Extensive Testing in Software Testing

As technology and industry become more complex, so does software. Any app or site being developed must now cater to the preferences and needs of people from different regions, demographic segments and life experiences. To make sure that people with such differing requirements get what they want out of an app or website, Quality Assurance engineers need to perform something called Extensive Testing.

What is Extensive Testing?

Extensive testing, also known as exhaustive testing, involves verifying a software program’s response to all input combinations. Like the name suggests, it requires QAs to run all input combinations into the system and monitor results. 

You test the software exhaustively – every function, every UI element, every UX metric. This technique provides a 360-degree analysis of the app’s functionality and user experience. It is directly responsible for improving software efficiency and usability for end-users. 

It’s important to understand that you can never test every possible scenario, simply because that is impossible to predict. There will always be a minor user scenario left untested, but comprehensive testing will ensure that the flaws left behind are not big enough to affect UX.

However, modern extensive testing comes very close to eliminating all bugs but attacking the system with every possible input variable. Needless to say, it’s a time-consuming technique, but it produces bug-free software.

Types of Extensive Testing

As the name suggests, Extensive testing refers to testing the application “extensively”, i.e., thoroughly with all input combinations possible. Under this category comes a formidable variety of tests:

• Functional Testing: To verify that software functions work as expected by predetermined requirements.
• Regression Testing: To ensure that code changes and enhancements do not impact existing features that are already functional.
• Performance Testing: To check that the software performs stably under different activity loads. This covers stress testing, scalability testing, and load testing.
• Integration Testing: To verify that system components and modules interact for accurate and optimal functionality.
• System Testing: To ensure that the integrated product complies with all specific requirements.
• User Acceptance Testing: To check that actual end-users can comfortably use the app and derive true value from it.
• Security Testing: To scan for all vulnerabilities related to security threats and risks. This is essential for protecting user data and legal compliance.
• Usability Testing: To verify that the UI/UX related to the app is in line with user expectations.
• Compatibility Testing: To verify that the app works at high performance and functionality levels across diverse browsers, devices, and OSes.
• Smoke Testing: To check that the app’s basic functions are working as needed, before moving on to more complex, granular tests.

When should you Perform Extensive Testing?

Extensive testing should be the final step in the testing cycle. After all other tests have been executed, extensive testing comes in to validate the entire software system. Of course, it is possible to insert elements or techniques of extensive testing at different intervals within the testing pipeline. For example, insert regression tests after every major bug fix, perform risk assessments before testing commences, use focused testing to zero in on sensitive software areas, etc. 

Process of Extensive Testing

Extensive testing involves multiple structured phases, see detailed below:

Analyze Requirements

Collect all requirements documents, user stories, and other specifications. Identify the functions that need testing based on these documents. Zero in on the high-risk functions that need comprehensive and closely supervised testing.

Plan Tests

Note down the primary and secondary goals of testing —-evaluating performance, functionality, and security. Establish the test strategy and outline the test types, necessary resources, timelines, and testers in charge.

Finally, prepare the test environments with all specifics for hardware, software, test data, and external dependencies.

Design Tests

Create detailed test cases with clear input data, execution conditions, and expected results. Automated tests will require the creation of scripts unless you’re using a no-code tool like Testsigma.

Don’t forget to get your test cases and code reviewed by peers before heading to the execution stage.

Execute Tests

Run test cases according to the test plan, and record the results. The right testing tool will automatically record all discrepancies, bugs, and errors, as well as the steps needed to reproduce said bugs.

Ensure that tests progress in the following order for best results:

• Regression Tests
• Performance Tests
• Load tests
• Stress tests
• Endurance Tests
• User Acceptance Tests

Document and Report on Findings

Compile all test outcomes, defect logs, and performance metrics into reports. Look for trends (recurring defects, load-bearing issues) and evaluate product quality. Present these reports to stakeholders for approval.

How to Perform Extensive Testing

The following strategies are commonly deployed as part of an extensive testing approach:

• Monitor the application’s recovery rate through self-analysis by the dev team. Functions with high recovery require less testing than the ones with low recovery.
  
• Run regression tests after every bug fix to validate that all functions are working as expected after any system changes.
  
• Run risk assessments on the application to estimate how certain low-recovery functions can impact other software components. These are the functions that require a closer look via extensive testing.
  
• Look at all previous tests and narrow in on the features that are most likely to fail. The failing modules are the ones that require extensive testing.
  
• Use ad-hoc testing and break down testing for individual modules to detect minor defects.
  
• Reach out to stakeholders (analysts, product managers, customer support personnel) – and get reviews on the app’s workings. This will add more perspective to your quality control operations.
  
• Use focus testing to craft relevant user scenarios for more precise, targeted testing.
  
• Revise and refresh test cases for every test that requires different variables. Since extensive testing requires pushing all input variables, this is an essential step. 

Challenges of Extensive Testing

Extensive tests are exceptionally useful but come with quite a few challenges. These are mentioned below:

• Resource Consumption: It takes significant time and effort to test an app with all possible input combinations. Limited budgets and personnel would lead to gaps in test cycles. This is especially true as the software grows in complexity and size.
• Dealing with changes in requirements: Since extensive tests are resource-intensive, any changes and ambiguities will lead to further delays and even unstable tests. Adding new features in the middle of testing increases the resources required by extensive tests.
• Test Coverage: Given the number of possible scenarios, edge cases, and workflows for any modern-day app, achieving total or high levels of test coverage is difficult.
• Environment Issues: Setting up and maintaining test environments for multiple test types is time-consuming. Each environment must replicate real-world conditions, which means creating and managing relevant test data for multiple test scenarios.
• Challenges with automation: Creating, executing and maintaining automation scripts for multiple tests needs a fair amount of effort and expertise. Additionally, existing tools may not support extensive tests in their entirety, without additional configuration and customization.
• Technical Debt: If teams deal with legacy systems, extensive testing will be challenging due to a lack of documentation or incompatibility with modern tools.

