the team
members.
 Test plan can be reused: The test plan documents
important aspects like test estimation, test scope, and test
strategy which are reviewed by the Management Team and
thus can be reused for other projects.

27. Components of a test plan

28. Components of a test plan
 Objectives: It consists of information about
modules, features, test data etc., which indicate
the aim of the application means the application
behavior, goal, etc.
 Scope: It contains information that needs to be
tested with respective of an application. The
Scope can be further divided into two parts:
 In scope: These are the modules that need to be
tested rigorously (in-detail).
 Out scope: These are the modules, which need not
be tested rigorously.

29. Components of a test plan
 Test methodology:
 It contains information about performing a
different kind of testing like Functional testing,
Integration testing, and System testing, etc. on
the application.
 In this, we will decide what type of testing; we will
perform on the various features based on the
application requirement

30. Components of a test plan
 Approach
 This attribute is used to describe the flow of
the application while performing testing and for
the future reference.
 We can understand the flow of the application
with the help of below aspects:
 By writing the high-level scenarios
 By writing the flow graph

31. Components of a test plan
 By writing the high-level scenarios
 For example, suppose we are testing
the Gmail application:
 Login to Gmail- sends an email and check
whether it is in the Sent Items page
 Login to …….
 ……
 …....

32. Components of a test plan
 By writing the flow
graph
 The flow graph is
written because
writing the high-
level scenarios are
bit time taking
process, as we can
see in the below
image:

33. Components of a test plan
 Assumption
 It contains information about a problem or issue
which maybe occurred during the testing process
and when we are writing the test plans, the
assured assumptions would be made like
resources and technologies, etc.
 Risk
 These are the challenges which we need to face
to test the application in the current release and if
the assumptions will fail then the risks are
involved.

34. Components of a test plan
 Mitigation Plan or Contingency Plan
 It is a back-up plan which is prepared to
overcome the risks or issues.
 Role & Responsibility


35. Components of a test plan
 It defines the complete task which needs to be
performed by the entire testing team.
 When a large project comes, then the Test
Manager is a person who writes the test plan.
 If there are 3-4 small projects, then the test
manager will assign each project to each Test
Lead. And then, the test lead writes the test
plan for the project, which he/she is assigned.

36. Components of a test plan
 Schedule
 It is used to explain the timing to work, which
needs to be done or this attribute covers when
exactly each testing activity should start and
end? And the exact data is also mentioned for
every testing activity for the particular date.

37. Components of a test plan
 Defect tracking
 It is generally done with the help of tools because
we cannot track the status of each bug manually.
 And we also comment about how we
communicate the bugs which are identified during
the testing process and send it back to the
development team and how the development
team will reply.
 Here we also mention the priority of the bugs
such as high, medium, and low.

38. Components of a test plan
 Test Environments
 These are the environments where we will test the
application, and here we have two types of
environments, which are
of software and hardware configuration.
 The software configuration means the details
about different Operating Systems such
as Windows, Linux, UNIX, and Mac and
various Browsers like Google Chrome, Firefox,
Opera, Internet Explorer, and so on.

39. Components of a test plan
 Entry and Exit criteria
 It is a necessary condition, which needs to be satisfied
before starting and stopping the testing process.
 Entry Criteria
 The entry criteria contain the following conditions:
 White box testing should be finished.
 Understand and analyze the requirement and prepare the
test documents or when the test documents are ready.
 Test data should be ready.
 Build or the application must be prepared
 Modules or features need to be assigned to the different
test engineers.
 The necessary resource must be ready.

40. Components of a test plan
 Exit Criteria
 The exit criteria contain the following conditions:
 When all the test cases are executed.
 Most of the test cases must be passed.
 Depends on severity of the bugs which means
that there must not be any blocker or major bug,
whereas some minor bugs exist.

41. Components of a test plan
 Test Automation
 In this, we will decide the following:
 Which feature has to be automated and not to be
automated?
 Which test automation tool we are going to use
on which automation framework?

42. Components of a test plan
 Effort estimation
 In this, we will plan the effort need to be applied
by every team member.

43. Components of a test plan
 Test Deliverable
 These are the documents which are the output from
the testing team, which we handed over to the
customer along with the product. It includes the
following:
 Test plan
 Test Cases
 Test Scripts
 RTM(Requirement Traceability Matrix)
 Defect Report
 Test Execution Report
 Graphs and metrics
 Release Notes

44. Components of a test plan
 Template
 This part contains all the templates for the documents
that will be used in the product, and all the test
engineers will use only these templates in the project
to maintain the consistency of the product. Here, we
have different types of the template which are used
during the entire testing process such as:
 Test case template
 Test case review template
 RTM Template
 Bug Report Template
 Test execution Report

45. Test Design
 What is Test Design?
 Test design is a process that defines how testing
has to be done. It involves the process of
identifying the testing techniques, test scenarios,
test cases, test data, and expected test results.
 Also, testers need to be specific about the test
cases they create, such as providing specific
inputs, steps, and test data for each test case.

46. Purpose of Test Design?
 Test design is a process that defines how
testing has to be done.
 It involves the process of identifying the
testing techniques, test scenarios, test
cases, test data, and expected test results.
 Also, testers need to be specific about the
test cases they create, such as providing
specific inputs, steps, and test data for
each test case.

47. When to Create a Test
Design?
 Test design should be created once the test
conditions are defined, and adequate
information is available to create the test
cases of both high and low levels.

48. How Is Test Design Done?
 Test design is done using several test
design techniques. The following is a list of
some of the top design techniques,
 Equivalence Class Testing
 State Transition
 Exploratory Testing
 Boundary value analysis
 Pairwise test design
 Error guessing test design

49. contents
 3.1 Test Planning
 3.2 Test Plan
 3.3 What is a test Plan
 3.4 Who creates a Test Plan
 3.5 When is the Test Plan created
 3.6 Purpose of creating a Test Plan
 3.7 Components of a Test plan.
 3.8 Test design

50. References
 https://www.javatpoint.com/test-plan
 https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/software-
testing-life-cycle-stlc/?ref=lbp
 https://www.tutorialspoint.com/software_testing
/software_testing_overview.htm
 https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/software-
testing-test-plan/
 https://testsigma.com/blog/test-design/