Providing the best software quality to a large number of users around the globe is a dream for many software developing firms. Testing counts to be a key success factor behind the software products and applications. Hence when products fail to get the attention of their targeted user base, testing is blamed. Managing tests is important in this regard to ensure that your organization is having smooth and efficient testing processes. But how can tests be managed? Test management is not a child’s play. Organizations need to be cognizant when they think of implementing various techniques and methods for the effective management of tests. One best way to handle all the concerns of the testing process is the use of Jira Test Management Tools.
It is important for organizations to pay enough attention to the practices they follow for managing tests because test management is a crucial part of the software development life-cycle that ensures whether the testing is performed to its fullest potential.
Best practices for test management include the use of well-defined processes and systems to organize test work. Since different projects may have different specific test requirements, an effective test management process can deliver a predictable and repeatable process. Such a process is usually easier to estimate and plan, which helps the overall management and control of the project.
To overcome the challenges testing poses, organizations apply the following practices;
Early testing activities – Many organizations follow the rule of implementing testing from the very initial stages in the software development life-cycle. Organizations usually do this practice as it relatively made them able to avoid facing any serious issues or dangerous bugs and errors, later in the testing process. This proves to be a clever practice by the organizations that implement it because it allows organizations to eliminate the glitches and to save costs that would irritate them in the future.
Reuse of test cases – The recycling and reuse of test processes and test automation objects always help to improve the quality and efficiency of products and teams. This simple strategy makes it possible for organizations to save a lot of time and energy. However, it requires test management skills to predict whether certain assets can be reused in the future.
Different testing must be utilized with respect to different requirements – They said that different brush strokes fell on different oak trees. Similarly, to perform different types of testing, such as agility, security, mobility, big data, and analysis, etc., you need to follow different testing methods that fit a specific type of test management framework. In other words, try to follow a requirement-based testing method, which not only helps system/application verification but also helps calculate the required test effort.
Use of Test Management tools – Normally we use tools to make the processes, tasks, and projects more easy, simple, understandable, and executable. Testing can also be in the list of those efficient processes – shout out for test management tools that have enabled testing teams to effectively and efficiently manage, track, organize and execute test cases without any hindrance. Test management tools have their own fortunes and virtues for the testing process.
Tools allow teams to focus on more valuable tasks while saving an ample amount of time and energy.
Communicate proper status at the appropriate time – The problem with proper communication is that if you can’t communicate at the right time, it may also waste an opportunity that we usually know as “opportunity cost”. Appropriate test management involves full sharing of all relevant data, such as goals and status, with the right stakeholders at the right time and in the correct format to make the project a great hit.
Define and execute a flexible test process – As testing varies across the different project and business requirements, there’s a need for a customizable test management process to create an automated workflow. The process should be repeatable and can be further improvised and altered as required. For a successful test management implementation, it is extremely significant to clearly define the process and workflow, and then enforce the process in the team. This is especially true if your organization complies with strict regulations.
Final Thoughts
Since testing can not be compromised, managing tests must be the top-notch concern of organizations. And for this purpose organizations must engage themselves to implement the best possible practices they can, if they want to achieve what they’ve desired.
