
<p>Software testing is a crucial aspect of any software development process, and test design plays a major role in ensuring the effectiveness of the testing process. It refers to the process of creating test cases that can effectively validate the functionality of the software being developed. It involves identifying test scenarios, defining test conditions, and creating test cases that can detect bugs in the software. Test design is a challenging process that requires careful planning, attention to detail, and a great understanding of the product. In this article, we will discuss test design and everything you need to know about it.</p>



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets"><p class="toc_title">Table Of Contents</p><ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#What_is_Test_Design"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">1</span> What is Test Design?</a></li><li><a href="#What_is_the_Purpose_of_Test_Design"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">2</span> What is the Purpose of Test Design?</a></li><li><a href="#When_to_Create_a_Test_Design"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">3</span> When to Create a Test Design?</a></li><li><a href="#Why_is_Test_Design_Important_for_Test_Automation"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">4</span> Why is Test Design Important for Test Automation?</a></li><li><a href="#How_Is_Test_Design_Done"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">5</span> How Is Test Design Done?</a></li><li><a href="#Top_Test_Design_Techniques"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">6</span> Top Test Design Techniques</a><ul><li><a href="#1_Equivalence_Class_Testing"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">6.1</span> 1. Equivalence Class Testing</a></li><li><a href="#2_State_Transitioning"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">6.2</span> 2. State Transitioning</a></li><li><a href="#3_Exploratory_Testing"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">6.3</span> 3. Exploratory Testing</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Test_Design_Concepts_You_Must_Be_Familiar_With"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">7</span> Test Design Concepts You Must Be Familiar With</a><ul><li><a href="#Test_Automation_Pyramid"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">7.1</span> Test Automation Pyramid</a></li><li><a href="#Test_Coverage_and_Code_Coverage"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">7.2</span> Test Coverage and Code Coverage</a></li><li><a href="#Test_Suites_and_Test_Cases"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">7.3</span> Test Suites and Test Cases</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Summary"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">8</span> Summary</a></li><li><a href="#Frequently_Asked_Questions"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">9</span> Frequently Asked Questions</a><ul><li><a href="#What_is_test_design_in_QA"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">9.1</span> What is test design in QA?</a></li><li><a href="#What_are_the_steps_in_test_design"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">9.2</span> What are the steps in test design?</a></li><li><a href="#What_is_an_example_of_a_test_design"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">9.3</span> What is an example of a test design?</a></li></ul></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-what-is-test-design"><span id="What_is_Test_Design">What is Test Design?</span></h2>



<p>Test design is a process that defines how testing has to be done. It involves the process of identifying the testing techniques, test scenarios, test cases, test data, and expected test results.</p>



<p>Also, testers need to be specific about the test cases they create, such as providing specific inputs, steps, and test data for each test case.</p>



<h2 id="h-what-is-the-purpose-of-test-design"><span id="What_is_the_Purpose_of_Test_Design">What is the Purpose of Test Design?</span></h2>



<p>Software testing, like all processes, is an investment and is considered successful when it provides an ROI. To ensure, we are getting the <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/roi-test-automation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ROI; it has to be tracked too</a>. One factor that will create an impact on the ROI, is the effectiveness of the test strategy. An effective test design will largely dictate the effectiveness of the testing strategy, thus the ROI from the software testing process.</p>



<h2 id="h-when-to-create-a-test-design"><span id="When_to_Create_a_Test_Design">When to Create a Test Design?</span></h2>



<p>Test design should be created once the test conditions are defined, and adequate information is available to create the test cases of both high and low levels.</p>



<h2 id="h-why-is-test-design-important-for-test-automation"><span id="Why_is_Test_Design_Important_for_Test_Automation">Why is Test Design Important for Test Automation?</span></h2>



<p>Just as Test Design is important for an effective test strategy, a well-defined test design plays an important role in the success of test automation too.</p>



<p>It is a crucial activity that helps determine the effectiveness of automated test cases in identifying bugs and is highly essential for quality control and testing.<em>&#8220;More than the act of testing, the act of designing tests is one of the best bug preventers known. &#8220;</em> &#8211; says Boris Beizer.</p>



<p>For the effectiveness of test automation, you also need to have a test automation tool that supports your goals. Thus, choosing the right test automation tool is vital, as also stated by a report that said: <a href="https://research.aimultiple.com/test-automation-statistics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">26%</a> of companies consider finding the right tools for automation testing as their biggest challenge.</p>



<p>Here is a blog that will help you <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/10-points-to-help-you-choose-the-right-test-automation-tool/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">choose the right test automation tool</a></p>



<p>Testsigma is a powerful no-code test automation platform that lets you automate web, mobile, and desktop applications and APIs in one place 5 times faster. Start using Testsigma to achieve an ROI from your test automation sooner.</p>



<h2 id="h-how-is-test-design-done"><span id="How_Is_Test_Design_Done">How Is Test Design Done?</span></h2>



<p>Test design is done using several test design techniques. The following is a list of some of the top design techniques,</p>



<ul><li>Equivalence Class Testing</li><li>State Transition</li><li>Exploratory Testing</li><li>Boundary value analysis</li><li><a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/pairwise-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pairwise test </a>design</li><li>Error guessing test design</li></ul>



<p>Let&#8217;s talk about some of the top techniques in the below section.</p>



<h2 id="h-top-test-design-techniques"><span id="Top_Test_Design_Techniques">Top Test Design Techniques</span></h2>



<p>Let&#8217;s discuss the top techniques in detail.</p>



<h3 id="h-1-equivalence-class-testing"><span id="1_Equivalence_Class_Testing">1. Equivalence Class Testing</span></h3>



<p>Equivalence class testing, also known as Equivalence Class Partitioning, is a test design technique that lets you partition your test data into equivalent classes or sections.</p>



<p>It aims to reduce the number of test cases required to test a product by dividing the input domain into a set of equivalence classes. You can use this whenever an input field has a range like age.</p>



<p><strong>Example:</strong></p>



<p>Consider a gaming website has a form that requires users to enter their age. And the form specifies that the age has to be between 18 and 60. Now, using the Equivalence Class Partitioning technique, you can divide the input range into three partitions, as follows,</p>



<ul><li>1 to 17 (invalid)</li><li>18 to 60 (valid)</li><li>&gt;60 (invalid)</li></ul>



<p>By partitioning the input range into equal partitions, you can create test cases that cover all possible scenarios. This way, you can easily make sure that your form is working correctly without testing every possible number between 18 and 60.</p>



<h3 id="h-2-state-transitioning"><span id="2_State_Transitioning">2. State Transitioning</span></h3>



<p><p style="padding-bottom:30px">It is a type of black box testing that is performed to check the change in the application&#8217;s state under various inputs. This testing is used where different system transitions have to be tested.</p></p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" width="512" height="317" src="https://testsigma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/test-design.png" alt="Test Design" class="wp-image-36779" /></figure></div>



<p><p style="padding-top:30px"><strong>State Transition Diagram</strong>Above is a state transition diagram that needs to be tested, it depicts how a system&#8217;s state changes on specific inputs. The four main components for a state transition diagram are as follows:</p></p>



