Testing Methodologies

Types of Tests

Functional Tests are typically performed after every minor or major change in the application during its development.

The Non-Functional Tests are typically performed during the Design Phase and after the Development Phase of the development lifecycle, however, in certain cases, they can be performed during the Development Phase as well.

Test Management Application

We can use a Test Management Application (TMS) to keep track of the tests that we perform and their results since we often have to re-execute previous test cases in the future revisions or updates of the application.

Some common test management applications include Jira, TestRail, and Zephyr. We will learn how to use a Test Management application in the next section.

The stage in which the tests are performed also depends upon the development methodology being followed.

Software Development Methods

One of the oldest development methodologies is known as the Waterfall Method. In this method, the phases of development are arranged in a linear and sequential manner. One phase must be completed before moving on to the next, hence there is no overlap:

In this case, all the Testing (known as Verification in this case) is done after the Development and not during it.

In contrast, newer development frameworks provide flexibility and are more time and cost-efficient. One popular example is Scrum:

Scrum is a framework for managing and completing complex projects, and it is commonly used in software development. It is based on Agile principles, which emphasize flexibility, collaboration, and iterative progress. Scrum follows an iterative and incremental approach towards software development. In Scrum, the project is divided into smaller, manageable parts called Sprints. A single Sprint may last 2-4 weeks, or longer. During each Sprint, specific tasks are selected from the prioritized Sprint Backlog which is a narrowed down version of Product Backlog. The selected tasks are distributed among team members.

Scrum promotes regular feedback and continuous improvement through events such as Daily Standups, Sprint Reviews, and Sprint Retrospectives.

This makes it easier for the team members to track progress, easily identify any obstructions and to collaborate and reach the goals more quickly, efficiently, and in a cost-effective manner.

Unlike the Waterfall method, Scrum requires testing to be performed continuously throughout each sprint.