Test case authoring is a skill that is undervalued

Test cases help in directing the tester through a series of actions to verify whether a software program is free of errors and performing in accordance with the end-expectations. user’s A test case includes test procedures, test information, preconditions, and postconditions that were created for a particular test scenario to validate any requirement. Basic writing abilities, attention to detail, and a thorough comprehension of the program being tested are necessary for learning how to construct test cases (AUT).

A test suite is often made up of the test cases for a particular module or section of an application. There are typically multiple distinct scenarios to be examined, hence a test session will typically involve many test cases.

It’s critical to consider the client’s viewpoint while developing test cases and to include all pertinent information. An application that has been tried extensively versus one that has been tried unsuccessfully can be distinguished by well-written test cases.

An effective test case template keeps the test team’s test artefacts consistent and makes it simple for all stakeholders to comprehend the test cases. The test effort and mistake rate are reduced when test cases are written in a standard format. If you are examining test cases from professionals, the test case format is preferable.

We have been testing software for a long time and have observed many different test cases. Some have been written almost perfectly. Some, not so much. The end consequence for the latter group is inadequate testing, improper issue tracking, and disagreements between the QA, product, and development teams because it wasn’t initially apparent what was being tested and why.

But first, let’s review some background material before we see how TestDel writes test cases.

1. Test Case

Test cases are collections of conditions or parameters used by software testers to evaluate whether a system works as expected. Test cases assist in verifying a software application’s testing coverage. The details about the test case, the activity involved in execution, and the predicted outcomes are all included in the fields of a test case. These fields include a distinctive name, any prerequisites, detailed stages, input conditions, and expected results for a specific app function.

1.1 The Elements of a Good Test Case:

It is easy to comprehend and implement.
It is precise and has a clear goal.
It is simple to trace in accordance with the requirements.
It is reusable, and it can be used to test several times.
It saves time and money by negating the need for extra steps.

2. Types of Test Cases

There are many different sorts of test cases to address criteria like:

Functionality: To see if software features work as planned.
User interface: To look for broken links, visual irregularities like color, and grammatical and spelling errors.
Security: Test cases will look at authentication and/or encryption in order to determine whether the system safeguards data.
Integration: To examine the relationships between various pieces of software. This could, for instance, involve the interaction of your website with a system for processing orders or a system for making payments.
Usability: To see how consumers might use your app to finish a certain action, like buying a pair of shoes.
User acceptance: Wherein business people test the system to make sure that it functions in accordance with users’ needs.
Regression: Regression examines whether recent code modifications have had an impact on any current features.

3. Tips for Writing Effective Test Cases

3.1 Use a Catchy Headline

A strong headline is the foundation of a successful test case. It’s a good idea to call the test case after the module that you’re testing as a best practice. If you’re checking the login page, for example, include “Login Page” in the test case description. If the tool you’re using doesn’t already do this, it might make sense to include a unique identifier in the headline of the test case as well, so that the identifier can be mentioned rather than a long title.

3.2 Test Cases must be Straightforward and Easy to Understand

Make the test cases as clear as possible. They must be straightforward and descriptive since the test case writer might not be able to implement them. Use declarative language such as “go to the home page,” “enter the info,” “click here,” and so on. This makes it easier to grasp the test steps and speeds up the testing process.

3.3 Self-Contained

Your test is unreliable if it needs many more test cases to be performed until it can be maintained. If you need to add any preconditions, do so during the setup of the test case to prevent any constraints. However, be wary of too many prescriptions in this situation. As a result of this autonomy, test cases can be run in random order. In the case of automation, this can also determine if they can be applied in tandem.

3.4 Ensure Complete Coverage

Make sure you write test cases to ensure you’ve covered all of the program specifications in the requirement specification. To ensure that no use case or scenarios are left untested, use the traceability matrix.

3.5 Definite

In order to get conclusive results and prevent “ambiguity,” test designers should specifically state the success or failure requirements for each test case.

3.6 Recognizable

The test case id should be named in such a way that it can be easily found and recognized later on when monitoring defects or recognizing a program requirement.

3.7 Use Testing Methodologies

In the software application, you won’t be able to search for any possible scenario. Software testing methods assist you in selecting a small number of test cases that have the best chance of detecting a flaw.

Boundary Value Analysis (BVA): As the name implies, this technique defines the testing of boundaries for a given range of values.
Equivalence Partitioning (EP): This technique divides the range into equal parts/groups that have similar behaviour
State Transition Technique: This method is used when the behaviour of software changes from one state to another as a result of a specific activity.
Error Guessing Technique: This is a method for guessing/predicting errors that may occur during manual testing. This is not a traditional procedure, but it makes use of a tester’s prior experience with the application.

3.8 Concentrated on a single task

Just one item or one element should be measured in a single test case. Assume it tests two things at the same time and one of them fails. Is the test case going to pass or fail? Someone could say, ‘partially.’ However, this is not the expected outcome of testers. Tests must be precise and free of confusion.

3.9 Repeatable and Reusable

Some test cases will almost always need to be repeated, so make sure you build your test case in such a way that it can be re-executed at any time, either immediately or after some time has passed.