<ol><li>States</li><li>Transition</li><li>Events</li><li>Actions</li></ol>



<p>State transition testing helps understand the system&#8217;s behavior and covers all the conditions. Let&#8217;s try to understand this with an example.</p>



<p><strong>Example:</strong></p>



<p>Consider a bank application that allows users to log in with valid credentials. But, if the user doesn&#8217;t remember the credentials, the application allows them to retry with up to three attempts. If they provide valid credentials within those three attempts, it will lead to a successful login. In case of three unsuccessful attempts, the application will have to block the account.</p>



<p><p style="padding-bottom:30px">The below image will explain this scenario in a clear way.</p></p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" width="2400" height="1260" src="https://testsigma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Slide-16_9-47.png" alt="State Transitioning Example

" class="wp-image-29248" /></figure></div>



<br><h3 id="h-3-exploratory-testing"><span id="3_Exploratory_Testing">3. Exploratory Testing</span></h3>



<p>Exploratory testing is primarily used in Agile methods and involves outside-the-box thinking.</p>



<p>This process does not follow pre-defined test cases but instead involves testers using their knowledge, skills, and creativity to identify issues that may not have been anticipated by developers.</p>



<p>During exploratory testing, the tester will explore the software application in an unstructured way, creating and executing tests on the fly. The goal of this testing is to uncover bugs that may have been missed by other traditional testing methods.</p>



<h2 id="h-test-design-concepts-you-must-be-familiar-with"><span id="Test_Design_Concepts_You_Must_Be_Familiar_With">Test Design Concepts You Must Be Familiar With</span></h2>



<p>As a software tester, there are several test design concepts that you must be familiar with to create effective test cases. Here are some of the most important test design concepts,</p>



<h3 id="h-test-automation-pyramid"><span id="Test_Automation_Pyramid">Test Automation Pyramid</span></h3>



<p><a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/testing-pyramid/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Test Automation Pyramid</a> is a testing framework that helps developers and testers to build high-quality products. It emphasizes the importance of automation at each level. The pyramid consists of three levels, each representing a different type of testing as follows,</p>



<ul><li>Unit Tests</li><li>Integration Tests</li><li>End-to-End Tests</li></ul><br>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://images.storychief.com/account_36412/image_c16ec456872814f4201ea32d8adda958_2000.png" alt="Test Automation Pyramid" /></figure></div>



<p><p style="padding-top:30px"><strong>Unit testing:</strong> Here, testing is done on individual units or software modules. Each unit is tested separately to ensure that it behaves as intended and meets its requirements.<strong>Integration testing:</strong> It helps verify that different modules of a software application are working as intended when they are integrated together.<strong>End-to-End testing:</strong> It involves evaluating the entire software application, from start to finish, to ensure that all components work together as expected and meet the requirements and business objectives. Also, it enables quick feedback cycles and helps developers fix bugs in a short time. It helps save time, reduce costs, and improve the overall quality of an application.</p></p>



<h3 id="h-test-coverage-and-code-coverage"><span id="Test_Coverage_and_Code_Coverage">Test Coverage and Code Coverage</span></h3>



<p>Both test coverage and code coverage are two related but distinct concepts in software testing. Test coverage refers to the maximum extent to which an application has been tested.</p>



<p><p style="padding-bottom:30px">Test coverage is calculated as follows,</p></p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://images.storychief.com/account_36412/image_e6a57381fb6b6df9baffdeabb9564c59_2000.png" alt="Test coverage" /></figure></div>



<p><p style="padding-top:30px">For example, if you have 2000 lines of code, your test cases should be able to test the entire codebase. If only 1000 lines of code are tested out of 2000, the test coverage is 50%. Aim for 100% test coverage which means that your entire application functionality is tested to ensure a high-quality product.Code coverage specifically refers to the percentage of the code that has been covered by tests. Simply put, code coverage tells how much code is tested, and test coverage tells if your tests cover the application&#8217;s functionality or not.</p></p>



<p>Code coverage is calculated as follows,</p>



<p><strong><em>Code Coverage Percentage = (Number of lines of code executed)/(Total Number of lines of code in an application) * 100</em></strong></p>



<p>If the entire piece of code is tested, then you may consider that the code coverage is 100%. Good code coverage is considered a good metric for testing.</p>



<h3 id="h-test-suites-and-test-cases"><span id="Test_Suites_and_Test_Cases">Test Suites and Test Cases</span></h3>



<p>Test Suites and Test cases are interrelated terms. A test suite can be defined as a collection of test cases designed to test a specific functionality of the software. They are typically created and managed by testers.A test case is a set of instructions that defines the steps to be taken and the expected results for testing specific software functionality. Simply put, test cases are individual tests.</p>



<p><p style="padding-bottom:30px">When you automate your test cases, Testsigma &#8211; a no-code test automation tool also supports the addition, updation, and deletion of test cases and test suites. It is very easy to <a href="https://testsigma.com/docs/test-cases/manage/add-edit-delete/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">create test cases</a> using its NLP approach. It also lets you easily manage and run automated test cases on the cloud.</p></p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://images.storychief.com/account_36412/image_e69813b7bb64fad47fabffb4dc7b2f19_2000.png" alt="Testsigma" width="800" height="400" /></figure></div>



<br><h2 id="h-summary"><span id="Summary">Summary</span></h2>



<p>Test design is a vital aspect of software testing that cannot be overlooked. A well-designed test strategy can provide valuable insights into the quality of software, helping testers identify issues before they become major problems. Thus, it helps businesses save a lot of time, effort, resources, and cost in the long run.</p>



<p>Testing is not just about finding bugs but also about ensuring that the software meets the user&#8217;s needs and expectations. By following a structured test design approach, businesses can achieve both of these goals.</p>



<h2 id="h-frequently-asked-questions"><span id="Frequently_Asked_Questions">Frequently Asked Questions</span></h2>



<h3 id="h-what-is-test-design-in-qa"><span id="What_is_test_design_in_QA">What is test design in QA?</span></h3>



<p>Test design is a stage of the software testing process where testers create test scenarios and develop test cases and test scripts.</p>



<h3 id="h-what-are-the-steps-in-test-design"><span id="What_are_the_steps_in_test_design">What are the steps in test design?</span></h3>



<p>Test designing involves writing and developing test cases. Testers will also have to do the following,<strong></strong></p>



<ul><li>Identify the test objectives</li><li>Identify the test scenarios</li><li>Specify the test data and expected results</li><li>Create the test cases</li><li>Decide on the test schedule</li></ul>



<h3 id="h-what-is-an-example-of-a-test-design"><span id="What_is_an_example_of_a_test_design">What is an example of a test design?</span></h3>



<p>Test design can be created using various test design techniques, such as equivalence classes, state transition, boundary value analysis, error guessing, etc.</p>



<p>Let&#8217;s consider your website has an input field that accepts values only from 1 to 10. The test condition for the above scenario would be,</p>



<ul><li>&lt;1 &#8211; Invalid</li><li>1 &#8211; 10 &#8211; Valid</li><li>&gt;10 &#8211; Invalid</li><li>Any three-digit number (Example &#8211; 100) &#8211; Invalid</li></ul>



<p><p style="padding-top:30px">The below image will help you understand better,</p></p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://images.storychief.com/account_36412/image_4ad5fbabeaa76cbe74bd1da33d2f2451_2000.png" alt="What is an example of a test design" /></figure></div>



