
Fundamental Test Process
Basics for test process on an everyday basis. Ideal for giving you a higher level idea of what a software tester does.
Ideal for a Junior Software Tester or who is intended to take the ISTQB-ISEB exam.
Download the High-Resolution image. (PNG format)
Download the A3 size to print in that size. (PDF format)
I have shared this mind map to copy and amend it if you want to.
Fundamental Test Process
1. Planning & Control
Planning
- Determine the scope, risks & objectives
- Implement Test Policy / Strategy
- Determine Test Approach
- Determine resources required
- Schedule the test activities
- Determine the Exit Criteria
Control
- Monitor activities
- Compare progress vs plan
- Take control when required
2. Analysis & Design
- Review the Test Basis
- Eval Test Basis for test-ability
- Identify & priorities Test Conditions
- Design & priorities high-level Test Cases
- Identify Test Data
- Trace-ability between Test Bases & Test Condition
- Test environment & Infrastructure tools
3. Implementation & Execution
Test Implementation
- Finalise, Implement & prioritise Test Cases
- Create Test Data
- Check environment ready
- Create Test Suites
- Develop & priorities Test Procedures
- Test harness / automated scripts (optional)
Test Execution
- Execute Test Procedure as planned
- Log the outcome
- Compare actual vs expected
- Report discrepancies as Incidents
- Analyse Incidents for cause
- Retest / Regression
4. Evaluating Exit Criteria & Reporting
- Check logs against Exit Criteria
- Assess if more tests are needed or Exit Criteria need to be changed
- Write Test Summary Report for stakeholders
5. Test Closure
- Check planned deliverables
- Close Incident Reports
- Handover to maintenance
- Finalise & archive test-ware / environment
- Document acceptance of a system
- Analyse lessons learned for future projects & improve test maturity
Tools I’ve used to help with the video and mind mapping:
Mind Mapping – Mindmeister – Plan and brainstorm online with friends with the free mind mapping tool MindMeister.
References:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_test_documentation
www.computing.dcu.ie/~davids/courses/CA267/ieee829mtp.pdf
standards.ieee.org/findstds/standard/829-2008.html
www.ufjf.br/eduardo_barrere/files/2011/06/SQETestIncidentReportTemplate.pdf