It is crucial to recognise that all testing will be conducted by comparing the final product to the product’s set requirements; therefore, product requirements must state all functionality of the software and must be updated as changes are made. Any functionality that does not meet the requirements will be recorded as a defect until resolution is delivered.
Twelve Types of QA Testing
1. Unit testing (conducted by Development)
Unit test case design begins after a technical review approves the high level design. The unit test cases shall be designed to test the validity of the program's correctness. White box testing is used to test the modules and procedures that support the modules. The white box testing technique ignores the function of the program under test and focuses only on its code and the structure of that code. To accomplish this, a statement and condition technique shall be used. Test case designers shall generate cases that not only cause each condition to take on all possible values at least once, but that cause each such condition to be executed at least once. In other words:
Each decision statement in the program shall take on a true value and a false value at least once during testing.
Each condition shall take on each possible outcome at least once during testing.
2. Configuration Management
The configuration management team prepares the testing environment
3. Build Verification
When a build has met completion criteria and is ready to be tested, the QA team runs an initial battery of basic tests to verify the build.
If the build is not testable at all, then the QA team will reject the build
If portions of the website are testable and some portions are not yet available, the project manager, technical lead and QA team will reassign the build schedule and deliverable dates.
If all portions of the build pass for testing, the QA team will proceed with testing.
4. Integration Testing
Integration testing proves that all areas of the system interface with each other correctly and that there are no gaps in the data flow. The final integration test proves that the system works as an integrated unit when all the fixes are complete.
5. Functional Testing
Functional testing assures that each element of the application meets the functional requirements of the business as outlined in the requirements document/functional brief, system design specification, and other functional documents produced during the course of the project (such as records of change requests, feedback, and resolution of issues).
6. Non-functional Testing (Performance Testing)
Non-functional testing proves that the documented performance standards or requirements are met. Examples of testable standards include response time and compatibility with specified browsers and operating systems.
If the system hardware specifications state that the system can handle a specific amount of traffic or data volume, then the system will be tested for those levels as well.
7. Defect Fix Validation
If any known defects or issues existed during development, QA tests specifically in those areas to validate the fixes.
8. Ad Hoc Testing
This type of testing is conducted to simulate actual user scenarios. QA engineers simulate a user conducting a set of intended actions and behaving as a user would in case of slow response, such as clicking ahead before the page is done loading, etc.
9. Regression Testing
Regression testing is performed after the release of each phase to ensure that there is no impact on previously released software. Regression testing cannot be conducted on the initial build because the test cases are taken from defects found in previous builds.
Regression testing ensures that there is an continual increase in the functionality and stability of the software.
10. Error Management
During the QA testing work flow, all defects will be reported using the error management work flow.
Regular meetings will take place between QA, system development, interface development and project management to discuss defects, priority of defects, and fixes.
11. QA Reporting
QA states the results of testing, reports outstanding defects/known issues, and makes a recommendation for release into production.
12. Release into production
If the project team decides that the build is acceptable for production, the configuration management team will migrate the build into production.