<p><p style="padding-bottom:30px">The values -1, 0, 2, 12, and 100 should be okay to test the above scenario. Here, both Equivalence classes and Boundary Value Analysis is used.</p></p>


Test Design in Software Testing - A Comprehensive Guide

Test Design in Software Testing – A Comprehensive Guide


<p>Bug triage is a critical step in software testing that entails reviewing, prioritizing, and allocating software defects to the appropriate team for resolution. The defect triage phase is an important aspect of the software development lifecycle. It allows teams to analyze and classify detected bugs based on severity and prioritize them accordingly.</p>



<p>In this blog, we will go through the mechanics of defect triage and why it is so important for effective software testing.</p>



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets"><p class="toc_title">Table Of Contents</p><ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#What_is_Defect_Triage"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">1</span> What is Defect Triage?</a></li><li><a href="#Why_Do_We_Need_to_have_Defect_Triage"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">2</span> Why Do We Need to have Defect Triage?</a></li><li><a href="#How_Often_Defect_Triage_Needs_to_be_Conducted_in_a_Release"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">3</span> How Often Defect Triage Needs to be Conducted in a Release?</a></li><li><a href="#What_Result_can_be_Expected_Out_of_the_Bug_Triaging"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">4</span> What Result can be Expected Out of the Bug Triaging?</a></li><li><a href="#What_are_the_Roles_and_Responsibilities_of_the_Triage_Team_during_the_Defect_Triage_Meeting"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">5</span> What are the Roles and Responsibilities of the Triage Team during the Defect Triage Meeting?</a></li><li><a href="#Recommendations_to_Improve_the_Bug_Triage_Process"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">6</span> Recommendations to Improve the Bug Triage Process</a><ul><li><a href="#1_Define_a_transparent_bug_triage_process"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">6.1</span> 1. Define a transparent bug triage process: </a></li><li><a href="#2_Automate_the_bug_triage_process"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">6.2</span> 2. Automate the bug triage process: </a></li><li><a href="#3_Ensure_regular_bug_triage_meetings"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">6.3</span> 3. Ensure regular bug triage meetings: </a></li><li><a href="#4_Monitor_and_analyze_bug_triage_data"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">6.4</span> 4. Monitor and analyze bug triage data: </a></li><li><a href="#5_Training_and_support"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">6.5</span> 5. Training and support: </a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Summary"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">7</span> Summary</a></li><li><a href="#Frequently_Asked_Questions"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">8</span> Frequently Asked Questions</a><ul><li><a href="#What_does_Triage_mean_in_Testing"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">8.1</span> What does Triage mean in Testing?</a></li><li><a href="#How_do_you_Run_a_DefectBug_Triage"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">8.2</span> How do you Run a Defect/Bug Triage?</a></li></ul></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-what-is-defect-triage"><span id="What_is_Defect_Triage"><strong>What is Defect Triage?</strong></span></h2>



<p>In software testing, defect triage, or bug triage, is necessary for efficient resource use for bug fixes. During bug triage, a bug or defect is reviewed, assigned a priority, and according to the priority, is either assigned to a developer for fixing or deferred to the next release.</p>



<h2 id="h-why-do-we-need-to-have-defect-triage"><span id="Why_Do_We_Need_to_have_Defect_Triage"><strong>Why Do We Need to have Defect Triage?</strong></span></h2>



<p>Triaging defects is crucial to software development and has several advantages for the project team and the end users. Defect triage is necessary for the following reasons:</p>



<ul><li><strong>Prioritization:</strong> Defect triage aids the development team in <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/difference-between-priority-and-severity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">prioritizing defects</a> according to their importance, severity, and urgency. This minimizes the possibility of project delays and failures by ensuring that the most critical bugs/defects are fixed first.</li><li><strong>Resource allocation:</strong> Defect triage aids the development team in prioritizing defects according to their importance, severity, and urgency. This minimizes the possibility of project delays and failures by ensuring that the most critical bugs are fixed first.</li><li><strong>Improved communication:</strong> Defect triage encourages open communication among developers, project managers, and other stakeholders. It enables them to debate and agree on the importance of defects, ensuring they are all on the same page.</li><li><strong>Better quality software: </strong>Because critical bugs are taken on priority and fixed on time, it leads to a high-quality software that satisfies the demands of end users .</li><li><strong>Cost savings:</strong> Defect triage helps reduce the cost of addressing faults by resolving them early. It helps in saving costs spent later in the development process.</li><li><strong>Customer satisfaction: </strong>Defect triage ensures that the program satisfies the needs and expectations of end users. This results in improved levels of customer satisfaction.</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-how-often-defect-triage-needs-to-be-conducted-in-a-release"><span id="How_Often_Defect_Triage_Needs_to_be_Conducted_in_a_Release"><strong>How Often Defect Triage Needs to be Conducted in a Release?</strong></span></h2>



<p>The frequency of defect triage can vary depending on the project&#8217;s size, complexity, and urgency. However, in general, defect triage should be conducted:</p>



<ul><li><strong>At the start of the project: </strong>A defect triage should be conducted at the beginning to identify any potential defects and establish a process for handling them.</li><li><strong>After each development phase:</strong> Defect triage should be conducted after each development phase. This ensures defects are identified and resolved before moving on to the next phase.</li><li><strong>Before each release:</strong> Defect triage should be conducted before every release. This can help to minimize the risk of defects being discovered by end-users after the software is released.</li><li><strong>Regularly:</strong> Defect triage should be conducted throughout development to identify and resolve any new defects promptly.</li></ul>



<p>The project&#8217;s needs and development process will determine the precise frequency of defect triage.</p>



<h2 id="h-what-result-can-be-expected-out-of-the-bug-triaging"><span id="What_Result_can_be_Expected_Out_of_the_Bug_Triaging"><strong>What Result can be Expected Out of the Bug Triaging?</strong></span></h2>



<p>Here are some of the results that can be expected from bug triaging:</p>



<ul><li><strong>Prioritized defect list: </strong>Bug triaging helps prioritize defects based on severity, impact, and urgency, reducing the likelihood of project delays, failures and blocker bugs for customers.</li><li><strong>Optimized resource allocation: </strong>The development team can effectively manage resources by prioritizing faults and focusing on the most significant concerns.</li><li><strong>Improved communication:</strong> Bug triaging encourages open communication between developers, project managers, and other stakeholders. Allowing them to debate and agree on the importance of bugs.</li><li><strong>Reduced risk:</strong> Bug triaging helps to detect problems early. Reducing the likelihood of errors being overlooked until later stages of development or deployment.</li><li><strong>Higher quality software: </strong>Bug triaging helps to assure software quality and satisfies the demands of end users by reviewing and addressing bugs early.</li><li><strong>Improved customer satisfaction:</strong> Bug triaging ensures that the program fulfills the needs and expectations of end users. This results in improved levels of customer satisfaction.</li><li><strong>Cost savings:</strong> Bug triaging helps to reduce the cost of addressing faults by resolving them early in the development process rather than later in the process or after the product has been distributed.</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-what-are-the-roles-and-responsibilities-of-the-triage-team-during-the-defect-triage-meeting"><span id="What_are_the_Roles_and_Responsibilities_of_the_Triage_Team_during_the_Defect_Triage_Meeting"><strong>What are the Roles and Responsibilities of the Triage Team during the Defect Triage Meeting?</strong></span></h2>



