What an Efficient Test Management Process Looks Like and How to Make it Work

Everyone’s under pressure these days. Whether you’re a barista perfecting your latte art or a marketer honing your first party data strategy, it doesn’t matter. Everyone wants results.

The modern world moves fast, and that includes the world of software development. When you’re expected to deliver a top-quality product to a tight schedule and with limited resources, the testing stage can get squeezed.

Nevertheless, it’s a vital part of developing good software that functions exactly as it should. In this guide, we’ll break down what an efficient test management process looks like. We’ll also give you a few tips for ensuring best practice.

What is test management?

Test management is all about managing the software testing process. It involves studying the project’s requirements, drawing up a testing plan, carrying out the testing and capturing results. Testing can be done manually, although more companies are now seeing the benefits of moving to automated testing. Whichever path you choose, it’s a vital part of the development cycle.

No-one likes a buggy app. Good testing is crucial to make sure the end product is flawless and that it is delivered on time and on budget. In the end, it’s all about keeping those customers happy.

With the continuing proliferation of devices and platforms available, software testing is becoming an ever more complex task. Luckily, tools like TestRail are available to help you streamline the process and ensure best practice.

So what does an efficient test management process look like?

An efficient test management process

Simply put, you can divide the test management process into two phases: planning and execution. At the start, comprehensive preparation is key. Test management teams often comprise a large number of people, so it’s important that everyone knows what they’re supposed to be doing at every stage.

1. Laying the groundwork – the planning phase

There are four stages in the planning phase:

● Risk analysis.

● Test estimation.

● Test planning.

● Test organization.

Image source

1）Risk analysis

The very first step is to try to figure out what could go wrong later. Your test management lead should be working on this from the beginning. This isn’t just about what could go wrong with the product. It also includes anticipating potential issues with the test management process itself. Thorough risk analysis will prevent expensive mistakes further down the line and keep your project costs to a minimum.

2）Test estimation

A vital step, test estimation is about predicting how much time each task in the testing process will take. It’s impossible to know for sure in advance, of course. But you can achieve fairly accurate estimates in a number of ways.

For example, you could consider records from similar projects in the past. Or you could get input from your team members. Ask them how long they think they would need to complete similar tasks. The answers you get won’t be 100% accurate, but they’ll be a good general guide.

3）Test planning

Just as you wouldn’t launch a website without a pre-launch checklist, you shouldn’t begin software testing without a clear plan. This step usually takes the most time because the plan has to be so detailed.

The testing plan should define everything about the process, from overall project objective and scope to the precise details of each task. It should also include the work schedule and cover more general aspects like project strategy and how the team will communicate with each other. Written messaging for documentation purposes or hosted VoIP service for easy access? If it’s relevant, put it in the plan.

4）Test organization

This is the team-building part. Finding the best people to work on the project will be fundamental to its success.

Image source

2. Conducting the tests – execution

So you’ve completed the planning phase. You’ve done your risk analysis, written the testing plan, got a top-tier team together and have the best project management tools ZenTao in place. Now you’re ready to move on to the next phase: execution. Again, let’s break this phase down further into stages:

● Test monitoring and control.

● Issue management.

● Reporting and evaluation.

1）Test monitoring and control

Even the very best of plans can go wrong. The important thing is to know about any developing problems so you can fix them. It could be that the resources you had allocated to the task were not adequate. Or maybe the schedule is slipping.

It happens. Make sure your test manager is continuously checking that your test metrics are all on track. If not, early intervention can prevent a small issue from becoming a major headache.

2）Issue management

When you do find an issue, it’s time to swing into action. Say you’re working on a web app penetration testing project, and you realize your testers are too geographically concentrated. This could skew the test results, so it needs to be dealt with fast.

Other common issues you may encounter could include funding problems, scheduling clashes or communication breakdown. Maybe there’s an HR issue: do your testers have the right skill set for this particular project? Whatever it is, it pays to get on top of the situation quickly. Don’t let one issue hold up the entire process.

3）Reporting and evaluation

When the test process is complete, you’ll need a body of evidence to show the developers and/or clients. This should consist of multiple test cases with any notes for remediation clearly indicated. During this stage, it’s essential to prioritize the necessary fixes in order of importance.

As the software is updated and goes through further cycles of development and testing, these records will be invaluable. They’ll also constitute proof of the software’s quality. After all, the more rigorous the testing, the better the end product.

Image source

Test management best practice – how to make it work

Anyone who has experienced the process of app store testing knows how tricky it can be to nail a testing process first time. It’s one thing to understand it in theory, but what about putting it into practice? Here are a few tips.

1. Start early

Test planning should be integrated into software development from the get-go. Don’t leave it until your sales team is knocking on your door to discuss the product’s video marketing strategy. Okay, I may be exaggerating a little. But you might be surprised how often businesses treat testing as an afterthought.

Starting to test early leads to bugs being identified, and fixed, much sooner. It saves time and money, which is good news for your bottom line.

2. Communicate well and often

Regular communication both with your project stakeholders and your testing team is critical. I’m not suggesting daily meetings, as we all know less time spent in meetings means more work gets done. But all relevant data around goals, testing metrics and so on should be available in an appropriate format.

You’ll know if your communication process isn’t working. Are you finding that the same questions seem to keep cropping up, asked by different people? Maybe the testing team isn’t sure which test data to use or can’t easily find it. There could even be an adversarial atmosphere among the team members rather than the team spirit you’d hoped for.

Better communication should address all of these challenges. It will ensure that everyone involved in the process has a clear understanding of potential problems. Keeping effective communication channels open means issues that do arise will be resolved more quickly.

Image source

3. Reuse and recycle testing resources

Another way to save a lot of time and money is to reuse useful resources from previous testing cycles. This could mean testing procedures, automation scripts or possibly test cases.

The other advantage of doing this is that it means you maintain consistent standards from cycle to cycle. Maintaining a testing asset library is much like using a cloud inventory system in terms of convenience. Having test case templates covering objectives, schedules etc. will help your workflow go much more smoothly.

4. Assign a dedicated test manager

In some teams, particularly in smaller companies, the role of test manager is taken on by the development lead. This can be a good thing in the sense that there may be more direct contact between the testing and development teams. But it has its downsides too.

Problems can arise if the development side is prioritized to the detriment of the testing process. If testing is seen as the less important cousin of development, it may begin too late. If possible, it’s a good idea to have someone whose sole responsibility during the project is test management.

Final thought - be flexible

While it’s useful to have a library of resources to call on, different projects will require different testing approaches. The ultimate goal of testing is to enhance the customer experience, and how that is best achieved will vary from project to project.

So when you’re creating your test management process, it’s essential to build in some flexibility. Make sure that all your templates and automated processes can be easily modified and optimized. They should be robust enough to ensure consistency but not so rigid that there’s no room for adaptation.

Follow the principles that are set out in this guide, and you’ll be well on your way to implementing a smooth and efficient test management process. And that means you’ll have created a high-quality product that satisfies your customers and boosts your bottom line. Good news all round!

Need more help? Check out the Zentao blog. They have more articles on project management tools, software management, building cross-functional teams, and so much more.

--

Author bio :

Kate Priestman - Head Of Marketing, Global App Testing
Kate Priestman is the Head of Marketing at Global App Testing, a trusted and leading end-to-end functional testing solution and software diversity for QA challenges. Kate has over 8 years of experience in the field of marketing, helping brands achieve exceptional growth. She has extensive knowledge on brand development, lead and demand generation, and marketing strategy — driving business impact at its best. Kate Priestman also published articles for domains such as VMblog and Stackify.