Working towards Effective Systems Testing:
There are various factors that affect success of System Testing:
1) Test Coverage: System Testing will be effective only to the extent of the coverage of Test Cases. What is Test coverage? Adequate Test coverage implies the scenarios covered by the test cases are sufficient. The Test cases should “cover” all scenarios, use cases, Business Requirements, Technical Requirements, and Performance Requirements. The test cases should enable us to verify and validate that the system/application meets the project goals and specifications.
2) Defect Tracking: The defects found during the process of testing should be tracked. Subsequent iterations of test cases verify if the defects have been fixed.
3) Test Execution: The Test cases should be executed in the manner specified. Failure to do so results in improper Test Results.
4) Build Process Automation: A Lot of errors occur due to an improper build. ‘Build’ is a compilation of the various components that make the application deployed in the appropriate environment. The Test results will not be accurate if the application is not ‘built’ correctly or if the environment is not set up as specified. Automating this process may help reduce manual errors.
5) Test Automation: Automating the Test process could help us in many ways:
a. The test can be repeated with fewer errors of omission or oversight
b. Some scenarios can be simulated if the tests are automated for instance
simulating a large number of users or simulating increasing large amounts
of input/output data
6) Documentation: Proper Documentation helps keep track of Tests executed. It also helps create a knowledge base for current and future projects. Appropriate metrics/Statistics can be captured to validate or verify the efficiency of the technical design /architecture.
Prerequisites for System Testing