<p>At a defect triage meeting, the triage team identifies, evaluates, and assigns issues for solutions to the development team. At the defect triage meeting, the triage team consists of&nbsp;the following:</p>



<ul><li><strong>Facilitator:</strong> The triage team facilitator ensures everyone follows the triage protocol, gets a chance to contribute, and the team is focused on discovering and prioritizing faults.</li><li><strong>Project manager:</strong> The project manager is responsible for providing feedback on the priority of faults and ensuring the right development team member is responsible for resolving them.</li><li><strong>Quality assurance (QA) lead:</strong> The QA lead is responsible for reviewing the defects and providing input on their severity and impact on the software. They should also ensure the development team has the information to reproduce and resolve the defects.</li><li><strong>Development team representative:</strong> The development team representative advises on the viability of fixing bugs and allocating them to the proper team member with the required competence. The development team representative is responsible for providing input on the feasibility of resolving defects; assigning them to the appropriate team member with the necessary expertise.</li></ul>



<p>Bugs can be prioritized efficiently when each member is given a defined role and responsibility during the meeting.</p>



<h2 id="h-recommendations-to-improve-the-bug-triage-process"><span id="Recommendations_to_Improve_the_Bug_Triage_Process"><strong>Recommendations to Improve the Bug Triage Process</strong></span></h2>



<p>Here are some recommendations to improve the bug triage process:</p>



<h3 id="1-define-a-transparent-bug-triage-process"><span id="1_Define_a_transparent_bug_triage_process">1. <strong>Define a transparent bug triage process: </strong></span></h3>



<p>Establish a precise and uniform procedure to prioritize faults, designate them to the development team, and track them to ensure they are quickly fixed. This will ensure everyone is aware of their duties and responsibilities.</p>



<h3 id="2-automate-the-bug-triage-process"><span id="2_Automate_the_bug_triage_process">2. <strong>Automate the bug triage process:</strong> </span></h3>



<p>If the project is a large one, there is a possibility that at one time, a lot of bugs are reported. Going through each and every bug in such a scenario could be a time-taking task. </p>



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<p>In such cases, it is recommended to automate the bug triage process. Here, specific developers could be automatically assigned when bugs are reported for specific features. Also, for large projects, test automation might be used too. In such cases, it is recommended that you use bug-tracking tools that support this feature of allocating specific developers automatically, corresponding to the feature of a reported bug. For this, ensure your test automation tool integrates with your bug tracking tool. Testsigma is a no-code <a href="https://testsigma.com/qa-automation-tools" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">test automation tool</a> that lets you automate for web, mobile, APIs, and desktop from the same place. And integrates with all popular bug-tracking tools.<br><br></p>



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<h3 id="3-ensure-regular-bug-triage-meetings"><span id="3_Ensure_regular_bug_triage_meetings">3. <strong>Ensure regular bug triage meetings:</strong> </span></h3>



<p>Regular bug triage meetings should be held to quickly identify and address new bugs, with all parties involved, including the project manager, QA team, and development team.</p>



<h3 id="4-monitor-and-analyze-bug-triage-data"><span id="4_Monitor_and_analyze_bug_triage_data">4. <strong>Monitor and analyze bug triage data:</strong> </span></h3>



<p>Insights into patterns and trends that can be addressed in subsequent releases can be found by tracking and analyzing bug triage data.</p>



<h3 id="5-training-and-support"><span id="5_Training_and_support">5. <strong>Training and support:</strong> </span></h3>



<p>The development and QA teams may be helped to understand and use the bug triage process by offering training and assistance. This will ensure a better understanding of the process and lead to better results.</p>



<p>By implementing these suggestions, businesses may enhance their bug triage procedure and guarantee that errors are quickly found and fixed, leading to higher-quality software and more customer happiness.</p>



<h2 id="h-summary"><span id="Summary"><strong>Summary</strong></span></h2>



<p>Bug triage entails a group of stakeholders, including the project manager, QA lead, development team representative, and others. The group, during bug triage, decides on the bugs that need fixing and then allocates them to the right development team member for resolution. Bug/Defect triage is critical in ensuring that problems are fixed promptly and efficiently, resulting in higher-quality software.</p>



<h2 id="h-frequently-asked-questions"><span id="Frequently_Asked_Questions"><strong>Frequently Asked Questions</strong></span></h2>



<h3 id="h-what-does-triage-mean-in-testing"><span id="What_does_Triage_mean_in_Testing">What does Triage mean in Testing?</span></h3>



<p>Triage is reviewing and prioritizing faults in testing depending on their severity, effect, and urgency. It entails a group of stakeholders collaborating to decide on the bugs that need fixing and then allocating them to the right development team member for resolution.</p>



<h3 id="h-how-do-you-run-a-defect-bug-triage"><span id="How_do_you_Run_a_DefectBug_Triage">How do you Run a Defect/Bug Triage?</span></h3>



<p>Defect triage is a systematic procedure that involves detecting and prioritizing problems, allocating them to the development team, and tracking them. All stakeholders, including the project manager, QA lead, and development team leader, should be included in the process. A set of guidelines and instruments should be used to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.</p>


Bug Triage Defect Triage in Software Testing

Bug Triage/Defect Triage | What, Why & How to Improve?

Database Testing: A Complete Guide With Examples

Database Testing: What it is, Why & Best Practices

Negative testing: How to Automate With Testsigma?

Negative Testing: How to Automate With Testsigma?

What Is a Bug Life Cycle? Top Guidelines to Implement it

What Is Bug Life Cycle? How to Implement It

Mobile First Design - A Complete Overview

Mobile First Design | What It is, Why & How to Perform?


<p>The need to save cost and time has pushed organizations to introduce better and faster approaches for developing and testing applications. No longer does the ‘build first, test later’ method work in favor of companies that are attempting to succeed in such a competitive environment. Today, DevOps is the rage as it helps to shrink the time gap between development and deployment with its CI/CD techniques. But even DevOps will not be able to do any good without the right set of principles to run your project. This is where Shift Left testing principles help to transform your development and testing approach.</p>



<p>Shift left testing is an approach that enables companies to test their applications early in the development process. And we are going to discuss the topic in detail in this blog.</p>