When should you Make Test Automation a Part of Extensive Testing?

You should incorporate test automation into your extensive testing plans when you come across the following scenarios in your SDLC:

• When the project requires QAs to run a large number of repetitive tests, such as regression testing. Some tests require the same user actions, but with different input values each time. These tests can also, for the most part, be automated.
  
• When it’s most cost effective to automate the extensive tests. Manually testing every or most features of an application would require hiring a large number of testers. It would also take these testers more time to finish their tasks, because humans move slower than machines. Without automation, releasing software would take many more weeks or months – leading to a longer time to market and killing the app’s competitive value.
  
• When you need to scale up your testing capacity by running tests simultaneously or in parallel. Most modern QA teams, even large ones, can only do so much in a few weeks with running parallel tests. Automation engines like TestSigma are required to empower QAs and get more done in a short measure of time.
  
• When you cannot afford to be undone by human error from tired and overworked testing. Extensive testing requires extensive work. Manually testers cannot be expected to stay up for days on end, scan through software functions and provide 100% accurate results. However, this is a common expectation from a test automation tool. It does not get tired and it does not make mistakes. 

Key Considerations for Effective Extensive Testing

In order to get the most value out of your extensive tests, QAs can (and ideally should) implement the following best practices/considerations.

• Be extremely clear about the objectives of extensive tests. The goals should align with project requirements and stakeholder expectations.
• Develop a detailed test plan. Include the scope, objectives, methodologies, timelines, resources, and testers-in-change for each test phase.
• Engage stakeholders like product owners, developers, and end-users early in the process — right from the requirements-gathering phase.
• Incorporate the iterative approach of the Agile methodology as it offers continuous feedback and quicker bug identification.
• Build modular and reusable test cases as they are easier to execute, maintain, and execute, especially during regression tests.
• Prioritize test cases based on risks associated with certain functionality, user impact, and business value.
• While 100% test coverage is hard to achieve, aim to do so for functional, performance, security, and usability tests.
• Ensure that test environments replicate real user conditions — performance, activity load, and behavior.
• To manage test data, build representative datasets to cover normal, boundary, and edge case scenarios.
• Conduct regular reviews and retrospectives of test activities, successes, and failures.
• Stay up to date with emerging trends in testing as well as innovative tools and methodologies to stay relevant.

Automation Tools for Extensive Testing

Needless to say, extensive testing requires significant automation. It is not humanly possible to manually execute all tests required for a comprehensive extensive test cycle. Some tools that can help in this regard are:

Testsigma

Testsigma offers a no-code GenAI-powered test automation platform for automating end-to-end tests of web, mobile, desktop, API, SAP, and Salesforce apps, which is ideal for extensive testing. You can create test cases in natural language, with no need to write code. Why Testsigma for extensive testing? 

• Quickly record test steps, including web page elements, and use an intuitive interface to edit, add, or modify test steps. 
• Build test cases, test plans, and scenarios from scratch. 
• Data-driven testing for testing the applications for a wide range of dynamic real-time test data
• Specify test data as you see fit, and import data points into test cases as and when required.
• Use Copilot, Testsigma’s GenAI-powered test assistant, to generate test cases automatically based on prompts, requirements, user stories, Figma designs, etc. 

• Reduce maintenance by up to 70% with auto-healing. Auto-healing tests will update in response to code changes and build detailed reports with accompanying screenshots and videos.
• Run tests on thousands of real devices (mobile and desktop), operating systems, and browsers.

Use GenAI Copilot to generate automated test cases and scenarios in seconds from JIRA requirements, Swagger Schema, screenshots – Sign up for Free

Selenium

Selenium is a popular open-source tool for automating user actions on web applications. It supports multiple programming languages and frameworks and can be used to automate tests on multiple browsers and devices.

Read More: Selenium Automation Testing

Apache JMeter

Apache JMeter is also an open-source tool ideal for performant testing, especially load testing. It can test the performance of static and dynamic resources.

Read More: Apache JMeter vs Selenium

Summary

Extensive testing is the last line of defense against major bugs in any software system. It casts a wide net for bugs, anomalies and errors that may tarnish user experience for end-users. It is the final filter in Quality Assurance processes – a time-consuming filter with multiple techniques and strategies to eliminate as many software issues as humanly possible. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Exhaustive Testing different from Extensive Testing?

It is easiest to explore the differences between Exhaustive Testing and Extensive Testing with a table:

Parameters	Exhaustive Testing	Extensive Testing
Purpose	Testing the application against every conceivable input combination.	Testing the application against every conceivable input combination – pertaining to specific features, parameters, and resource availability.  Emphasizes depth of testing in critical areas.
Approach	Takes on a documentation-heavy approach that is largely theoretical.	Largely practical approach with test planning, creating, and execution.
Scope	Theoretically encompasses all possible test scenarios and cases.	Aims to cover critical paths, edge cases, and high-risk areas.
Risk Management	Harder to manage risk since covering all possible inputs leaves little room for deeply exploring them within realistic timelines.	Easier to manage risk by focusing on high-risk areas.
Feasibility	Generally impossible to achieve completely.	Far more practical to achieve for real-world testing teams.

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