Software Testing - Test Analysis

Testing is done to enhance the software quality. It can be achieved by improving the quality of the test cases. Test analysis is done to make the test cases more effective, robust, and complete.

What is a Test Analysis?

A test analysis is done to review and examine the various artifacts to develop test criterias and cases. It gathers all the requirements and defines the test objectives and conditions. It is also called the test basis.

The test analysis is the prerequisite step before the actual test cases are created. A thorough and effective test analysis ensures that the developed test cases are sufficient and have complete test coverage.

Why is Test Analysis Done?

The test analysis is primarily done to determine defects in the software. It also suggests areas of improvement and more verifications. It is an integral part of software testing and helps to enhance its quality. It sets the defect severity and works towards fixing it.

The test analysis is done to look for improvements in the testing process and identifies the ineffective test cases. It confirms if the software is built as per the requirements. Finally, it reduces the probability of defect leakages to production to a large extent.

Why is Test Analysis Important?

The test analysis is important as it ensures that the valid and powerful tests are executed and then the results are correctly examined. By comparing the actual and expected outcomes, all the bugs in the software get detected and resolved.

Thus the test analysis is important to improve the software quality. It detects the efficient and inefficient test cases on which the testing team can work up on for further refinement. To sum up, the test process undergoes a lot of improvements after a test analysis.

What are the Conditions of Test Analysis?

The conditions of test analysis are listed below −

Completeness − The test cases should cover all the functional and non-functional requirements.
Correctness − The test cases should be designed and documented correctly without errors.
Effectiveness − The test cases should be effective and capable of finding defects in the software.
Efficiency − The test cases should be independent and can be executed fast.
Maintainability − The test cases should be written in such a way that they can be maintained easily.

Issues Encountered While Performing a Test Analysis at the Time of Black Box Testing

A black box testing is done by testers without any knowledge on the internal coding of the software. The issues which may be encountered while performing a test analysis at the time of black box testing are listed below −

Finding all Combinations of Inputs and Data

It is impossible to find all combinations of inputs and data for a black box testing, especially for complicated softwares. This may result in insufficient test coverage.

Creating Tests for Intermediate States

The black box testing only concentrates on the inputs fed to the software and the output produced from them. It does not consider any intermediate steps. This may lead to ineffective test case creation.

Finding Root Cause of Errors

In the black box testing, the internal structure of the software is never tested. So while errors are detected it is difficult to find their root cause in the software.

Best Practices to Perform Test Analysis Depending Upon Test Categories

The test analysis based on test categories is a methodical process which segregates the test cases on the basis of their purposes. This ensures that the test cases are effective and have complete coverage.

Functional Testing − It is done to check if the functionalities of the software are working as per the requirements.
Performance Testing − It is done to check the response time, scalability, throughput, and overall performance of the software.
Security Testing − It is done to check the security features of the software.
Usability Testing − It is done to verify if the software is usable, easy for navigation, consistent etc.

Steps to Perform the Test Analysis

The steps to perform the test analysis are listed below −

Review Test Basis

The first step is to go through and review every project artifact and documentation, namely the requirements, design documents, risk analysis etc which help to prepare the test cases.

Identify Test Conditions

The second step is to identify the test conditions, i.e all the criterias which should be tested.

Create Test Cases

The third step is to create test cases covering steps 1, and 2.

Identify Expected and Unexpected Inputs

The fourth step is to identify the expected and unexpected inputs for all the test cases. The expected input is the data which is anticipated to give the expected output. The unexpected input is the data which is not anticipated to give the expected output. In short, this step is done to cover all possible positive, negative and edge scenarios to make the test cases more productive.

The test analysis is a continuous process and performed by only experienced people in the team. The test cases are constantly updated, and new ones are added for test improvements and to incorporate requirement changes. Thus the test analysis improves the overall software quality.

Conclusion

This concludes our comprehensive take on the tutorial on Software Testing Test Analysis. We’ve started with describing what is a test analysis, why is test analysis done, why is test analysis important, what are the conditions of test analysis, what are the issues encountered while performing a test analysis at the time of black box testing, and what are the steps to perform the test analysis. This equips you with in-depth knowledge of Software Testing Test Analysis. It is wise to keep practicing what you’ve learned and exploring others relevant to Software Testing to deepen your understanding and expand your horizons.

Print Page