Software testing is the process of running software in different test cases in a simulated environment to find out the quality of software that has been developed. The software tests are run by professional testers and developers to check the functionality and software performance of coded software. These software tests are run on the developed product manually or with automated tools. The software testing process supports the development of any software product as it checks the quality of software and whether the software meets the objectives of its development.

Software development creates the final product of the software development life cycle. However, before the software goes out on the market, the testing team runs various tests on it. Such tests are important for finding out vulnerabilities and drawbacks in a software program. After testing, the screened problems are rooted out to create highly efficient software that caters to its objectives and business purposes. The software automation testing services is extensive and thorough for good software development companies.

By the end of this blog, you will know about the planning and step-by-step process that goes into the software testing process. The software testing process needs proper considerations and requirements to be successful in the testing lifecycle. In this blog, the steps as defined by a good software testing process flow diagram are described.

What is the Software Testing Process?

The software testing life cycle is very different from the software development lifecycle in its purpose and objectives. The SDLC deals with the entire process of app development in a step-by-step manner. On the other hand, the testing lifecycle deals with the software testing phase, which checks if the software quality meets industrial standards. The testing lifecycle for software deals with the gathering of requirements for the software testing process , the test planning, and the test case development process. The testers then execute the test and closely monitor the outcomes of the test.

The software testing lifecycle correlates with the quality and performance parameters of the app for which software development companies hire QA testers or testing teams. Some software development companies have software testing professionals who work closely with developers in-house.

Key Phases of the QA Process in Software Testing

For the QA process in software testing, many software development companies use different technology and tools. The use of AI in software testing is also increasing, which makes the process simple for testers. Testers can depend on technology and manual expertise for requirement analysis and other software testing process steps.

1. Requirement Analysis

➯ Understanding Requirements

During the software testing process, the first step goes toward understanding the functional and non-functional requirements of the testing cycle. Which testing steps involve the app’s functional feature testing and which take up the basic, non-functional requirements need to be discerned. The initial step also involves a thorough discussion with the client and other stakeholders of the software development process, like the development team, so that the QA testers understand the nitty gritty of the software app and plan specific test cases with the correct requirements.

➯ Identifying Testable Requirements

The testing team needs to find out the testable components of the app and categorize them into groups before gathering the test requirements and frameworks that will need testing. The app framework and its testable parts are first enlisted to create the right kind of test environment for the components.

2. Test Planning

➯ Test Strategy

In the first step of test planning, the agile software testing process includes the creation of a strategy and plan to design and execute the test cycles on the software. The test planning phase is where the testing team studies the aspects of the software to find out the scope of the software testing process and then creates a strategy to approach it. The testing team studies the user segment and the features of the app to find out the scope of the app testing process. Based on the scope, the app testing team designs and creates the tests later on.

➯ Resource Allocation

Depending on the app’s scale, size, and scope, the testing team identifies the resources and testing environment that are needed for app testing. The app testing team finds out the kind of tests required for the app structure and then chooses the tools for app testing so that the app can be analyzed and tested thoroughly. Based on the tools and environment that you need for the app testing process, the budget of the testing lifecycle comes up. The testing team collaborates with the client side to create the final testing budget for the whole testing lifecycle.

➯ Risk Identification

Before the software testing process starts in its steps, the testing team also identifies the risks and issues underlying the testing strategy and plan. Every software testing process has some risks, and it is important to take an approach that minimizes the risks around app test cases. Expert software testers take steps to identify the risks early on and mitigate them.

3. Test Case Development

➯ Creating Test Scenarios

After the inspection process in software testing, the next step is to create test scenarios through test case development. The testing team uses the requirements and features of the app to create valid test scenarios for the tests to come through. These test scenarios create the foundation of very specific test cases.

➯ Writing Test Cases

Once the overall test scenarios are created as a foundation, the specific test cases are designed to test out the components of the software in question. The testing team writes the test cases accurately to check for different parameters and functionalities of an app. The automation process in software testing uses tools to automate or semi-automate the testing cycles. Automated testing tools help testers in creating test cases accurately and rapidly.

