Software testing is crucial in the software development life cycle as it helps detect and reduce defects in the app, thereby improving its overall quality. This step makes sure that the app is defect-free and that it consistently performs as expected.
There is a need to implement a robust testing strategy, as it helps save time and money through proper planning and utilization of modern tools and techniques. It also helps reduce or mitigate product risks before this is released to the market.
Software Testing Tools Evaluation
Thoroughly evaluating the various software testing tools available helps you decide on the solutions that work best for your project and your team:
- Evaluate your existing processes
Review your current testing processes and methodologies and assess whether or not there is a need to revise them. Identify the parts of your current process that are working well and ensure that your enhancements and revisions do not affect what is currently going well.
- Identify your Requirements
It is important to define what the requirements are so that you can select the tool that helps you move in that direction. Among the things that you’ll need to revisit are the type of project you’re working on, the project scope, and your deliverables. Identify whether these needs are mandatory or optional. The tool needs to be able to link these requirements to tests.
- Set Clear Objectives and Criteria
This case management solution should be able to help provide your team with a strategic approach to achieving your set objectives. Identify what objectives and criteria this tool is supposed to support. Is the tool supposed to enable non-technical users to execute tests with relative ease? Is it critical that it is able to support desktop, web, and mobile applications? Are you looking to conduct and automate cross-browser testing?
- Build Your QA Testing Team
Aside from choosing the right case management tool, it is also critical to have the right blend of QA analysts, engineers, and testers who will be utilizing this tool and implementing your testing strategies. They need to have sufficient domain knowledge. It is an advantage to have a good mix of seasoned professionals who are experts on the organization’s requirements and novice users who can expose the app’s intuitiveness. The combined insights of manual and automated testing professionals in the team are beneficial to the project. More importantly, this team should be able to learn how to maximize the functionality of the selected tool. They don’t need to know how to use this at the onset, but they should be able to train and learn quickly. Look at it from a different vantage point and ask whether or not the tool is too complex for anyone involved in the testing process.
- Check Tool Features and Functionality
The selected case management tool should be compatible with the tools you are currently working with. You should be able to connect this to your existing tools seamlessly via selected REST APIs and built-in integrations.
The option to use cloud technology appeals to many companies because of the flexibility it offers. With its security measures in place, cloud technology has become a viable option for companies who are looking to scale without the need to upgrade their hardware.
Check the bug-tracking solution that this tool provides and see if it matches what your project requires.
Throughout the lifecycle, testers and stakeholders will want to get relevant information, which is why it is imperative for your selected test management solutions to have advanced test reporting capabilities. The more advanced systems allow for decision-enabling dashboards and reports.
A reliable case management tool has all the functionalities that enable you to perform the following:
- Plan
- Manage
- Control
- Track
- Report
- Share
Key Characteristics of a Good Test Management Solution
With the many options that engineers and QA analysts are presented with, it is important to look for these key characteristics before selecting your test management tool:
- Drives Digital Transformations
Secure interrelated systems accelerate the speed at which businesses test their apps and software. This also helps ensure accuracy and consistency.
- Productivity and Efficiency-Focused
A good test management solution allows for full coverage. The ability to access and reuse tests for different products saves time and money, as recreating these tests take time. A good system has a repository of test cases that allows users to store, manage, create, or modify the test cases to be used. Real-time integrations also improve efficiency.
- Streamlines processes
The tool should help reduce errors and delays throughout the testing process. Fine-tuning the testing process helps equip the QA testing team to deliver desired results while meeting timelines at the same time.
- Enhanced visibility & communication
A good tool allows users to generate customizable dashboard reports that reflect relevant and accurate data that they can readily share with the testing team, stakeholders, and customers. Some tools enable live graphs on different screens.
- Shortens time to market
Software companies constantly race against each other in terms of releasing products because statistics show that the first products that are rolled out win up to 70% of the market share. It is important that this tool helps reduce time to market.
There are a good number of case management tools to choose from. The features and functionalities they offer might vary. What’s important is that you select one that fits your requirements, project needs, and budget.
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