“The goal of a tester is not to find bugs, it’s to validate that the software meets the requirements” – Rex Black
In software development, the aim is to deliver a quality product that meets customer requirements, functionality, and a great user experience. To accomplish this, a well-defined testing process is needed. In the testing process, there are many stages, one of which is important is the test case review.
Test case reviews to ensure the effectiveness of the test cases. In this article, we are going to see the test case review process and its benefits.
Why is a Test Case Review Needed?
The test case review process is essential for many reasons. It helps to ensure the quality and accuracy of the test cases. When multiple reviewers review the test cases, validation of the requirements, errors, and omissions can be identified and rectified before testing begins. Test case reviews inculcate confidence in the testing process and reliability of test results. When the test cases are reviewed thoroughly and validated, stakeholders can trust that the testing efforts are detailed, rigorous, and effective.
Test Case Review Process
The test case review can be done by the test lead or other peer test engineers, developers, business stakeholders like Business Analysts, and Product/Project Managers. The review can be conducted once the author completed the test case creation. Before starting the test case review, the reviewers have to prepare for that. The reviewers have to collect all relevant documentation, business requirements, design wireframes, etc of the project.
The test case review process involves multiple activities. Review of the test cases and analysis, Review meetings and feedback, and end with the approval and final documentation.
- All the test cases have to be individually reviewed by the reviewer once the test case author completes the test cases.
- Those need to be reviewed considering the aspects of visibility, clear, easy to understand, and followed by any person.
- The test steps need to be covered in all aspects of the functionality being tested.
- The test cases are mapped to relevant business requirements for the best test coverage.
- The test cases can be executed with the tools and resources in hand.
- Use a checklist to effectively conduct the test case review process.
- Once the review is completed, set up the review discussion meeting to discuss the findings and share the feedback with the test case author. The review comments should not offend or anything personal to the test case author.
- The test case author will review and update the test cases based on the review meeting discussion feedback and findings. Submit the updated test cases to the reviewer.
- The reviewer will review the test cases again and approve the test cases. The test cases are ready to be added to the centralized repository after approval.
The team members have to have a better understanding and collaboration of the project during the review process.
Test Case Review Checklist
We are going to see the points to be considered for the test case review checklist.
- Test Case ID should be unique, and easy to identify.
- Test cases should be easily readable.
- Check the traceability of test cases with the relevant requirements.
- Test cases should be prioritized according to requirements.
- Test cases should be classified according to the types functional and nonfunctional.
- Test Case steps should be clearly defined & easy to understand.
- Test cases should be in the logical functional flow.
- Test cases should not be duplicated or redundant.
- Test data should be given with the source of the test data. Maintain the privacy of the data and have the test data like passwords masked.
- Test cases should cover both positive and negative scenarios.
- Test cases should have the prerequisites for execution.
- Test cases should be checked for language, spelling, and grammatical mistakes.
This is a general test case review checklist and you have to fine-tune it based on your project and business needs.
Benefits of the Test Case Review Process
We are going to see the benefits of the test case review process below in brief.
Better Test Coverage: Confirm all core business functions are tested with the traceability of the requirements.
Low Defect Leakage: Spot and remove test case errors before execution.
Improved Test Efficiency: Preventing redundant or unnecessary tests.
Consistency: The testing practice adheres to established standards and guidelines stipulated consistent with the testing process.
Early Identification of Issues: The test case review process helps to identify the issues before they are implemented and reduces the probability of the critical bugs moved to production.
Better Collaboration: Improves the communication between the teams and the business stakeholders.
Reliability: To confirm test cases are effective and reliable.
Drawbacks of the Test Case Review Process
Even though the test case review process helps to improve the quality of the testing, it has certain drawbacks.
Time Consuming: The test case review process can be time consuming mainly for bigger projects with complex workflows and tight deadlines.
Oversight: The test case review process involves people who might be reclined to errors. Sometimes, they may overlook the critical aspects.
Resistance to Feedback: Reviewers or the authors of the test cases conflict with the received feedback and are reluctant to accept.
Tips for the Test Case Review
To get the maximum benefit of the test case review we have to keep the below points in mind.
- Use version numbers to review the test cases and add comments.
- Share the feedback in a constructive way and with no personal offense.
- Have a copy of the Product requirements handy before you start the review.
- Collaborate with the business stakeholders’ Product Manager/Project Manager or Business Analysts to understand the requirements of the applications to be developed.
- Monitor the progress and metrics regularly to identify trends, patterns, and places for improvement.
- Iterate the process and keep on improving. Collect feedback from the end users, stakeholders, and project team members to iterate and refine the project deliverables.
Conclusion
Organizations can lay a solid foundation for ensuring quality from the start of a project, leading to improved outcomes, higher customer satisfaction, and greater business success.
Happy Testing !!!
