A test case is a detailed procedure
that fully tests a feature or an aspect of a feature. While the test
plan describes what to test, a test case describes how to perform a
particular test. You need to develop test cases for each test listed in
the test plan.
As
a tester, the best way to determine the compliance of the software to
requirements is by designing effective test cases that provide a
thorough test of a unit. Various test case design techniques enable the
testers to develop effective test cases. Besides, implementing the
design techniques, every tester needs to keep in mind general
guidelines that will aid in test case design: a.
The purpose of each test case is to run the test in the simplest way
possible. [Suitable techniques - Specification derived tests,
Equivalence partitioning]b. Concentrate initially
on positive testing i.e. the test case should show that the software
does what it is intended to do. [Suitable techniques - Specification
derived tests, Equivalence partitioning, State-transition testing]
c. Existing test cases should be enhanced and further
test cases should be designed to show that the software does not do
anything that it is not specified to do i.e. Negative Testing [Suitable
techniques - Error guessing, Boundary value analysis, Internal boundary
value testing, State-transition testing]
d. Where appropriate, test cases should be designed
to address issues such as performance, safety requirements and security
requirements [Suitable techniques - Specification derived tests]
e. Further test cases can then be added to the unit
test specification to achieve specific test coverage objectives. Once
coverage tests have been designed, the test procedure can be developed
and the tests executed [Suitable techniques - Branch testing, Condition
testing, Data definition-use testing, State-transition testing]
|