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets"><p class="toc_title">Table Of Contents</p><ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#What_Does_Shift_Left_Mean_in_DevOps"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">1</span> What Does Shift Left Mean in DevOps?</a></li><li><a href="#What_are_Shift_Left_Testing_Principles"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">2</span> What are Shift Left Testing Principles?</a></li><li><a href="#Why_are_Shift_Left_Testing_Principles_Important_in_DevOps"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">3</span> Why are Shift Left Testing Principles Important in DevOps?</a></li><li><a href="#Why_does_DevOps_Recommend_Shift_Left_Testing_Principles"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">4</span> Why does DevOps Recommend “Shift Left” Testing Principles?</a><ul><li><a href="#Reduced_Cost_of_Fixing_Defects"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">4.1</span> Reduced Cost of Fixing Defects</a></li><li><a href="#Better_Quality_Product_at_Improved_Speed"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">4.2</span> Better Quality Product at Improved Speed</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Advantages_of_Shift_Left_Testing_Principles"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">5</span> Advantages of Shift Left Testing Principles</a></li><li><a href="#Shift-left_and_Test_Automation_in_DevOps"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">6</span> Shift-left and Test Automation in DevOps</a></li><li><a href="#Takeaway"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">7</span> Takeaway</a></li><li><a href="#Frequently_Asked_Questions_FAQs"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">8</span> Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)</a><ul><li><a href="#What_is_the_shift-left_approach_in_Agile"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">8.1</span> What is the shift-left approach in Agile?</a></li><li><a href="#What_is_the_benefit_of_shift-left_testing_principles"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">8.2</span> What is the benefit of shift-left testing principles?</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Suggested_Readings"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">9</span> Suggested Readings</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-what-does-shift-left-mean-in-devops"><span id="What_Does_Shift_Left_Mean_in_DevOps"><strong>What Does Shift Left Mean in DevOps?</strong></span></h2>



<p>Shift left in DevOps refers to the organizations&#8217; endeavor to ensure that the applications undergo testing in the early stages of development. It is a part of DevSecOps organizational design that combines development, security, and operations.DevOps consist of Continuous testing/integration and Continuous deployment: two features that make sure that the software undergoes frequent testing anywhere and whenever.</p>



<p>Continuous testing/integration (CI) pertains to testing earlier, consistently, faster, and automatically during the entire development stage. The application goes from development to testing and to deployment with no gaps in a <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/why-devops-is-important-for-modern-businesses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">continuous DevOps process</a>. It consists of Unit testing, <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/integration-testing-types/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Integration testing</a>, system testing, and <a href="https://testsigma.com/guides/api-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">API testing</a> and assists developers in locating issues to address them and improve product quality.</p>



<p>Continuous deployment refers to automatically pushing the code changes to the production environment. It follows a series of tests before updating the changes directly to the production. To achieve such fast testing and delivery, automated regression testing is recommended. CI/CD approaches can be automated and performed well with test automation tools. For instance, <a href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testsigma</a> automates <a href="https://testsigma.com/regression-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">regression tests</a> for web, mobile, desktop and APIs, thus testing large parts of your test suites. Our tool supports shift-left testing in many other ways, and you can read about it <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/how-does-testsigma-support-the-shift-left-approach/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>. </p>



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<h2 id="h-what-are-shift-left-testing-principles"><span id="What_are_Shift_Left_Testing_Principles"><strong>What are Shift Left Testing Principles?</strong></span></h2>



<div style="height:26px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" width="735" height="435" src="https://testsigma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/in-article-2-MC456.jpg" alt="SDLC Process" class="wp-image-29028"/><figcaption>SDLC Process</figcaption></figure>



<div style="height:26px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<p>The traditional SDLC model relies on a forward-moving process where testing occurs at the later stages. If testers identify any issues in the application, they send it back to the developers for rectification. But this complete process consumes a considerable amount of time, is highly complex, and comes with a huge cost.</p>



<p>The shift left testing principle consists of moving the testing phase from the end of SDLC to the early stages of the pipeline. As opposed to executing the test cases after the development phase is over to send the product back to coders upon encountering bugs, shift left identifies and resolves issues early in the development process. This approach reduces the time in fixing bugs that are discovered later in the pipeline and improves software quality.</p>



<p>Typically, the success of shift left means developers run more tests to check application quality before pushing it to the testers. And multiple automation tools support the shift left testing principles. For instance, a tool that lets you begin with your testing along side the development activities. This tool could support TDD or unit testing, or could help testers create tests without waiting for development to finish.</p>



<h2 id="h-why-are-shift-left-testing-principles-important-in-devops"><span id="Why_are_Shift_Left_Testing_Principles_Important_in_DevOps"><strong>Why are Shift Left Testing Principles Important in DevOps?</strong></span></h2>



<p>There are many reasons why you must adopt shift left testing principles in DevOps. Here are some of them:</p>



<ul><li>Pushes testing to the early stages of the pipeline and saves cost</li><li>Makes it easier for developers to detect and resolve bugs early in software development</li><li>Produces a high-quality application with fewer code patches and fixes</li><li>Reduces the instances of delay in product delivery</li><li>Improves customer satisfaction as the delivery is on time and with minimal issues</li><li>Allows for the use of test automation tools early in SDLC that increases the accuracy of finding errors</li><li>Enables your team to write, execute, and record test cases and their results, respectively, using automation tools.</li></ul>



<h2 id="why-does-devops-recommend-shift-left-testing-principles"><span id="Why_does_DevOps_Recommend_Shift_Left_Testing_Principles"><strong>Why does DevOps Recommend “Shift Left” Testing Principles?</strong></span></h2>



<p>The primary goal of DevOps is to ensure that the development and testing process is smooth, which provides better quality products at an increased speed. And two of the major reasons why DevOps recommends shift left testing principles are reduced cost of fixing bugs and increased speed of delivering high-quality software.</p>



<h3 id="reduced-cost-of-fixing-defects"><span id="Reduced_Cost_of_Fixing_Defects">Reduced Cost of Fixing Defects</span></h3>



<p>It is common knowledge in every business that resolving issues during the development phase is easier and costs less than doing so in the production phase. The process requires much less labor, has fewer dependencies, and results in rolling out a better-quality product. Early bug detection actions prompt the implementation of corrective measures and strategies, which enhances software development quality and maintains a high codebase standard.</p>



<h3 id="better-quality-product-at-improved-speed"><span id="Better_Quality_Product_at_Improved_Speed">Better Quality Product at Improved Speed</span></h3>



<p>Since developers would work on the defects as soon as they are identified in the development phase, the overall quality of the software becomes better as it moves through the subsequent phases. And this complete approach proves highly useful, allowing all the individuals involved in the project to maintain the software from the first step itself.</p>



<p>Moreover, being able to determine the issues and keep them at bay makes it easier for project managers to provide accurate information about the development to the stakeholders and keep the delivery timeline intact.</p>



<h2 id="advantages-of-shift-left-testing-principles"><span id="Advantages_of_Shift_Left_Testing_Principles"><strong>Advantages of Shift Left Testing Principles</strong></span></h2>



<p>Some of the advantages of shift left testing principles in DevOps are:</p>



<ul><li>The project cost gets reduced as the bugs are dealt with at the development stage.</li><li>It improves the product quality due to increased efficiency of the software development process.</li><li>It accelerates the time-to-delivery as the chances of finding defects in the production phase are low, and the codebase is strong.</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-shift-left-and-test-automation-in-devops"><span id="Shift-left_and_Test_Automation_in_DevOps"><strong>Shift-left and Test Automation in DevOps</strong></span></h2>



<p>Test automation is a necessity, but does it always yield positive results for the business? Let’s see.</p>



<div style="height:26px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" width="793" height="435" src="https://testsigma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/in-article-3-MC456.jpg" alt="Shift Left and Test Automation" class="wp-image-29030"/><figcaption>Shift Left and Test Automation</figcaption></figure>



