What are the tips to achieve effective software testing documentation?

As we all know that documentation is some written text that comes along with any software system or application. Though being just a plain text its importance cannot be neglected.
Without it, we won’t be able to make the full use of the software system or application. It explains us its features and functionalities and how to use it effectively. Documentation has a very important role to play in the field of software testing:

1. It gives an overview of the design or architecture of the software system or application. It explains how the software is related to the environment and what basic principles have been used in constructing the software system or application.

2. It gives technical knowledge about the concerned software system or application. It provides the documentation of the code and other legal aspects of the software.

3. It contains the algorithm used in the software system and provides explicit knowledge about the user interface of the software system or application.

4. Documentation states the requirements of the software system and functionalities whether it be functional or non functional requirements. Other aspects like capabilities, attributes and characteristics of the software system or application are also mentioned in the documentation.

5. It contains tips on how to market the product.

6. Documentation also contains end users manuals and other supportive manuals meant for support staff and administrators.
For documentation to prove effective has to be written properly in a designed way.

Writing effective documentation is also a recognized skill in the software industry. Here we are going to discuss some tips which if followed can help you improve the quality of your documentation.

1. You should be familiar with all the format types of the documents like PDF or HTML. You should be able to work with all the types. It may happen some times that when you transfer your write up to the documentation software, it may not show up exactly as you desired. So don’t waste your time by unnecessarily formatting your text. Choose your documentation software with great care.

2. Divide your documentation process into following stages:

(a) Information gathering: First gather all the information that you will need to include in your documentation.

(b) Prototyping of the documentation: In this stage you will create a list of just the topics that you have to include in the documentation in the order you desire. Your list may contain samples against each topic for your ease and convenience.

(c) Initial drafting: This stage involves writing up of all the content under the relevant topics that you have already listed. This will take up most of your time. After you are done with the writing, just review it once.

(d) Final drafting: At this stage you have to review your documentation once more so as to check whether any changes are required. The documentation is now ready.

3. It is always observed that the documentation is always processed at the end i.e., when the dead lines are nearing. This should not be done since the documentation does not get much time for effective reviewing and changes. So it becomes important that we consider the documentation from the initial stage of software development.

4. The preparation of the documentation becomes more simple and easy if your organization has an expert documentation writer. But what if you don’t have? A programmer can himself/ herself write the documentation since he/ she knows the program really well. But the documentation won’t be so effective if the programmer has not got good skills in writing.

Whatever the case maybe, always remember that the documentation does affect the user’s opinion about the program. So keep it simple, effective and impressive.

What are different characteristics of documentation testing?

Though the term documentation is used is various different ways, it is usually used to refer to the process of providing the evidence.
- Documentation is very important and useful.
- It also refers to the process of the documenting the knowledge about a software system.
- But in the context of software engineering, documentation refers to the process of writing the software documentation.
- Individuals or the professionals who carry out the process of writing up of the software documentation are called documentalists.

Every documentation has to follow up a composure called documentation composure. According to the document composure it should include the following:

- Written information and instructions for any technical or projection performing,
- Data and media of any kind of format and details about the reproduction.
- Other related content.

Today documentation about any software system or application is available in many formats like user guides, user manuals, online help, white papers and quick reference guides. Nowadays documentation in hard copy is rarely seen.

- The documentation for software systems or applications is distributed to the open public via software products, on- line applications and websites.
- Certain principles are followed while preparing the documentation for the software or the hardware product.
- Documentalists always compulsorily follow the ISO standards.
- These standards are not available for the general public.
- Apart from principles, certain guidelines are also to be followed regarding the documentation.

The procedure for preparing a perfect documentation involves the following steps:
- Document drafting
- Formatting
- Submitting
- Reviewing
- Approving
- Distributing
- Repositing
- Tracking

Production of documentation involves contribution from corporate communicators and technical writers since the technical writers have an expert knowledge about the software and also they are good at writing contents. They are able to design the information architecture. They are able to easily cooperate with the SMEs or subject matter experts (who are none other than software developers, engineers and also other people like clients and customers) to prepare the kind of documentation the users need.

In the field of computer science, there exist the following types of documentation:

- RFP or request for proposal
- SOW or statement of work or scope of work
- Requirements
- System design and functional specifications
- Software design and functional specification
- Change management
- Error tracking
- Enhancement tracking
- UTA or user test and acceptance

Nowadays many kinds of software applications are used to create documentation. But, SDF or software documentation folder is the most used software application used by the engineers to create the documentation for the software system or application.

While the development of the software system or the application is in progress, the software engineers keep a written record detailing the build of the application which essentially includes an interface section, a requirements section in order to provide more details about the communication interface of the software system or application.

- Usually a notes section is provided giving the details about the proof of the concept, tracking errors and enhancements.
- Apart from this a testing section is also included to give the details about how the software system or application was tested.
- The documentation confirms to the requirements and specifications stated by the client or the customer.
- The final documentation is a detailed description of the build and design of the software.
- Apart from this, it lays down the instructions for installing and uninstalling the software.
- Documentation testing is thought of as the most cost effective testing.
- Any discrepancy in the documentation will cost too much.
- The documentation is tested in a variety of ways to check the degrees of the complexity of the software system.

What role does documentation plays in development process?

Documentation is a set of documents or informational products to describe a computer system. Each document is designed to represent particular function like reference, instructional and motivational.
Some types of documentation and informational products are system features and functions, user and management summaries, users manual, video and multimedia, tutorials, demonstrations, reference guide, technical references, system test models,
operations/operators manual, wall charts, newsletters.

A useful document furthers the understanding of the system's desired andactual behavior and structure. The criteria for measuring usability of documents are readability, availability, suitability and accessibility.

Purpose of Documentation

- It provides a reasonably permanent statement of a system's structure or behavior through reference manuals, user guides and systems architecture documents.
- It serves as transitory documents that are part of the infrastructure involved in running real projects.

Importance of Documents and Manuals

- Cost saving.
- They serve as sales and marketing tools.
- They serve as tangible deliverables.
- They serve as contractual obligations.
- They serve as security blankets.
- They serve as testing and implementation aids.
- They are used to compare the old and new systems.