Testing is one of the mandatory stages of software development because it allows you to identify the slightest errors that can lead to problems in the future. Ideally, it would be best if you used both types of testing – manual and automatic. Nevertheless, if, for some reason, you have chosen manual testing, let’s look at the main steps in the practical implementation of manual testing.
Cyclicity of manual testing
To understand the essence of STLC (Software Testing Life Cycle), you need to understand SDLC (Software Development Lifecycle). These cycles are very closely related to each other, even though they may have different models depending on the project’s specifics; however, there are standard features. Next, we will try to understand the role of automated testing and manual testing, about which more information can be found at the link – https://testfort.com/manual-testing.
- Gathering Requirements
To begin with, you need to determine what criteria your project should meet and what functions it should perform, considering the client’s main idea and financial capabilities.
- Discussion and analysis
Developers and testers (and, if necessary, the UX group) get acquainted with this list of requirements. During the discussion, issues are resolved, and, if necessary, changes are made, and the essential base of documents is created.
- Project development
The stage of creating a technical project begins, which includes the following questions:
- determine the approach to the development of the application;
- prepare design and technical documents;
- create a working flowchart;
- evaluate human efforts;
- find out how the embedded requirements affect the performance of the application;
- establish whether there is a need to correct the initial data.
Also, the UX team can help developers and testers with the original (sample) of the user interface for its performance. It can be an image or a presentation that will help you understand how best to design the interface.
- Development of test scenarios
Simultaneously with the design, test scenarios are created based on the necessary conditions. These scripts are always placed before test cases (an algorithm for testing an application). Upon completion of the creation of the test, it is given to the developers for them to determine the scope of testing and make sure that it complies with the test cases.
The test manager checks cases in different areas:
- coverage of conditions;
- the presence of grammatical errors;
- test-case model;
- backward compatibility;
- links to test data;
- types of testing, etc.
Test cases are given to developers upon verification and adjustment (if necessary).
It’s rare to get 100% test coverage right away. There are inaccuracies and errors in random actions and some scenarios. The testers then add more test cases to the already created chunk (fragment) as they focus more on the conditions.
But there is also a test plan (usually prepared by the manager together with one of the employees), which includes the following:
- scope of testing: conditions, backward compatibility, devices, etc.;
- create a group of testers;
- evaluate testing efforts;
- to be defined with restrictions;
- set entry criteria (beginning of the test) and exit (end of the test).
The stage of developing and conducting unit tests begins. Developers can pass functionality in parts or all at once. As a rule, code review and white-box testing are performed before the functionality is submitted for testing. Developers must refer to the test cases provided by the testers (in addition to the project terms).
- Testing
Specialists start testing when a code is ready or software development is complete. The main tasks of testing are the following:
- detected errors are corrected according to priority;
- a new assembly (code) is taken from the area in which the test is performed;
- after the bugs are corrected, the testers check again, and these bugs are marked as “corrected”; there are “unacceptable” errors that are classified as improvements;
- this process continues until the timeout conditions are reached.
The number of tests performed varies and depends on the scope of the application itself. The first part of testing is performed for small functional modules as they are ready. Then end-to-end testing is carried out in another area when all the conditions have already been developed.
- Analysis
When manual web testing is over, specialists should analyze the errors received and decide how best to fix them. Testers pass this data on to programmers, who must make changes.
Also, analysts should check how these errors can affect the quality of the services provided and whether your project is ready for release.
- Project release
The release of the application is another critical moment. It would be best if you involved marketers in attracting more attention to your product. After the project’s release, testing does not end because problems may arise in the work process; you may decide to add new modules, which also involves testing.