<div style="height:26px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<p>There are multiple ways for you to embrace and spread the usage of automation in your SLDC process. You can choose to become a self-starter and build your own <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/test-automation-frameworks/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">test automation framework</a>, or you can adopt the ones already present in the market after a proper analysis. But all of these <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">automated tests</a> require a huge sum of money, time, and skilled labor. And this is when you need to see if the investment in test automation is paying off or ripping you off. If automation costs more than the benefit it brings, you need to reconsider.</p>



<p>How do you then decide if the investment in the <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/shift-left-testing-some-tools-that-can-help/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">shift left test automation tool</a> is worth it? Consider these factors:</p>



<ul><li>Eliminate high dependencies on code specialists when automating test cases. Go for <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/codeless-testing-when-is-testsigma-recommended-tool-for-you/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">codeless tools</a> that allow you to write and run test cases with the testers you already have.</li><li>A tool that is easy to learn, simple to install and implement, and available for non-technical professionals as well will offer a quicker turnaround time and better results.</li><li>Choose a tool that offers low maintenance of test cases and can scale with your growing business need. <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/how-does-testsigma-support-the-shift-left-approach/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testsigma supports shift left testing</a> by allowing you to create tests along with the development phase &#8211; you can create elements that can be filled up later. Testsigma is a <a href="https://testsigma.com/low-code-test-automation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">low code test automation platform</a> that lets you author test cases in simple English, without any need to learn code. Testsigma also lets you automate your tests for web, mobile, desktop and API applications from the same place. </li></ul>



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<h2 id="h-takeaway"><span id="Takeaway"><strong>Takeaway</strong></span></h2>



<p>The days of development first and testing later are over. Today, organizations follow continuous development and continuous testing. DevOps is making it possible with CI/CD approach. But the overall idea can only thrive if automation comes into the picture.</p>



<p>Shift-left testing ensures that testing moves closer to development and helps introduce automation into the entire process. We discuss all the possible options and choices so you understand shift left testing and implement it to improve the software quality.</p>



<h2 id="h-frequently-asked-questions-faqs"><span id="Frequently_Asked_Questions_FAQs"><strong>Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)</strong></span></h2>



<h3 id="h-what-is-the-shift-left-approach-in-agile"><span id="What_is_the_shift-left_approach_in_Agile">What is the shift-left approach in Agile?</span></h3>



<p>The shift-left approach in agile is moving the testing, quality, and performance check early in the SDLC pipeline, sometime even before the production code is complete. It helps developers and testers anticipate the potential changes that arise during the development process and might affect software performance.</p>



<h3 id="h-what-is-the-benefit-of-shift-left-testing-principles"><span id="What_is_the_benefit_of_shift-left_testing_principles">What is the benefit of shift-left testing principles?</span></h3>



<p>Shift-left testing principles reduces development and testing cost, create cleaner, high-quality code, saves time, and improves software delivery time.</p>



<h2 id="suggested-readings"><span id="Suggested_Readings"><strong>Suggested Readings</strong></span></h2>



<p><a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/how-does-testsigma-support-the-shift-left-approach/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shift Left Approach&nbsp;</a></p>



<p><a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/shift-left-testing-some-tools-that-can-help/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shift Left Testing Tools</a></p>



<p><a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/shift-left-vs-shift-right/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shift left vs Shift Right Testing</a></p>


Shift Left Testing Principles: Guide to Improving Testing Quality

Best Examples Of Web Applications Test Cases


<p>We know Software testing is an essential part of software development. <strong>Static </strong>and <strong>Dynamic </strong>Testing are two approaches that are important for ensuring the software’s quality. This blog will discuss the differences between static testing vs dynamic testing and when to use each approach.</p>



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets"><p class="toc_title">Table Of Contents</p><ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Static_Testing_VS_Dynamic_Testing_8211_Overview"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">1</span> Static Testing VS Dynamic Testing &#8211; Overview</a><ul><li><a href="#What_is_static_testing"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">1.1</span> What is static testing?</a></li><li><a href="#What_is_dynamic_testing"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">1.2</span> What is dynamic testing?</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Static_Testing_Vs_Dynamic_Testing_8211_Key_Differences"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">2</span> Static Testing Vs Dynamic Testing &#8211; Key Differences</a></li><li><a href="#Static_Testing_and_Dynamic_Testing_8211_How_to_Choose_Between_them"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">3</span> Static Testing and Dynamic Testing &#8211; How to Choose Between them?</a></li><li><a href="#Summary"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">4</span> Summary</a></li><li><a href="#Frequently_Asked_Questions"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">5</span> Frequently Asked Questions</a><ul><li><a href="#What_are_static_and_dynamic_testing_in_agile"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">5.1</span> What are static and dynamic testing in agile?</a></li><li><a href="#Is_black-box_testing_static_or_dynamic"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">5.2</span> Is black-box testing static or dynamic?</a></li><li><a href="#What_are_static_and_dynamic_testing_tools"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">5.3</span> What are static and dynamic testing tools?</a></li></ul></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="static-testing-vs-dynamic-testing-overview"><span id="Static_Testing_VS_Dynamic_Testing_8211_Overview"><strong>Static Testing VS Dynamic Testing &#8211; Overview</strong></span></h2>



<h3 id="h-what-is-static-testing"><span id="What_is_static_testing">What is static testing?</span></h3>



<p><a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/static-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Static testing</a> does not involve running the code; it is a static analysis of the source code to find potential issues early in the development process through code reviews, inspections, and the use of static analysis tools.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 id="h-what-is-dynamic-testing"><span id="What_is_dynamic_testing">What is dynamic testing?</span></h3>



<p><a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/dynamic-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dynamic testing</a> is a reactive technique since it involves executing the code to find real bugs and issues. This includes unit, integration, system, and acceptance testing as well as verifying functionality and performance to verify that defects are realized.</p>



<h2 id="h-static-testing-vs-dynamic-testing-key-differences"><span id="Static_Testing_Vs_Dynamic_Testing_8211_Key_Differences"><strong>Static Testing Vs Dynamic Testing &#8211; Key Differences</strong></span></h2>



<p>Let us look into the major differences between both testing methods:</p>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Features</strong></td><td><strong>Static Testing&nbsp;</strong></td><td><strong>Dynamic Testing&nbsp;</strong></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Definition</strong></td><td>A testing technique that reviews and analyzes software documentation, source code, and other artifacts before execution.</td><td>A testing technique that evaluates software behavior when it is executed.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Objective</strong></td><td>To identify defects and improve software quality early in development.</td><td>To validate the software’s functionality and behavior in different scenarios.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Types of Testing</strong></td><td><a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/role-of-a-software-tester-in-code-reviews/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Code review</strong></a>, walk-through, and inspection</td><td>Unit, integration, system, acceptance, performance, security, and user acceptance testing.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Timing</strong></td><td>It begins early in the software development process and continues forever.</td><td>Conducted after coding and development are complete.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Results</strong></td><td>Includes reviews, walkthroughs, and inspections of the software.&nbsp;</td><td>Includes functional, integration, system, performance, and usability tests&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Automation</strong></td><td>These tests, generally, cannot be automated.</td><td>These can be automated.</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<h2 id="h-static-testing-and-dynamic-testing-how-to-choose-between-them"><span id="Static_Testing_and_Dynamic_Testing_8211_How_to_Choose_Between_them"><strong>Static Testing and Dynamic Testing &#8211; How to Choose Between them?</strong></span></h2>



