This is a guest post by Peter G. Walen.
People often ask me about the best tool for test management, but the answer depends on what they mean—managing people and processes or managing test cases. Many don’t see the distinction, but it’s crucial. People aren’t resources; tools are. This discussion will focus on test case management.
The key to choosing the right tool lies in identifying the problems you’re trying to solve. Without clear goals and issues to address, no tool or method will be effective. Understanding your needs is the first step in selecting the right test case management approach for your team.
The fundamentals of test case management
Effective test case management requires addressing some fundamental needs, which modern tools handle with varying degrees of efficiency. In the mid-1990s, I used spreadsheets to track planned, executed, passed, and failed tests, along with bugs found, fixed, and their impact. This method provided quick progress summaries, pinpointed problem areas, and helped refine testing processes.
While these fundamental needs persist, today’s test management tools offer more advanced features. Here are some key aspects to consider when selecting a test case management tool:
Support your workflows
Your software might have specific sequences for how things work or be completely open-ended with no clear-cut “usual” way customers use it. Many organizations try to replicate these processes in their development and testing workflows.
Visual mapping of user paths
I like visually mapping the paths users may follow in the software I’m testing. This helps me understand:
- The relationship between modules
- How these relationships translate to logical workflows
Flexibility in test execution
Whatever the workflow, I want my tool to support these paths without forcing me to conform to its preferred approach. Key considerations include:
- Sequential testing: If tests need to run in a specific sequence to test certain conditions, the tool should accommodate that
- Random order testing: If tests can run in a random order, the tool should support that flexibility
Avoiding arbitrary failures
The last thing I want is for the tool to mark a test as “failed” just because it wasn’t run in a particular sequence. For example, if a test designed to run after another doesn’t follow the sequence due to prioritization changes, it shouldn’t be considered a failure.
Encouraging good testing practices
If my team does good testing work, the tool should:
- Support and encourage their efforts
- Avoid frustrating them with arbitrary rules or restrictions
Test cases, development tasks, and work items
Many teams and organizations still look at tests and test cases in isolation. However, doing so makes understanding the software much more challenging.
Importance of Integration
Test case management tools that are not integrated with design and development tasks promote a “test at the end” mentality. To be successful, reduce rework, and drive delivery, testing must be closely integrated with the design and development processes.
Here are actionable steps to achieve this integration:
- Collaborative planning: Encourage collaboration between testers, developers, and designers during the planning phase to ensure alignment of testing efforts with design and development goals.
- Integrated workflows: Implement workflows that seamlessly incorporate testing tasks into the overall development process. This ensures that testing activities are not seen as separate entities but as integral parts of the development lifecycle.
- Continuous feedback loops: Establish continuous feedback loops between testers, developers, and designers to facilitate early detection and resolution of issues. Regular communication and feedback exchange help identify potential problems and address them proactively.
Avoiding Hindrances
Any tool that does not integrate testing with design, development, and implementation tasks will hinder your efforts. In the early 1990s, using spreadsheets to manage test efforts was common. Today, this approach is generally unacceptable. Modern tools must support this integration to ensure a smooth and efficient workflow.
Problem tracking
Bugs, defects, anomalous behaviors — they’re inevitable. Tracking them effectively is essential. Ideally, testers can directly communicate with developers to resolve issues swiftly. However, in scenarios where testing occurs long after development or across different time zones, direct communication isn’t always feasible. In such cases, a robust problem-tracking system becomes indispensable.
Key Requirements for Problem Tracking
- Issue recording: Implement a mechanism to record issues and associate them with specific development tasks.
- Assignment and investigation: Assign issues to appropriate team members for investigation. Track their progress to ensure timely resolution.
- Transparent workflow: Maintain transparency in the issue resolution process. Keep track of when issues are being investigated and worked on.
- Feedback loop: Establish a feedback loop between testers and developers. Track the number of times issues bounce between testing and development, indicating unclear scenarios or complex code that needs review or refactoring.
- Continuous improvement: Regularly analyze issue-tracking data to identify patterns and areas for improvement. Implement iterative improvements to enhance the problem-tracking process and overall product quality.
