In the dynamic world of software development, a robust Testing Strategy is the cornerstone of ensuring the quality of the final product. This strategic approach meticulously decomposes high-level objectives into actionable testing activities designed to meet the ultimate goal of quality assurance.
At MyExpert Solutions, we understand the significance of a systematic and comprehensive Testing Strategy. We collaborate closely with various stakeholders within your organisation, ensuring that quality assurance is encapsulated in its terminology, test activities, and integration levels. We also clearly define the roles and responsibilities of individuals directly and indirectly involved in the testing process.
One of the critical components of our Testing Strategy is traceability and documentation. We firmly believe in maintaining a clear record of all testing activities, which validates the testing process and serves as a valuable reference for future testing cycles.
Our Testing Strategy also includes a detailed plan for resource allocation. We recognise that the efficient use of resources is crucial for completing testing activities. Hence, we ensure that the resources are planned and utilised effectively.
Preparing your organisation’s permanent staff for the frequent review and update challenges is another aspect we focus on. As the product evolves, the testing requirements also change. We equip your team with the necessary skills and knowledge to adapt to these changes and ensure the continuous improvement of the product.
We understand that each software product is unique and requires a customised Testing Strategy. Whether it’s functional testing, UI testing, integration testing, load/stress testing, or security testing, we tailor our approach based on your specific needs.
Our Testing Strategy also includes a risk analysis. We identify potential risks affecting the testing process and devise strategies to mitigate them. This proactive approach helps in ensuring that unforeseen challenges do not hamper the testing activities.
In the agile world, we understand the importance of continuous testing. It helps in identifying risks at all stages of the development cycle. Our agile testing strategy is designed to adapt to changes and provide immediate feedback, thus ensuring the delivery of a high-quality product.
Testing Strategy
Here’s a summary of each component of the Testing Strategy that MyExpert Solutions can provide as part of its consultancy services:
Testing Strategy Documentation
We ensure that all testing activities are thoroughly documented. This includes creating test plans, test cases, and test scripts. Our documentation provides a clear record of what was tested, how it was tested, and the results of those tests. This validates the testing process and is a valuable reference for future testing cycles.
Resource Planning
We understand that efficiently using resources is crucial for completing testing activities. Our resource planning involves determining what resources (people, software, hardware, etc.) are needed, when, and how they will be used. This ensures that resources are planned and utilised effectively.
Risk Analysis
We identify potential risks affecting the testing process and devise mitigation strategies. This proactive approach helps in ensuring that unforeseen challenges do not hamper the testing activities. Our risk analysis includes identifying potential risks, assessing their impact, and developing mitigation strategies.
Agile Testing
We understand the importance of continuous testing in the agile world. Our agile testing strategy is designed to adapt to changes and provide immediate feedback, thus ensuring the delivery of a high-quality product. We employ various agile testing methods, such as test-driven development (TDD), behaviour-driven development (BDD), and acceptance test-driven development (ATDD).
Stakeholder Collaboration
We work closely with different stakeholders within your organisation, ensuring that quality assurance is covered in its terminology, test activities, and integration levels. We also clearly define the roles and responsibilities of individuals directly and indirectly involved in the testing process.
Preparing Staff
The testing requirements also change as the product evolves. We equip your team with the necessary skills and knowledge to adapt to these changes and ensure the continuous improvement of the product. This includes providing training and support to help your team develop the skills they need to carry out their testing responsibilities effectively.
Customised Testing
We understand that each software product is unique and requires a customised testing strategy. Whether it’s functional testing, UI testing, integration testing, load/stress testing, or security testing, we tailor our approach based on your specific needs. This ensures your product is thoroughly tested and meets the highest quality standards.
Customers can expect a comprehensive, tailored approach to their testing needs, focusing on quality, efficiency, and continuous improvement. Our experienced consultants will work closely with you to understand your requirements and deliver a testing strategy that meets your objectives.
Test Strategy Template
Here’s a template you can use as a base guide for you to kick off your testing strategy.
Download the .doc version of the organisational test strategy.
Here’s what it looks like.
Organisational Test Strategy Document
1. Introduction
This document outlines the general testing strategy for all software projects within our organisation. The intended audience includes all project teams, stakeholders, and the quality assurance team.
2. Objectives
The primary objective of the testing process is to ensure that all software developed within our organisation is high quality, bug-free meets all the requirements and performs optimally under the expected load.
Example:
For a CRM software project, the objective would be to ensure that all CRM functionalities work as expected and that the software is user-friendly and can handle the anticipated number of customer records without performance issues.
3. Scope
The testing scope will include all functional and non-functional aspects of the software. Any out-of-scope items for testing will be clearly defined based on the specific project.
Example:
The scope for a web application project would include all web pages, functionalities, performance under expected load, and security aspects. The out-of-scope might consist of testing on unsupported browsers.