<p>When choosing between these testing, it is essential to consider the specific requirements and objectives of the <a href="https://testsigma.com/guides/test-process/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">testing process</a>. Both approaches have advantages and limitations, so a justification for selecting one over the other depends on various factors.</p>



<p>Static testing involves analyzing code without executing it, while dynamic testing involves running code to identify any issues. The choice between static and dynamic testing largely depends on the desired outcome. Static testing may be the way to go if you’re looking to catch coding errors early and improve code quality.&nbsp;</p>



<p>On the other hand, dynamic testing is likely the better choice if you’re concerned with how a program behaves when running.&nbsp; You could also choose to do both according to the results you are expecting.</p>



<p>I conclude by saying both approaches have their strengths and weaknesses. So, it should be completely a decision based on the project’s specific needs.</p>



<h2 id="h-summary"><span id="Summary"><strong>Summary</strong></span></h2>



<p>In summary,&nbsp; both testing techniques play a vital role in software development and complement each other by thoroughly reviewing the software’s quality.</p>



<h2 id="h-frequently-asked-questions"><span id="Frequently_Asked_Questions"><strong>Frequently Asked Questions</strong></span></h2>



<h3 id="h-what-are-static-and-dynamic-testing-in-agile"><span id="What_are_static_and_dynamic_testing_in_agile">What are static and dynamic testing in agile?</span></h3>



<p>When, just like the <a href="https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/what-is-software-development/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">software development</a> activities in Agile, the static and dynamic testing is also done in iterations according to the tasks taken up for each iteration, it is termed “static and dynamic testing in Agile”.</p>



<h3 id="h-is-black-box-testing-static-or-dynamic"><span id="Is_black-box_testing_static_or_dynamic">Is black-box testing static or dynamic?</span></h3>



<p>Black-box testing is dynamic testing. The main objective of <a href="https://testsigma.com/guides/black-box-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">black-box testing</a> is to assess the software’s functionality, usability, performance, security, and other non-functional aspects.</p>



<h3 id="h-what-are-static-and-dynamic-testing-tools"><span id="What_are_static_and_dynamic_testing_tools">What are static and dynamic testing tools?</span></h3>



<p id="h-some-examples-of-static-testing-tools-include-sonarqube-crucible-code-collaborator-and-findbugs-some-examples-of-dynamic-testing-tools-include-testsigma-selenium-soapui-jmeter-and-loadrunner">Some examples of static testing tools include SonarQube, Crucible, Code Collaborator, and FindBugs. Some examples of dynamic testing tools include <strong>Testsigma</strong>, Selenium, SoapUI, JMeter, and LoadRunner.</p>


Static Testing and Dynamic Testing - Key Differences

Static Testing VS Dynamic Testing – Key Differences

Top 10 Database Testing Tools With Features, Cons, and Pros

Top 10 Database Testing Tools With Features, Cons & Pros


<p><em>A clean test script is a good test script.</em></p>



<p><em>But a well-maintained test script is the best.</em></p>



<p>And while developers work hard to add/update application features, the well-maintained test scripts pick out tiny mistakes that slip into the code. You can turn to <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">automation testing</a> to fix the mistakes in the software, but what if the test cases themselves are wrong? Maintenance testing helps here. It keeps the tests up to date, ensures AUT quality, and increases overall test coverage. Both manual and automation tests require regular maintenance. And for this blog, we will focus on the latter and discuss all the possible scenarios you can implement to maintain your automation tests.</p>



<p>Here’s our take on test maintenance and why you should think sincerely about implementing it for your business.</p>



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets"><p class="toc_title">Table Of Contents</p><ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#What_is_Test_Maintenance"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">1</span> What is Test Maintenance?</a></li><li><a href="#Why_is_Test_Maintenance_Crucial_to_Software_Development"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">2</span> Why is Test Maintenance Crucial to Software Development?</a></li><li><a href="#Types_Of_Maintenance_Testing"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">3</span> Types Of Maintenance Testing</a><ul><li><a href="#Confirmation_Maintenance_Testing"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">3.1</span> Confirmation Maintenance Testing</a></li><li><a href="#Regression_Maintenance_Testing"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">3.2</span> Regression Maintenance Testing</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#How_Do_You_Maintain_a_Test"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">4</span> How Do You Maintain a Test?</a></li><li><a href="#What_are_Some_Best_Practices_for_Test_Maintenance"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">5</span> What are Some Best Practices for Test Maintenance?</a></li><li><a href="#What_are_the_Main_Challenges_of_Test_Maintenance"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">6</span> What are the Main Challenges of Test Maintenance?</a></li><li><a href="#How_Does_Testsigma_Make_Maintenance_of_Automated_Test_Cases_Easy"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">7</span> How Does Testsigma Make Maintenance of Automated Test Cases Easy?</a></li><li><a href="#Conclusion"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">8</span> Conclusion</a></li><li><a href="#Frequently_Asked_Questions_FAQs"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">9</span> Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)</a><ul><li><a href="#When_should_maintenance_testing_occur"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">9.1</span> When should maintenance testing occur?</a></li><li><a href="#What_is_the_importance_of_test_maintenance"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">9.2</span> What is the importance of test maintenance?</a></li></ul></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-what-is-test-maintenance"><span id="What_is_Test_Maintenance"><strong>What is Test Maintenance?</strong></span></h2>



<p>Test maintenance is the process of repairing test cases so they stay updated with continuous code changes. </p>



<p>Often, businesses have codes that keep changing as new updates get added to the application. Test maintenance ensures that your test script, manual or automation, stays up to date with the changes in code. With regular test maintenance, your business will save costs and time with high-quality tests by your side. For example, if the identifying attribute of a UI element (Id or class or Xpath) changes, even the test needs to accommodate that change to avoid failure.</p>



<p>There are multiple tools you can use for test automation. Some of those tools have features that reduce the test maintenance time, like Testsigma. Testsigma supports self-healing. It automatically detects the changes in the attributes of web elements and updates them so that tests don’t fail. Keep reading, and you will learn how Testsigma keeps your test cases up-to-date with the changes made in the code.</p>



<h2 id="h-why-is-test-maintenance-crucial-to-software-development"><span id="Why_is_Test_Maintenance_Crucial_to_Software_Development"><strong>Why is Test Maintenance Crucial to Software Development?</strong></span></h2>



<p>Test maintenance is crucial because it lowers the time and cost of writing tests. With test maintenance, you don’t need to keep working on new tests; add/delete the information from the existing ones. It simplifies testing, consistently maintains test quality, and improves automation testing scripts to run complex tests.</p>



<h2 id="h-types-of-maintenance-testing"><span id="Types_Of_Maintenance_Testing"><strong>Types Of Maintenance Testing</strong></span></h2>



<p>When working on maintaining tests, there are two types of maintenance testing every tester needs to work on:</p>



<h3 id="h-confirmation-maintenance-testing"><span id="Confirmation_Maintenance_Testing">Confirmation Maintenance Testing</span></h3>



