The four phases of testing management process in Test Director - Part II

TestDirector offers an organized framework for testing applications before
they are deployed. While using TestDirector, the testing management process can be defined using the following four steps :

- Specifying the test requirements.
- Planning the tests.
- Run the tests in manual or automatic mode.
- To analyze the defects.

Run the tests in manual or automatic mode

This phase is the most crucial phase of testing process. A test set is a group of tests in a TestDirector project designed to achieve specific testing goals. TestDirector enables you to control the execution of tests in a test set by setting conditions and scheduling the date and time for executing your tests. After you define test sets, you can begin to execute your tests. When you run a test automatically, TestDirector opens the selected testing tool, runs the test, and exports the test results to TestDirector. It includes defining test sets, adding tests to a test set, scheduling test runs, running tests manually, running tests automatically.

To analyze the defects

Locating and repairing defects is an essential phase in application development. When a defect is submitted it is tracked through the new,open,fixed,and closed stages. A defect may also be rejected or reopened after it is fixed. It includes :
- How to Track Defects
- Adding New Defects
- Matching Defects
- Updating Defects
- Mailing Defects
- Associating Defects with Tests
- Creating Favorite Views

The four phases of testing management process in Test Director - Part I

TestDirector offers an organized framework for testing applications before
they are deployed. While using TestDirector, the testing management process can be defined using the following four steps :

- Specifying the test requirements.
- Planning the tests.
- Run the tests in manual or automatic mode.
- To analyze the defects.

Specifying the test requirements

Testing process is started by specifying the testing requirements in TestDirector’s Requirements module. It provides the test team with the foundation on which the entire testing process is based. A requirement tree is created to define the requirements. This is a graphical representation of your requirements specification,
displaying your requirements hierarchically. After you create tests in the Test Plan module, you can link requirements to tests. A track of your testing needs at all stages of the testing process can be kept. It includes defining, viewing, modifying and converting requirements.

Planning the tests

Testing goals can be determined after the requirements are defined. After this a test plan tree is built to divide the application into testing units or subjects. Tests are defined for each subject. Actions are specified for each test step that are performed on application. Links can be added to keep track of the relationship between your tests and your requirements. After you design your tests, you can decide which tests to automate and after that a test script can be generated. It includes developing a test plan tree, designing test steps, copying test steps, calling tests with parameters, creating and viewing requirements coverage and generating automated test scripts.

What are the four phases of TestDirector ?

TestDirector use can be divided into four phases:
- Test Requirements Management
Requirements Manager is used to link the requirements with the tests to be carried out. Each requirement in the SRS has to be tested at least once. In SRS, the functional and performance requirements are specified. Functional requirements are generated from use-case scenarios. Performance requirements are dependent on the application.
- Test Planning
In test planning, the QA manager does a detailed planning and addresses the following issues:
- Hardware and software platforms.
- Various tests to be formed.
- Time schedule to conduct the tests.
- Roles and responsibility of the persons associated with the project.
- Procedure for running the test.
- Various test cases to be generated.
- Procedure for tracking the progress of testing.
- Documents to be generated during testing process.
- Criteria for completion of testing.
Test design is done during test planning phase which involves defining the sequence of steps to execute a test in manual testing. The test plan is communicated to all the test engineers and also the development team.
- Test Execution
The actual testing is carried out based on the test cases generated, either manually or automatically. In case of automated testing, the test scheduling is done as per plan. A history of all test runs is maintained and audit trail, to trace the history of tests and test runs, is also maintained. Test sets are created. A test set is a set of test cases. In addition execution logic is also set. The logic specifies what to do when a test fails in a series of tests.
- Test Results Analysis
In this phase, test results are analyzed i.e. which tests passed and which failed. For the tests that failed, an analysis is carried out as to why they failed. Bug is classified based on severity. A simple way of classification is critical, major, minor. A more detailed way of classification is:
- Cosmetic or GUI related.
- Inconsistent performance of application.
- Loss of functionality.
- System crash.
- Loss of data.
- Security Violation.
The bug report is stored in a database. The privileges to read, write, and update the database need to be decided by the QA manager. Based on the bug tracking and analysis tools, QA manager and the project manager can take the decision whether the software can be released to the customer or still more testing is required.

Test Director : Important Features and Capabilities of test management tools

To deliver quality product, the testing process has to be managed efficiently. Testing management tools are very useful in such situations. Mercury Interactive's TestDirector is an excellent tool for managing the testing process efficiently. It is a web-based tool so it is very easy to use. Even if the development team and the testing team are located at different locations, the testing process can be managed very effectively.

Features of TestDirector
- A web-based tool and hence it facilitates distributed testing.
- As testing the software is linked to the requirements of the software, it provides the feature of linking the software requirements to the testing plan.
- It provides the features to document the testing procedures.
- It provides the feature of scheduling the manual and automated tests and the testing can be done during nighttimes or when system load is less.
- Keeps the history of all test runs.
- The audit trail feature allows keeping track of changes in the tests and test runs.
- It provides the feature of creating different users with different privileges.
- It keeps a log of all defects found and the status of each bug can be changed by authorized persons only.
- It provides the features of setting groups of machines to carry out testing.
- It generates test reports and analysis for the QA manager to decide when the software can be released in market.