The Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC) is a crucial component of software development, ensuring that software meets quality standards and functions as expected. It encompasses a series of structured phases, each with defined entry and exit criteria, deliverables, and activities. This blog delves into each phase of the STLC, detailing its objectives, criteria, and deliverables.
Phases of STLC:
1. Requirement Analysis
2. Test Planning
3. Test Case Development
4. Test Environment Setup
5. Test Execution
6. Test Cycle Closure
1. Requirement Analysis:
Objective: Understand the testing requirements from both business and technical
perspectives.
Activities:- Reviewing SRD/BRD/FRD
- Interviewing stockholders to gather additional information.
- Identify any missing or incomplete requirements.
-Creating a requirement traceability matrix (RTM) to map requirements to
test cases
Responsibility of: Business Analyst , Stack holders, Test Manager, Test lead,
Test Engineers
Entry Criteria: - Availability of the Requirements Specification Document.
- Availability of the Application Architecture Document.
Exit Criteria: - Testable requirements are identified and documented.
- Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM) is initiated.
- The testing team should have a clear understanding of the software
requirements and should have identified any potential issues that may
impact the testing process.
Deliverables:- Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM): Ensures all requirements will
be covered by test cases.
-RTM includes Requirement ID , Requirement Description, Test Case ID’s
2. Test Planning:
Objective: To create a detailed test plan outlining the testing strategy and approach.
Activities:- Define the scope and objectives of testing.
- Identify resources, tools, and environments required.
- Estimate testing efforts and schedule.
- Define roles and responsibilities within the testing team.
- Preparation of Test Plan
- Review and Sign-off Test plan
Responsibility of:Test Manager, Test lead , Test Engineers
Entry Criteria:- Functional Requirements documents(FRD) and RTM are available.
- Initial project plan and scope are defined.
Exit Criteria:- Test plan is reviewed and approved.
- Effort estimation and resource planning are completed
Deliverables:- Test Plan Document:Details the test strategy, scope, objectives, resources,
schedule, Features to be and not to be tested,Test Environment,
Defect report procedure,Roles and responsibilities, Tools,Risks and
Mitigations ,deliverables and Approvals.
- Effort Estimation Document: Provides time and resource estimates for
the testing phase.
3. Test Case Development:
Objective: Create detailed test cases and scripts based on the requirements and test
plan.
Activities:- Design and develop Test Scenarios and test cases.
- Update RTM(Traceability Matrix)
- Create automated test scripts if applicable.
- Prepare Test Data
- Review and Sign-off test cases.
Responsibility of: Test lead , Test Engineers
Entry Criteria:- Approved test plan.
- Requirements document and RTM.
- Design documents/ UI Specifications
- Use Cases/Wireframes
Exit Criteria:- All test cases are created, reviewed, and approved.
- Test data is prepared and validated.
- Updated RTM
Deliverables:-Test Cases Document: Contains detailed test cases with
* Test Case ID
* Test Scenario ID
* Test Case Title
* Description
* preconditions
* Priority (P0,P1,P2,P3) order
* Requirement ID
* Steps / Action
* Expected Result
* Actual Result
* Test Data:Data required for executing test cases.
4. Test Environment Setup:
Objective:To set up the required hardware and software environments where testing
will be executed.
Activities:- Set up the necessary hardware and software.
- Configure the test environment.
- Prepare and validate test data.
Responsibility of: Developers , Test lead
Entry Criteria:- Approved test plan.
- Detailed test cases and test data are ready.
Exit Criteria:- Test environment setup is complete and validated.
- Environment readiness is communicated to the team.
Deliverables:- Test Environment Setup Document:Details the setup process and
configurations.
- Test Data Document:Contains data required for executing test cases.
5. Test Execution:
Objective:Execute the test cases and report defects.
Activities:- Execute tests according to the plan.
- Preparation of Test Report/Test Log
- Identifying Defects and Prepare Defect Report
- Reporting Defects to developers
- Retesting once the defects are fixed
- Track defects to closure.
Responsibility of: Test lead, Test Engineers
Entry Criteria:- Test environment setup is complete.
- Test cases and test data are ready.
- Functional Requirement Document (FRD)
- Build from developers
Exit Criteria:- All planned tests are executed.
- Defects are logged and prioritized.
Deliverables:- Test Execution Report:Provides the status of test execution, including
pass/fail statistics.
- Defect Report:Details the defects identified, their severity, and current
status.
6. Test Cycle Closure:
Objective:To formally close the testing phase and evaluate the testing process.
Activities:- Analyze and summarize test results.
- Identify and document test coverage gaps.
- Analyzing Bug Reports
- Prepare the test closure report.
- Conduct a retrospective meeting to document lessons learned.
Responsibility of: Test Manager, Test lead, Test Engineers
Entry Criteria:- Test execution is complete.
- Test Reports
- All critical defects are resolved or deferred with appropriate
justification.
Exit Criteria:- Test cycle closure report is approved.
- Approval to release the product is obtained from stakeholders.
Deliverables:- Test Closure Report:Summarizes testing activities, results, defects, and
test coverage.
- Lessons Learned Document:Captures insights and areas for
improvement for future projects.
Conclusion:
The Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC) is a structured approach that ensures comprehensive and effective testing of software applications. By adhering to the defined entry and exit criteria and diligently producing the necessary deliverables at each stage, teams can achieve higher quality and reliability in their software products. This disciplined approach helps mitigate risks, ensures traceability, and facilitates continuous improvement in the testing process, ultimately leading to successful software delivery.
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