4. Test Approach
The test approach will include a combination of manual and automated testing. The specific method will be chosen based on the nature of the project.
Example:
For a mobile application project, manual testing would be used for UI validation and automated testing for regression tests.
5. Test Levels
Testing will be performed at all levels of the software development lifecycle, from unit testing at the development stage to system testing and acceptance testing at the later stages.
Example:
For a microservices-based project, unit testing would be performed on individual services, integration testing on service interactions, and system testing on the entire system.
6. Test Types
Functional, performance, and security testing will be performed on all software. Additional types of testing may be performed based on the specific project.
Example:
For an e-commerce website project, usability and accessibility testing would be performed in addition to the standard test types.
7. Roles and Responsibilities
The roles and responsibilities for testing will be clearly defined for each project. This will include Test Manager, Test Engineer, and QA Analyst positions.
Example:
In a small project, a single person might take on multiple roles, such as Test Engineer and QA Analyst.
8. Environment Requirements
The test environment requirements will be defined based on the specific project. This will include hardware, software, and network requirements.
Example:
For a cloud-based project, the test environment might include a cloud-based test server with the necessary software installed.
9. Tools and Languages
The tools and languages used for testing will be chosen based on the project’s technology stack. This could include test automation tools, bug-tracking tools, and programming languages.
Example 1:
For a Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM project, we might use tools like EasyRepro (Playwright, Cypress, and so on) for automated UI testing, a library provided by Microsoft for automated testing in Dynamics 365. For API testing, Postman could be used. Azure DevOps could serve as the platform for test management, bug tracking, and CI/CD processes. The primary language for writing test scripts would be C#, considering its seamless integration with the Microsoft stack.
Example 2:
For a Java-based project, JUnit might be used for unit testing, Selenium for automated functional testing, and Jira for bug tracking.
10. Schedule
The testing schedule will be defined for each project based on the timeline. This will include start and end dates for each testing phase.
Example:
For a project following the Agile methodology, testing would be performed in each sprint, and the schedule would be based on the sprint timeline.
11. Deliverables
The deliverables from the testing process will include test plans, test cases, test scripts, and test reports.
Example:
For a project following the Waterfall methodology, the deliverables would include a comprehensive test plan at the start and detailed test reports at the end of each testing phase.
12. Risks and Mitigation
Potential risks to the testing process will be identified, and mitigation strategies will be defined. This could include schedule, resources, technology, and other threats.
Example:
A potential risk for a project with a tight schedule could be insufficient time for thorough testing. The mitigation strategy could be prioritising testing based on risk and the importance of functionalities.
13. Review and Approvals
The test strategy will be reviewed and approved by the relevant stakeholders. This could include project managers, business analysts, and client representatives.
Example:
The client might also review and approve the test strategy for a client-facing project.
14. Training and Knowledge Transfer
Training will be provided to the testing team on the application under test and the tools and technologies for testing. Knowledge transfer sessions will be conducted to share information and updates.
Example:
Training sessions might be conducted for a new technology project to familiarise the testing team with the technology.
Here are the reference sources for the tools and languages mentioned:
Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM:
Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM is a customer relationship management software package developed by Microsoft. The product focuses mainly on sales, marketing, and service (help desk) sectors. You can read more about it on the official Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM page.
Check out my quick overview of Dynamics 365 CRM Introduction to Microsoft Dynamics 365 – My Expert Solutions and Exploring Microsoft Dynamics 365 Trial Account Access: An Overview of Key Features – My Expert Solutions
EasyRepro:
EasyRepro is a library provided by Microsoft for automated UI testing in Dynamics 365. It’s built on Selenium, a popular open-source framework for automating browsers. You can find more information about EasyRepro on its GitHub page.
Postman:
Postman is a popular API client that makes it easy for developers to create, share, test and document APIs. This allows users to create and save simple and complex HTTP/s requests and read their responses. More details can be found on the official Postman website.
Azure DevOps:
Azure DevOps provides developer services to support teams in planning work, collaborate on code development, and build and deploy applications. Azure DevOps supports a range of tools and integrates with popular code repositories. You can read more about it on the official Azure DevOps page.
C#:
C# is a modern, object-oriented programming language developed by Microsoft. C# (pronounced C sharp) is a programming language designed to build a wide range of enterprise applications running on the .NET Framework. More details can be found on the official Microsoft C# guide.
JUnit:
JUnit is a simple framework for writing repeatable tests. It is an instance of the xUnit architecture for unit testing frameworks. You can find more information about JUnit on its official website.
Selenium:
Selenium automates browsers. It is primarily used for automating web applications for testing purposes but is certainly not limited to just that. Tedious web-based administration tasks can also be automated as well. More details can be found on the official Selenium website.
Jira:
Jira is a proprietary issue-tracking product developed by Atlassian that allows bug tracking and agile project management. You can read more about it on the official Jira Software page.