➯ Test Data Preparation

The test cases need the support of database and data repositories so that the test cases can be created in a data-driven manner. It is important to use a robust database to store the information gathered from the test cases and keep the data of the test case rules in the database so that the information can, later on, be used for QA data analysis and reports. The test data and details should be organized and structured properly so that the test and QA data remain safe after the test cases are complete. This allows the testing team to refer to the data later on when troubleshooting and updates are needed.

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4. Test Environment Setup

➯ Defining the Test Environment

The test environment is created with the right kind of details, input and output data, and data extracted from the production environment. The production environment is replicated to create a testing environment that mimics the most basic conditions of the app run. The production environment is recreated to retrace the software development process and to find out any errors, if possible.

➯ Setting Up Test Environments

Environment preparation for test cases comes across as the identification of the environment needed for app testing. The app testing team needs to find out the hardware and infrastructure that went into the development phase so that the test environment can align with it. The testing team needs to install the required operating systems so that the software and hardware configurations for the app are aligned with the testing environment. The networking configurations and security provisions around the software are also taken into consideration to create an accurate testing environment.

5. Test Execution

➯ Running the Test Cases

Once the test environment is created and test cases are scripted to run on the software, the test cases are executed to check the quality of the software in various aspects. The test cases are run again and again, and for repetitive cycles, test automation tools are used. The test automation tools are used in the auditing software testing process so that the issues and bugs in the software are screened effectively. The app software is run in different test environments to track its performance and create testing logs depending on the information gathered.

➯ Tracking Defects

The defects and bugs present in the app software are tracked with tools and then tested so that the software can run error-free in the next software testing cycle. Debugging and screening tools find software errors and manage them so that the software can go through bug fixing in its next versions. The error data and the performance data after debugging are all tracked and stored so that test reports can show the changes and probable risks present in the app software.

➯ Regression Testing

After the software errors are screened, the app testing team works with the development team to make some necessary changes in the app structure and code. However, the changes made to eliminate the errors should not change the fundamental infrastructure of the app. In order to make sure that the app does not change its integral components, the testing team has to run multiple regression tests. The software testing process diagram should include automated regression testing services that help ensure that the app infrastructure is properly in place to support the new updates and higher performance. The app infrastructure needs to be tested again and again for the integrity of its back-end structure. The repetitive processes can be automated with good regression tools.

6. Test Reporting

➯ Documenting Test Results

After the software testing process is complete with all its phases, it is important to create accurate test reports. For example, it is important to keep logs of testing information and use the testing data to create reports. The short-term reports can include summaries of the trends observed. The detailed testing reports with details and data can be used for monthly deliverables.

➯ Defect Metrics

It is also important to define the defect metrics and define the testing data based on the metrics so that the client can know about the possible risks and how the team has mitigated them. From functional defects that hint at the incorrect behavior of the app to security defects that can point at the presence of many vulnerabilities to parameters such as slow performance and lags in the app framework, there are many defect metrics that the testing team has to note for a detailed report of software testing.

➯ Key Takeaways from Testing

The testing team has to create a report that looks at the errors and issues that might be present. The overall summary should have the key takeaways from the app structure testing, like the security issues addressed, steps taken to enhance the app performance, and the functional improvements introduced. The testing team can also offer suggestions to the app development team for possible improvements.

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7. Test Closure

➯ Final Test Reports

At the end of the software testing lifecycle, the testing team shares the final detailed test report to give the client company a view of how the app actually performs and the potential it has. The risks and future issues will also be included in the test reports so the launch can go on smoothly.

➯ Lessons Learned

The testing team also shares the lessons learned and the insights gathered from the testing cycles. It can also share the ways in which the testing approach can be improved for future cycles. The areas of self-improvement and acceleration of testing are identified.

➯ Archiving Test Artifacts

At the end of the software testing process, the app testing team collects the data related to the resources used in the process, and the data collected from the app testing process is stored in digital databases so that the data is never lost. With the use of the app testing data, the testing team can take steps for future testing cycles.
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The software testing process is very wide and time-consuming. The software testing process starts with the identification of testing scope and strategy development and ends with detailed test report sharing. For all the steps of the software testing process, you need to hire software testing experts who have the expertise to run tests in different industries and niches of software development. Only with a well-planned and detailed software testing process your company can launch a good and profitable app.