Software Testing Life Cycle 1/2

The software testing life cycle; well what can I say? If you've read the other pages in this section you will know that the testing element of a project is never my favourite part. In fact it is the part I absolutely dread because the project budget often gets blown and you spend all your time conducting project resource management in persuading people that they really do want to work another 6pm to 2am shift testing!

So where does it all start? Well

1.0 Requirements

You might be surprised to learnt that the software testing life cycle actually begins when the business requirements documentation (BRD) and more detailed user requirements (Use Cases, Wireframes etc) are being defined. Basically your test team lead at the very least, needs to be involved in these workshops so that they can get an idea of what the project is going to deliver.

2.0 Software Requirements Specification

The project management requirements need to be translated into a software requirements specification (SRS) which enables the technical team to understand how they are going to deliver in terms of what the business wants. Whilst the development team will create these, they will give the test team the understanding of what systems will be changed and how which enables them to refine their testing and determine what types of test environments will be needed.

3.0 Test Plan

You will find that project planning in teams is something all your team leads will endeavour to do, the output of which you will need to scrutinise and then include into your overall project management plan. The test team will be no exception to this. Not only should this be a deliverable in your project quality plan, but it will also enable you to see exactly how the test team envisages delivering what is required within the timeframes specified. It is often sobering to discover that they have a completely different view on the time, team and budget required to do their work, to the one you have!

It will also be your chance to get seriously involved in project resource scheduling as you discover what resources will be required and then have to go get hold of them. Further depending on how well you managed to estimate project costs, you may well need to either beat you test team down in terms of time and resources utilised, or go have a chat with your project management stakeholders in order to get an increase in your budget for the project.

Please click here to read the remainder of the software testing life cycle 2/2