The Methods To Handle Tests
QA engineers as well as test management tools seem to take two major approaches when it comes to the managing of tests. The first concept is one where the tester has independent testcases which in turn all have a result record belonging to the individual cases. The second approach has many results emerging from one single test case. The two approaches can be differentiated by being referred to as either independent or linked. We may take a situation which contains a regression set and try the regressions for each version of the software released.
Test management by the independent method operates by creation of new instances of the testcase for each version of the software released by making a copy of the original regression instance. The final result is having many independent instances from the same original testcase. Each instance has a totally different result from the next hence the description of the relationship as a one to one relation.
Unlike the independent approach, the linked approach has all results linked to the one original instance of the testcase being run by the engineer. Only the final results of the testing get linked to the software that the engineer is running tests on. The relationship between this many results to a single testcase is known as a one to many relation.
Both approaches come with many advantages as well as disadvantages of using them. The QA engineer is forced by the testing tools to use one of these methods, and has to enjoy the advantages, as well as looks for ways to overcome the disadvantages. For instance, the linked approach has a major disadvantage that is invalidation of results. This is due to the fact that any modifications made later in the test may be recorded, invalidating results that were recorded earlier. If the engineer adds a number of stages, the alterations may mean that previous results are now invalid if they were tested with the new procedures.
The independent method also has several disadvantages but invalidity of results is not one of them. This is due to the result only being linked to just one test case meaning changes made only affect the result for that particular instance. Any changes made cannot affect other results of other instances of the testcases. The major disadvantage with this method is that if any changes are required, the engineer has to apply the change to each and every one of the instances manually.
The ideal test management tools are those that take this approach, but allow you to make universal changes automatically, for the simple reason that the testcases are linked even though they might be separated into many instances. This is especially useful as the use can choose which changes to effect, depending on whether the alterations have occurred earlier in the process. So the user can have several testcases divided into several categories like, those yet to be run, failed ones as well as those that were successful ones. This therefore aids the QA engineer avoid invalidating the results of the previously recorded testcases.
With the linked method (one to many) you can get round this issue by branching off the testcase each time you need to make modifications. So each time you make a significant modification to the case you create a new instance and that instance is then related to many results. Again this can become a little difficult to manage as the number of your cases grows. In fact the only way to really handle this effectively is to work with a test management tool that tracks these modification.
Neither approach is right or wrong here. You have to pick the best method for your setup. You need to consider factors like how often you modify your test cases, how important it is to track changes and the volume of regression you’re likely to be running. Either way it’s an issue that is best considered up front when you are defining your test management process or selecting a test management tool.
There are two ways of test management that we would like to discuss with you. Let us give you some information on this topic today. Http://www.testmanagement.com

July 4, 2011 | Posted by Godfrey Leyborne
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