We often keep streamlining our testing processes based on requirements, feedback, and as part of continuous improvement. There are many challenges as well as opportunities to streamline, and in this article, we will look into the details of testing process streamlining. By the way, checkout my YouTube channel on Software Quality and Testing and subscribe for valuable podcasts and content.
Opportunities for Streamlining Testing Process
As we evolve in our testing practices in our organizations and as individuals, we look for opportunities for streamlining testing process. Here are some applicable to the fast-moving industry scenario.
- Strategic planning: Defining clearly the objectives of testing, test prioritization, and leveraging test management tools for tracking and managing tests are some strategic ways of planning streamlining testing process
- Selective Use Of Automation: Automating selectively the test steps (not test cases!) that can aid in testing is a great way for preventing repetition, fatigue, and human errors and mistakes. Many tools are available for various purposes in automation to be utilized for one’s own scenario
- Test Steps In CI/CD pipeline: Utilizing CI/CD pipeline for unit, API, and integration test steps is a great way for automating them. Note that human oversight is a must in monitoring, analyzing, and guiding the steps that are executed in automation, such that errors and omissions in automation can be prevented.
- Test Data and Test Environments: Generating synthetic test data wherever applicable and relevant, as well as using test environments like containerized isolated environments helps in saving time in preparing and resetting test data and environments
- Early Quality Processes: Getting involved in requirements, specifications, designing, and coding stages along with the developers helps in giving inputs which can lead to superior quality as well as learning and streamlining testing.
- Test procedures reviews and Metrics: Continuous reviews of the testing procedures and metrics tracking helps in streamlining the processes
- Removing obsolete test procedures and code: Continuously monitoring for test procedures that are no more relevant and checking code along with developers for code that is not used anymore and removing those helps in product as well as process streamlining
- Monitoring production: Monitoring production using tools gives insights into end-user usage of the product thus enabling streamlining the features and the associated testing. It is also helpful in introducing new tests for which there might not be any coverage before
Conclusion
There are several ways of testing process streamlining, and some important ones were discussed in this article. If your organization needs help in testing process streamlining, please feel free to get in touch with me. Happy to help!