<p>This maintenance testing type checks the modified code. While conducting this type of maintenance testing, you need to monitor every small and big modification in the code to ensure there are no functionality or downtime issues. Read more about <a href="https://testsigma.com/guides/confirmation-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Confirmation testing</a></p>



<h3 id="h-regression-maintenance-testing"><span id="Regression_Maintenance_Testing">Regression Maintenance Testing</span></h3>



<p>This type focuses on testing the existing functionality and comes after the confirmation maintenance testing phase. It checks the complete software after the code change to ensure the existing functions do not encounter any issues. It is called <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/automated-regression-testing-challenges-agile/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Regression testing</a>.</p>



<h2 id="h-how-do-you-maintain-a-test"><span id="How_Do_You_Maintain_a_Test"><strong>How Do You Maintain a Test?</strong></span></h2>



<p>To maintain a test, you can keep changing the script to follow the code changes. Just monitor the modifications in the code and change the data/steps in the test script accordingly. But do you think this is a feasible way to maintain a test? What if a major release influences multiple areas of the application, and you would need to change every test script manually? The process seems tedious and highly time-consuming, and even prone to errors. And manually maintaining the scripts is not the right approach in the long term. But whatever your case, manual or automation, here are some of the best practices for you to follow when maintaining a test is not a one-man&#8217;s job.</p>



<h2 id="h-what-are-some-best-practices-for-test-maintenance"><span id="What_are_Some_Best_Practices_for_Test_Maintenance"><strong>What are Some Best Practices for Test Maintenance?</strong></span></h2>



<p>Below are some simple steps that make test maintenance easy:</p>



<ul><li>Build a clear and accessible test maintenance design where team members can easily communicate. You can achieve this by meticulously planning the test cycles and utilizing all the resources available to you. For example, if a tester worked on a test script for a certain feature, keeping everyone in the loop and being open to adapting changes to the test plan will help your team in maintenance testing.</li><li>Use a standard template for all test cases during automation</li><li>Try to create reusable tests or use a tool that supports reusability</li><li>Add testing as a critical part of SDLC during the development itself. This means adopting the <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/how-does-testsigma-support-the-shift-left-approach/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">shift-left testing technique</a> and going for CI/CD approach.</li><li>Write test cases and scripts with maximum coverage in the first instance, so you won’t have to keep adding new data for every small code change.</li><li>Run regular technical reviews of your test cases/scripts every month/quarter to find missing cases.</li><li>Add test steps that focus on what users will see and experience rather than going deep to the code level because sometimes, even when the program is right visual elements are missing on the page.</li><li>Keep updating changes on the go in your tests as you change your code.</li><li>To save time and get more work done, go for a no-code test automation tool, such as Testsigma, that comes with a lot of features to reduce test maintenance time. We will talk more about it in the sections below.</li></ul>



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<h2 id="h-what-are-the-main-challenges-of-test-maintenance"><span id="What_are_the_Main_Challenges_of_Test_Maintenance"><strong>What are the Main Challenges of Test Maintenance?</strong></span></h2>



<p>Here are some of the common challenges you might encounter while working on test maintenance:</p>



<ul><li>Your team might find it difficult to manage the cost and time of maintaining the tests if they are not equipped with the right tools and knowledge.</li><li>It becomes challenging if you do not find a test automation tool that can analyze false positives/flaky tests.</li><li>Poor or delayed communication between the developers and testers can compromise the test maintenance process and make it difficult to keep the tests on track with the code changes.</li><li>Your team will come across issues with testing tools that do not have the capability to detect GUI objects and the changes thereafter.</li><li>There might come situations where there is a skill gap in testers/developers to understand the requirement and maintain the tests either manually or using tools.</li></ul>



<p>And all these challenges might be difficult to surpass, but with the right tool like Testsigma, you can lower or even eliminate some of them.</p>



<h2 id="h-how-does-testsigma-make-maintenance-of-automated-test-cases-easy"><span id="How_Does_Testsigma_Make_Maintenance_of_Automated_Test_Cases_Easy"><strong>How Does Testsigma Make Maintenance of Automated Test Cases Easy?</strong></span></h2>



<p>By now, we know that maintenance testing is extensive but possible. But what if we told you that it need not be as stressful? It is possible with the help of a feature called Self-healing. Testsigma supports the self-healing of test cases. </p>



<p>Here are some ways in which Testsigma makes maintenance of automated test cases easy:</p>



<p>1. Self-healing: As mentioned earlier, Testsigma&#8217;s self-healing feature is a game-changer. It uses <a href="https://testsigma.com/ai-driven-test-automation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AI-powered automation</a> to determine any changes made to web elements in the source code and resolves them on its own, preventing the test cases from failing. This means that even if there are minor changes in the web application, the test cases will continue to function without any manual intervention.</p>



<p>2. Reusability: Testsigma allows you to create reusable test cases, which can be used across multiple projects and releases. This not only saves time and effort but also ensures that the test cases are consistent and reliable.</p>



<p>3. Easy Maintenance: Testsigma&#8217;s intuitive interface makes it easy to maintain test cases. The platform allows you to update test cases quickly and efficiently, ensuring that they remain up-to-date and relevant.</p>



<p>4. Collaboration: Testsigma allows multiple team members to work on the same test cases simultaneously, making it easy to collaborate and ensure that the test cases are accurate and reliable.</p>



<p>5. Comprehensive Reporting: Testsigma provides comprehensive reporting, which helps you identify issues and areas that require attention. The reporting feature also allows you to track progress and measure the effectiveness of your test cases.</p>



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<h2 id="h-conclusion"><span id="Conclusion"><strong>Conclusion</strong></span></h2>



<p>Developers keep changing the code regularly. New features come up, UI undergoes changes, and users request modifications &#8211; many such activities require code changes. With these changes, the tests need to be modified too. This is when maintenance testing comes into the picture. With regular test maintenance &#8211; automated test cases can help catch bugs on the latest code too. Thus, test maintenance can take a lot of time if not managed well. A part of the problem can be solved by choosing a test automation tool that supports test maintenance. Testsigma is one such tool with features such as:</p>



<ul><li>Easy-to-edit test steps</li><li>Self-healing test cases</li><li>Reusable test steps</li></ul>



<p>Not only this, Testsigma is a low-code test automation tool that makes your test authoring 10x faster. And lets you automate tests for web, mobile, Desktop, and APIs from the same place.</p>



<h2 id="h-frequently-asked-questions-faqs"><span id="Frequently_Asked_Questions_FAQs"><strong>Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)</strong></span></h2>



<h3 id="h-when-should-maintenance-testing-occur"><span id="When_should_maintenance_testing_occur">When should maintenance testing occur?</span></h3>



<p>Maintenance testing should occur after deploying and delivering the application to the end users. It is a sort of customer service that listens to user queries and fixes the issues encountered by them.</p>



<h3 id="h-what-is-the-importance-of-test-maintenance"><span id="What_is_the_importance_of_test_maintenance">What is the importance of test maintenance?</span></h3>



<p>The importance of test maintenance lies in saving time and cost. It helps to keep tests up-to-date with every source code change and eliminates the need to write new test cases in such situations.</p>


Test Maintenance: Guide On How to Maintain Automated Tests

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