A good test case is reusable and significantly contributes to the software testing team in the longer term. Take this into consideration when writing a test case. You will save time in the long run by reusing the test case rather than writing it from scratch.

3.10 Interpersonal Assessment.

After you’ve finished creating test cases, have them reviewed by your coworkers. Your teammates can spot flaws in your test case design that you might overlook.

4. Format of the Test Case

TestDel has established a very specific approach to constructing test cases. We write in excruciating detail with the main goal of making the test case understandable to humans as well as easy to code for an automated script in the future.

Prerequisites, actions, and expected results make up a test case.

4.1 Prerequisites

Before a test case can be run, this dependency—which includes data preparation, content, configuration, environment, etc.—must be satisfied. A need could be that you need to make sure you have a particular device or operating system to use, or that you need to install a specific data set first.

4.2 Test Steps

What a tester must accomplish is described in a test step. Each stage describes a certain task. The first step may be as straightforward as saying, “Open your browser.”

To fulfil the test case’s criteria, a series of consecutive actions should lead the user on a functional trip.

4.3 Expected result

Here, we make sure to explicitly describe to the tester what we anticipate will happen at each and every test step, leading up to the test’s ultimate result.

5. Best Practices and Standards for Writing Successful Test Cases

Test cases that are well-written and maintained are simple to implement and further enhance. At TestDel, our test analysts write clear, structured and reusable test cases. They increase the performance of the testing process by saving time and effort. The top ten best practices to consider when building test cases are as follows:

5.1 Keep it easy and straightforward

A well-written and simple test case is easy to understand and implement for the testers. Organise test cases into groups or areas of the application that are related. Test cases may be organised into groups based on their user stories or modules, such as browser-specific behaviour. This makes reviewing and maintaining the test document much easier. Other testers, developers, and several project stakeholders should be able to understand the details presented in the test cases.

5.2 Include the viewpoint of the end-use.

Before writing a test case, consider the opinion of the end-user. Consider yourself as an end-user, a key stakeholder for whom the software is built. Understand the requirement, the features to be covered, and the viewpoint of the end-user. This will assist in defining test scenarios that occur in real-world situations, as well as developing test cases that are most important to the company. For example, in the case of an e-commerce app, adding to cart, payment features, etc. are widely used and play an important role in conversions.

5.3 Make sure you’re using the proper naming conventions.

Test cases should be named in a way that helps stakeholders to easily recognize them and understand their purpose. The test cases can be named according to the device or functional region that is being tested.

5.4 Description of the test case

Users would be able to understand what is being tested and how it is being tested if the test case is well described. Provide essential facts, such as the test environment and any other identifying details. Mention the testing data and, if necessary, the testing methods that will be used to perform the tests.

5.5 Assumptions and prerequisites should be included.

Include all of the relevant assumptions and conditions for the test case. Provide information about the test area, including any specific configuration required for the completion of the test case.

5.6 Give a list of the steps and measures involved.

Include all of the measures involved in running the test cases. Make sure you don’t skip any steps. Make sure you’ve covered all of the test case verification measures. Include any related documents or screenshots that will assist in the execution of the test steps.

5.7 Provide information about the test data.

Provide test data information for the execution of the test case, particularly if the same data can be reused. This helps in saving time for the creation of the test data for each process to be performed.

5.8 It should be flexible and reusable.

As much as possible, make sure there are no dependencies or contradictions between test cases. If there are any interdependent or group test cases, keep a checklist of them in the test document.

5.9 Allocate a priority to testing.

Allocate each test case a testing priority based on the feature or component involved. This means that high-priority test cases are executed first during execution.

5.10 Provide the Final Output as Well as the Post-Conditions

Provide the expected outcome for each test case phase. For reference, you can also provide screenshots and related documents. Mention any post-test conditions or items that need to be checked after the test case is completed.

6. Recommendations for Maintaining Test Cases Organized

Change is an inevitable part of any software development project. New modifications and changes are introduced into the system as apps develop. To represent these new changes, test cases must be kept up to date. Here are a few recommendations for effective test case maintenance:

6.1 Review Test Cases

Request that the test cases be reviewed by relevant stakeholders to ensure that they are simple to understand and do not include any unnecessary steps. A regular monitoring and revision of test cases will help in the updating of changes if any are applicable.

6.2 Before you create new test cases, update the ones you already have

As new features are added to the software, update the current test cases. Updates to any current user stories or features should be included.

6.3 Remove any test cases that are no longer relevant or required.

Remove test cases for existing app features that are no longer relevant. Delete duplicate test cases from the test suite as well.

6.4 Add Test Cases that are Applicable to the Requirement

Create and add test cases as required in response to new software updates or features. Add any additional test cases that are appropriate, such as post-production test cases for defects discovered by end-users.

7. Conclusion

Knowing the technologies being utilized, the perspective of the end user, and the purpose of the software application makes it simpler to build test cases. The overall testing process is improved, and the performance of the testing plan for the software project is ensured by devoting time and resources to the creation and management of successful test cases.

Get in contact with TestDel if you require assistance or guidance in developing test cases for your company or if you have any questions regarding our testing services.