Guide on Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC)

Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC) defines the various phases that, if followed, will result in adequate testing of the Application under test. Discover the complete Guide on Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC) with key phases, processes, and best practices to enhance testing efficiency and product quality.

Each phase has various activities and has some  definite deliverables

Requirement Analysis 

Activities:  

Collect information about the Application. Understand the Application domain  

- Get familiar with domain terminologies, business  flow, and business rules  

Understand Application architecture  

Get familiar with existing functionalities - Attend the Application walkthrough of the Application  

Understand user requirements  

Read and understand the Software Requirement  Specification  

 - Attend SRS walkthrough, code Inspection, and identify testable Requirements  

Identify the levels of Testing needed 

Create Test Strategy  

Scope and Objective  

Test Levels  

Test Deliverability  

Communication and Status Reporting  

Testing tools to be used  

Training Plan  

Nonfunctional tests to be conducted 

 Risks and mitigations 

Deliverables: 

➢Requirements query log  

➢List of Testable Requirements  ➢Test Strategy

Test Planning Activities:  

Estimate Test Efforts involved based on Testable features and their complexity, and based on the Use  Case diagram. 

Identify the Test team size/ Resource requirement. Identify resources  

Define their Roles and Responsibilities  

Identify Risks, Assumptions, Dependencies,  Issues(RAIDS)  

Prepare the Test schedule  

Deliverable: 

➢Test Plan  

Test Planning in Detail  

Test Plan  

It is devised from the Test Strategy  

There are separate Test plans for Unit testing,  Integration testing, System testing, and UAT 

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Test Plan contains the following sections/ details: 

Test Plan Identifier  

A unique identification number for a Test Plan  document  

Introduction 

Purpose of document  

Application overview 

Scope  

Extent of testing  

Interfaces not in scope 

Features in-scope/not in scope 

Listing of features of an application that are under the scope of testing  

Listing of features of an application that are not in the scope of testing 

Risks & Issues  

Risks during the testing activity and the mitigation plan 

E.g.. The new test management tool is getting  implemented and will be used first  

time in the current project, unavailability of the Test  Environment  

Issues that can have a negative impact on the schedule  and budget  

E.g.. Resource onboarding is delayed, impacting the schedule 

Assumption & Dependency  

Assumptions made while preparing the test schedule and  dependency on some other teams  

E.g., Assumption -Testing team will be given the required domain knowledge training  

The dependency-year-end module will be executed only  after the month-end module is found stable 

Roles and Responsibilities  

Test the team structure and their responsibilities

Test Schedule and its interdependencies  Identify Test Activities 

Allocate resource(s) for each activity 

Allocate timelines for each activity 

Test Environment  

Test Bed  

Specific hardware configuration  

Operating system  

Network configuration  

Specific software - Application build version - Browser 

Entry Criteria  

When to start testing  

E.g. Test closure report of the previous level of testing is  obtained  

Exit Criteria  

When to stop testing 

E.g... all major defects are closed and retested  satisfactorily  

Suspension Criteria 

When to suspend testing activity temporarily  

E.g., Further testing is not possible due to an application  issue  

Resumption Criteria  

Resume testing when suspension issues are resolved. 

Testing Tools  

Test data creation tool  

Test Management tool  

Defect tracking tool  

Configuration management tool to be used, and the location of each  

configuration item/ test artifact  

Distribution list of a Test Plan  

o Approvers  

o Reviewers

Test Design Activities:  

Create a test scenario matrix  

Review and finalize test scenarios  

Create Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM) create test cases for each test scenario, Review and finalize Test cases  

Identify and create test data for each test case. Deliverable: 

➢Test Scenarios  

➢Test Cases  

➢RTM  

➢Test Data  

Test Execution Activities: 

Check for Test Environment readiness/ availability: Specific hardware, Software, Operating system,  network configuration  

Check that the required build is deployed in the Test  Environment

Make the correct configuration settings  

Create a Test suite, identify test cases for execution 

Executing a Test Case: Executing the application and  performing steps by referring to a Test Cas.e Test  Execution  

Record the results. Observe the Application response based on the steps performed. Identify whether the Application is working as expected  

Compare the Actual result with the expected result as written in the test cases.Pass/ Fail the test case  

Deliverable: 

➢Daily Test Status Report  

➢Defect Report  

Test Closure Activities:  

Prepare Test Closure Report Detailing Test coverage, any variance in actual vs planned as per Test Plan, Test Exit criteria MET/ Not MET 

All Test Deliverables from all phases of STLC to be  checked in the Configuration Management Tool  

What worked and what did not work  

Deliverable:  

➢Test Closure Report  

➢Test Metrics

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Author:-Prajakta Desai