Over the last three decades, the technological sector has recorded massive growth. Technology has evolved from massive computers to small devices with applications and software that continue to make our lives easier. Application and software play a major role in the growth of technology; this is because they effectively utilize technology to make products that benefit the end-user. In this article we will discuss 8 Important Steps Of Manual Testing.
The software may look simple and easy from the outside, but a lot goes into its creation. Involving multiple long steps such as planning, analysis, design, development, manual testing, and maintenance. While all these steps hold massive significance, manual testing stays the most important.
What is Manual Testing?
Manual testing, unlike other steps, is a step that overlooks and makes sure that everything in software works and functions properly. Also, it suggests better alternatives for features. It makes manual testing a crucial part of creating software.
During manual testing, a manual testing expert uses the software like an end-user. The manual testing expert then analyzes and highlights all the problems an end-user might face while using the software. The highlighted problems are then fixed, thus making the software free from defects.
8 Important Steps Of Manual Testing
Manual testing, as the name suggests, is completely human-dependent. Thus, making manual testing a long and time-consuming process. During the whole process, testers repeatedly go through different parts of the software with an end goal to make the whole software run smooth and provide the end-user with a nice experience.
1) Requirement gathering
The first step of Manual Testing, requirement gathering, involves correctly understanding both the software and the user base it caters to. Testers in this step go through all available information about the application. It involves studying the software’s business model and interviews with the developers.
2) Sharing and discussing
Requirement gathering leaves the tester with a lot of unassembled information. It is where the ‘sharing and discussion’ part comes to play. Manual testers in this part compile and categorize the information to be useful to them in the latter stages.
The testers in this stage also try to understand the working and the idea behind the software completely. With this stage correctly performed, testers have a visualization or a mind map of the testing they will perform.
3) Setting up resources and environment
With all necessary information gathered and the test stage visualized, the testers now work on gathering all necessary resources they will need to make the testing run smoothly. These resources include everything from people to the necessary hardware required in the testing.
This step also overlooks the creation of a well-set up testing environment that helps the product go through standardized testing.
4) Creating / Writing test scenarios and cases
With supportive testing environments and a correct mind map of the testing stage, testers move on to think like end-user. In this stage, testers study the product in full detail while also using it as an end-user.
It provides them with several problems that end-users might come across while using the product. Testers then note down these problems and create a long list of scenarios and test cases. These test cases then answer questions such as ‘How to test?’, ‘When to test?’ etc.
5) Testing stage
With testing scenarios and cases completely ready, testers have a bunch of cases to test. Testers start using the product and individually start testing every case. The tester in this stage looks for any particular case or feature that is not performing as it is expected to do.
Any case or scenario that does not perform well is marked as a failure and is reported to the developers.
6) Finding and reporting defects
Each test case marked as fail isn’t merely reported to developers, but testers further move on to identify the defects that caused the case to fail. These defects, once found, are reported to the developers who work on fixing them.
The defects, once fixed, are retested by the tester and are then marked as passed. The ‘finding and reporting defects’ is a time-consuming process until each defect is fixed and each case is passed.
7) Feedback and recommendations
Once each case is passed, the testers move on to create a final report for stakeholders. Before creating a final report, the testers start to self-check and evaluate each other’s reports. It allows for them to make any necessary changes before submitting the final report.
8) Product release
Once it is established that the product is working smoothly, the final product is sent off to the owner, who then decides a release date and time for the product.
