TRINIDAT-WIKI
Software quality assurance thanks to test plan
Ensure the quality of your software with defined test plans
Well tested is half won
Whether food, vehicles or software: A good and mature product wants to be tested. In software development, professional test procedures are a decisive criterion for assured software quality.
Which tests are suitable for the development of standard and individual software? And why does a structured test plan ensure a high level of quality in software development?
Why software testing is so important
Software quality assurance: Various testing procedures are usually used in the development of software. Especially if the software is extensive and complex in structure, software testing should be started as early as possible. It does not make much difference whether it is a web application or an on-premises application. With a structured test plan, developers avoid program errors and find errors more quickly. It therefore makes sense to start testing in parallel with software development and as early as possible. After all, the software should not only be error-free, but also fully operational at the customer’s site on time and without additional effort.
Software testing leads to more efficient processes in the development of software. In addition, planned testing helps to save unnecessary costs. After all, it can be really expensive if serious errors in the application are discovered too late or not at all. If the ordering process of an online store hangs because of a program error or if a control software outputs incorrect data, this can have extremely critical effects on the business. Software testing is therefore also an important component of quality assurance in software development.
Quality assurance in software development
For quality assurance in software development, it is important to detect program errors comprehensively and at an early stage. Within the scope of software testing, these errors are documented, evaluated and finally corrected. The aim is to provide flawless software that corresponds exactly to the agreed scope of services. The performance features listed in the implementation concept, for example, serve as a benchmark for this.
How exactly can program errors be structured and comprehensively eliminated during software development? In the first step, the manufacturers of the software – for example, the development team at trinidat – test the software under conditions that are as close to reality as possible. A so-called test plan is used for this purpose.
The test plan
All possible test cases are described in the test plan. A test case consists of a sequence of actions to be performed in the program. This is a very small-scale and therefore time-consuming process, as the testers check functions of the software exactly according to a predefined sequence. It is important that each test case contains an expected result.
Firmly defined procedures are tested in a step-by-step guide. Example: for a calculator application, the test case “add two values” is tested:
- Enter the value 5 in the first field
- Enter the value 7 in the second field.
- Click the “Add” button.
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The test case is passed when the software shows the expected result – so in our case the value 12.
What you should definitely pay attention to in software testing
It is important in software testing to check a wide range of the program functions so that the test coverage is as high as possible. As a rule, one or two testers perform the individual test cases. If the expected result has occurred, the test case is considered to have passed. If there is a deviation, the test case has failed. All test results are documented in a test log.
The failed test protocols are then evaluated by the specialist department and programmers. They look to see whether it is a program error and how it can be corrected. In some cases, there is also an error in the test plan. In this case, the test plan is adjusted accordingly and run through again.
Why is a structured test plan so important?
The test plan and the associated test protocol give software testing a structure. All persons involved, software developers and customers, thus receive a comprehensible documentation of the quality assurance. In the development phase of a software, it is also advantageous that the tests can be carried out without the programmers involved.
Thus, thanks to the test plan, the next steps in the software development can be tackled. When all errors have been eliminated, the software is rolled out on a so-called staging system. Here, the customer’s employees now test the new program under conditions that are as real as possible. This step is called an internal field test. Usually, the circle of testers is then expanded again. In the so-called external field test, external partners then check the software.
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Further test procedures in software development
The manual or automated check of a software with a test plan is one way to find and fix errors in the software. There are other test procedures that can be used either alternatively or as a supplement.
Automated GUI testing:
In this type of test, the user’s interaction with the user interface (graphical user interface, or GUI) is simulated by test software. In other words, the test software acts as if a real user were entering data or clicking a button. The result of the automated interaction is compared with the expected result, as in the other test procedures.
Unit Tests:
Unit tests are created in a programming language. These tests call program functions and compare whether they lead to the desired results. For example, program functions that are otherwise also called from the user interface can be tested.
Planned for success
Whether manual test plan or automated GUI test: Software testing ensures with documented and small-step test sequences during software development that an error-free and high-quality end product is obtained in the end. Structured tests are therefore indispensable for quality assurance in software development.
Manfred Hoffbauer, Managing Director
Get advice now
Would you like to learn more about our quality standards in software development? trinidat managing director Manfred Hoffbauer will be happy to provide you with a free initial consultation.