By effectively tracking and resolving issues, teams can identify patterns, refine processes, and ultimately enhance product quality.
Tracking workload
If there are one or two testers in a team working on a project, it might be pretty obvious who is doing what. Still, it is one thing to “know” who is doing what testing. It is another thing to see what is waiting to be done and what the queue looks like.
I’m less worried about what “estimated” work might be for a project. Typically, the amount of testing needed can be surmised from the amount of development work for the given feature or function. I prefer to not worry about development hours and estimates and instead, look at the impact. The broader the impact of a given feature, the more effort I expect to be expended evaluating it.
The size and scope of tasks need to be readily visible to everyone interested in the project, not just the immediate participants. I want any tool my teams are using to be able to accurately reflect the amount of work in progress and the amount waiting to be done, at any time.
In any team, regardless of size, having visibility into who’s doing what is vital. Yet, true efficiency lies in understanding what tasks are pending and the overall workload.
Image: Effortlessly manage everything from individual test runs to establishing a test case approval process. Leverage your team’s collective expertise and ensure your team knows what to work on and when.
Emphasizing impact over estimates
Rather than fixating on estimated work hours, prioritize assessing the impact of each task. Typically, the scope of testing correlates with the development workload for a given feature or function. Features with broader impact often necessitate more extensive testing.
Transparency for all stakeholders
Transparency is key. All team members and stakeholders should have insight into the size and scope of tasks, not just those directly involved. This ensures everyone understands the current workload and can contribute effectively.
Actionable strategies
To proactively manage workload, implement the following strategies:
- Task visibility: Ensure all tasks, including ongoing and pending ones, are visible to everyone involved. Use collaborative platforms or tools to maintain transparency.
- Impact assessment: Continuously evaluate the impact of tasks to prioritize testing efforts. Focus on high-impact areas to maximize efficiency.
- Regular updates: Provide frequent updates on task status and workload distribution. This keeps everyone informed and aligned with project goals.
- Resource optimization: Optimize resource allocation based on workload and project needs. Distribute tasks evenly to prevent overburdening team members and ensure timely delivery.
Agile tool selection
Tools can be utilized to support Agile methodologies within teams and environments. Every tool I’ve encountered can vary in flexibility, depending on how it’s configured and implemented. The crucial consideration is whether a tool can adapt to support Agile practices effectively.
Key Considerations for Agile Tool Selection
- Understanding needs: Ensure that those configuring the tool fully grasp the team’s requirements and objectives. This necessitates open conversations and, potentially, experimentation to determine the best fit.
- Customization: Avoid settling for a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Instead, opt for tools that offer customization options to align with specific Agile practices and workflows.
- User-centric approach: Prioritize the needs of the end-users—the individuals who will interact with the tool daily. A generic or standard installation may streamline setup, but it might not cater to the team’s unique requirements.
Actionable Steps
To select an Agile-friendly tool effectively, take the following actionable steps:
- Gather requirements: Conduct thorough discussions with stakeholders to identify the team’s Agile needs and objectives.
- Evaluate options: Explore different tools and assess their flexibility, customization capabilities, and alignment with Agile principles.
- Trial period: Consider implementing a trial period or pilot project to test the tool’s suitability in a real-world Agile environment.
Test case management tool implementation and installation
When you have a tool selected, look at what it takes to install it in your environment. I have been burned so many times by using “standard installation” options that I am tempted to keep an aloe plant at my desk.
I have seen no tool where the “standard” installation will actually do precisely what the team needs. Planning what the configuration and use cases for the tool should be, hence guiding the installation process, must be done before any commands to start the process begin.
Installing a tool is usually not treated as a “software project.” That is often a problem. It is a software project and the project’s customers will find the tool amazing and helpful or a burden, depending on how much thought goes into the implementation.
This is crucial when the “IT” or “services” teams are the people actually doing the installation. We would not want to develop and implement a solution without finding out the needs of our customers. Teams must take the same approach with the tools they will use.
Ready to streamline your test management process? Take a tour of the TestRail tool or get started with your free 30-day TestRail trial today! TestRail offers the flexibility and customization needed to align with Agile methodologies while providing a user-friendly experience for seamless implementation and usage.
