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Software Testing Life Cycle STLC

Contrary to popular belief, Software Testing is not a just a single activity. It consists of series of
activities carried out methodologically to help certify your software product. These activities (stages
constitute the Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC.
The different stages in Software Test Life Cycle !
"ach of these stages have a definite "ntry and "#it criteria , $ctivities % &eliverables associated with
it.
In an Ideal world you will not enter the ne#t stage until the e#it criteria for the previous stage is met.
'ut practically this is not always possible. So for this tutorial , we will focus of activities and
deliverables for the different stages in STLC. Lets loo( into them in detail.
Requirement Analysis
&uring this phase, test team studies the re)uirements from a testing point of view to identify the
testable re)uirements. The *$ team may interact with various sta(eholders (Client, 'usiness $nalyst,
Technical Leads, System $rchitects etc to understand the re)uirements in detail. +e)uirements could
be either ,unctional (defining what the software must do or -on ,unctional (defining system
performance .security availability .$utomation feasibility for the given testing project is also done in
this stage.
Activities
Identify types of tests to be performed.
/ather details about testing priorities and focus.
0repare +e)uirement Traceability 1atri# (+T1.
Identify test environment details where testing is supposed to be carried out.
$utomation feasibility analysis (if re)uired.
Deliverables
+T1
$utomation feasibility report. (if applicable

Test Planning
This phase is also called Test Strategy phase. Typically , in this stage, a Senior *$ manager will
determine effort and cost estimates for the project and would prepare and finali2e the Test 0lan.
Activities
0reparation of test plan.strategy document for various types of testing
Test tool selection
Test effort estimation
+esource planning and determining roles and responsibilities.
Training re)uirement
Deliverables
Test plan .strategy document.
"ffort estimation document.

Test Case Development
This phase involves creation, verification and rewor( of test cases % test scripts. Test data , is
identified.created and is reviewed and then rewor(ed as well.
Activities
Create test cases, automation scripts (if applicable
+eview and baseline test cases and scripts
Create test data (If Test "nvironment is available
Deliverables
Test cases.scripts
Test data

Test Environment Setup
Test environment decides the software and hardware conditions under which a wor( product is tested.
Test environment set!up is one of the critical aspects of testing process and can be done in parallel
with Test Case Development Stage. Test team may not be involved in this activity if the
customer.development team provides the test environment in which case the test team is re)uired to
do a readiness chec( (smo(e testing of the given environment.
Activities
3nderstand the re)uired architecture, environment set!up and prepare hardware and software
re)uirement list for the Test "nvironment.
Setup test "nvironment and test data
0erform smo(e test on the build
Deliverables
"nvironment ready with test data set up
Smo(e Test +esults.

Test Execution
&uring this phase test team will carry out the testing based on the test plans and the test cases
prepared. 'ugs will be reported bac( to the development team for correction and retesting will be
performed.
Activities
"#ecute tests as per plan
&ocument test results, and log defects for failed cases
1ap defects to test cases in +T1
+etest the defect fi#es
Trac( the defects to closure
Deliverables
Completed +T1 with e#ecution status
Test cases updated with results
&efect reports

Test Cycle Closure
Testing team will meet , discuss and analy2e testing artifacts to identify strategies that have to be
implemented in future, ta(ing lessons from the current test cycle. The idea is to remove the process
bottlenec(s for future test cycles and share best practices for any similar projects in future.
Activities
"valuate cycle completion criteria based on Time,Test coverage,Cost,Software,Critical 'usiness
4bjectives , *uality
0repare test metrics based on the above parameters.
&ocument the learning out of the project
0repare Test closure report
*ualitative and )uantitative reporting of )uality of the wor( product to the customer.
Test result analysis to find out the defect distribution by type and severity.
Deliverables
Test Closure report
Test metrics


,inally, summary of STLC along with "ntry and "#it Criteria

STLC Stage Entry Criteria Activity Exit Criteria Deliverables
+e)uirement
$nalysis
+e)uirements
&ocument
available (both
functional and
non functional
$cceptance
criteria defined.
$pplication
architectural
document
available.
$nalyse business functionality to (now the
business modules and module specific
functionalities.
Identify all transactions in the modules.
Identify all the user profiles.
/ather user interface.authentication,
geographic spread re)uirements.
Identify types of tests to be performed.
/ather details about testing priorities and
focus.
0repare +e)uirement Traceability 1atri# (+T1.
Identify test environment details where testing
is supposed to be carried out.
$utomation feasibility analysis (if re)uired.
Signed off
+T1
Test
automation
feasibility
report signed
off by the
client


+T1
$utomation
feasibility
report (if
applicable


Test
0lanning
+e)uirements
&ocuments
+e)uirement
Traceability
matri#.
Test automation
feasibility
document.
$naly2e various testing approaches available
,inali2e on the best suited approach
0reparation of test plan.strategy document for
various types of testing
Test tool selection
Test effort estimation
+esource planning and determining roles and
responsibilities.
$pproved
test
plan.strategy
document.
"ffort
estimation
document
signed off.

Test
plan.strategy
document.
"ffort
estimation
document.

Test case
development
+e)uirements
&ocuments
+T1 and test
plan
$utomation
analysis report
Create test cases, automation scripts (where
applicable
+eview and baseline test cases and scripts
Create test data
+eviewed and
signed test
Cases.scripts
+eviewed and
signed test
data

Test
cases.scripts
Test data

Test
"nvironment
setup
System &esign
and architecture
documents are
available
"nvironment
set!up plan is
available
3nderstand the re)uired architecture,
environment set!up
0repare hardware and software re)uirement list
,inali2e connectivity re)uirements
0repare environment setup chec(list
Setup test "nvironment and test data
0erform smo(e test on the build
$ccept.reject the build depending on smo(e
test result
"nvironment
setup is
wor(ing as
per the plan
and chec(list
Test data
setup is
complete
Smo(e test is
successful

"nvironment
ready with
test data set
up
Smo(e Test
+esults.

Test
"#ecution
'aselined +T1,
Test 0lan , Test
case.scripts are
"#ecute tests as per plan
&ocument test results, and log defects for
failed cases
$ll tests
planned are
e#ecuted
Completed
+T1 with
e#ecution
available
Test
environment is
ready
Test data set up
is done
3nit.Integration
test report for
the build to be
tested is
available
3pdate test plans.test cases, if necessary
1ap defects to test cases in +T1
+etest the defect fi#es
+egression testing of application
Trac( the defects to closure

&efects
logged and
trac(ed to
closure

status
Test cases
updated with
results
&efect reports
Test Cycle
closure
Testing has been
completed
Test results are
available
&efect logs are
available
"valuate cycle completion criteria based on !
Time, Test coverage , Cost , Software *uality ,
Critical 'usiness 4bjectives
0repare test metrics based on the above
parameters.
&ocument the learning out of the project
0repare Test closure report
*ualitative and )uantitative reporting of )uality
of the wor( product to the customer.
Test result analysis to find out the defect
distribution by type and severity
Test Closure
report signed
off by client

Test Closure
report
Test metrics

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