Individuals carry out manual testing by following a series of reasonable processes. Learning about the ordering company’s and end user’s expectations of the product is the first step in the manual testing process; product release is the last phase.
Although the entire procedure takes time, the success of this kind of testing in producing a superior product is mostly down to the human element. Because manual testing doesn’t require as much technical expertise and doesn’t involve the setup or learning of automation technologies, it is simpler to conduct than automated testing. Test managers and different manual testing techniques, however, need to be known to testers. Like all software testing techniques, the main objective of manual testing is to find bugs by comparing the system to the user stories or set requirements. After that, it evaluates the program and helps the development team produce software that is free of errors.
Steps for Manual Testing
Software testing can be categorized as either automated or manual. The following stages are unique to the manual testing approach, even though the testing processes for automation and manual testing are quite similar.
1. Gathering Requirements
The first stage in the testing process is to understand the application that has to be evaluated and what the end user should anticipate from the product. This is achieved through reviewing all available papers, investigating existing systems and interconnections, and speaking with stakeholders to gain a deeper understanding of their business needs.
Access to extra resources, including conversations with developers during a product demo before testing, can be very helpful because the data acquired from this study will impact the testing strategy and testing implementation plan. It can be beneficial to collaborate closely with development and QA since regular integration makes it easier for each discipline to comprehend how the other functions.
2. Discussion and sharing
The next stage after obtaining and accepting different information about the software to be tested is to combine and rank the information into relevant parts that can be used to create test scenarios and cases. It is necessary to consider the type of testing that will be done, its scope, and the amount of time that is available. Since QA’s objective at this stage is to fully comprehend the product, discussing and debating the existing situation with different stakeholders may help to identify new research topics or hitherto undiscovered data sources.
It can be much easier for everyone concerned to grasp the software testing project if there is a visual overview that shows the entire breadth and specifics of the circumstance. Simple route maps and reminders can be made with mind maps, which are being used more and more in software testing and business. One common tip when trying to manage daily overwhelm is to put everything in writing. Using mind maps is a more methodical way to accomplish this. Team leaders can use mind maps to provide an overview to the team, and as the project progresses, the team can regularly update their testing status there as well. It is not appropriate to use mind maps in place of accurate test documentation and progress updates.
3. Setting up the Resources and Test Environment
Testing in a specialized and crowded testing environment standardized the product’s performance in the lab because manual testing mimics the end-user experience. It makes it easier to find bugs so they can be fixed before the product is released.
Once the criteria are determined and a basic framework for the process is in place, the test environment may be set up. Planning ahead allows for the allocation of sufficient time to get and set up hardware, manual testing tools, and other necessary materials and assets before the test runs begin. Naming the persons who must be participating, making sure they have been informed, and setting a time slot are all part of the planning process.
4. Creation of Test Cases and Scenarios
It will be clear what to test and how to do it after reviewing the requirements and user stories. Projects that follow the method must have documentation, which typically entails creating test cases. Once testing has started and the team has access to materials, the testers carefully review the specification documents, gain a comprehensive understanding of the testing scope, and create both high-level and detailed level test cases. Test cases offer guidance on what to test, how to test it, what data to use, and what kinds of outcomes to anticipate.
5. Testing Procedures and Defect Reporting
The most crucial part of software testing is test execution. In manual testing, each test case is completed by one or more individuals acting in accordance with the guidelines provided in the test cases. Achieving the stated objective and documenting any discrepancies between the expected and actual are the tester’s main objectives. Anything that is found to be in violation of the specifications will be reported as a problem in the report and sent to the developers, with the test case status being set to fail.
6. Testing Again and Fixing Issues
Every test failure will be attributed to a flaw. Finding and reporting errors is just one of the objectives of testing; another is ensuring that all issues have been acknowledged, fixed, and retested for validation. The tester’s responsibility is to retest the reported defect to verify the repair after the developers have returned a rectified issue, at which point the ticket can be formally closed. It is the tester’s duty to update the status of the test cases whenever a returned flaw has been shown to be fixed, as they are in charge of verifying any fixes. A test team cannot approve a product under test unless all test cases are marked as passed.
7. Thoughts and Advice
A system is tested before it is made public so that everyone can see how good the product is overall. All stakeholders receive a test report at the end of the manual testing process. Testers self-check their work for errors before it is sent through a feedback and suggestion procedure, which is required before testing can be approved. Therefore, before compiling the results into a test summary document, it is advised that each tester submit their work for evaluation by peers and the team leader. The team may now offer suggestions for areas that need development, if necessary.
All information pertaining to the product’s testing status, various testing metrics, a list of the regions tested, a declaration of any locations outside of scope, and non-testable items should all be included in the test report. The test report is then forwarded to the business analyst (BA), who, based on their comprehension of the product from the customer’s point of view, may provide feedback and suggestions for how the testing or product should be improved.
8. Release of Products, Test Cases, and Database Maintenance
The product can be given to a release manager and scheduled for release once it has been demonstrated that it satisfies the needs of the business owner. Even though the product has officially passed quality assurance, it could still be returned if there are issues once it is released onto the market or if it has undergone alterations since review.
9. Maintaining current test cases
It is a good idea to update the test cases and maintain them on file in case further regression testing is required. This involves implementing top-notch version control to make sure that no previously reported bug resurfaces or that outdated test cases are inadvertently run.
In summary:
Lastly, the process of manual testing is essential to guaranteeing the reliability and quality of software applications. By carefully following these steps, testing teams can identify issues, enhance user experiences, and ultimately help software projects succeed. Testing in manual testing is essential to providing end customers with dependable and error-free software solutions when done carefully and meticulously.
With this complete course on manual testing, tailored for beginners, you can discover the methodical approach to manual testing. Learn how to combine automated and Manual testing in software testing into a successful testing approach. To learn the craft of manual testing and guarantee software quality, have a look at the GrotechMinds Manual Testing course.