Is software testing really important?

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When the vendor provides its annual release, the organization likely goes through formal testing. But what about patches and bug fixes? Don’t you always do formal testing cycles, playing test roulette?

Testing is a critical step in the implementation process to ensure that the software works as expected, meets requirements, and delivers the desired results. It helps identify errors or defects that may impact the functionality, reliability or performance of the system. The testing effort involved will vary depending on the type and magnitude of the change.

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Types of tests

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There are several different types of tests to customize and meet your needs. Here are some types of tests:

1. Regression testing – testing to ensure that the change has not negatively impacted existing functionality.

2. Negative testing – intentional testing for invalid inputs to verify that the software recognizes and handles the error.

3. Integration testing – tests the different modules to ensure that they integrate and work correctly together.

4. Security Testing – includes tests such as penetration testing to identify security vulnerabilities.

5. Compatibility testing – to check that the software works on different devices, browsers and operating systems.

6. Documentation testing – to test the correctness of the documentation. Collect user feedback on the usefulness of the documentation.

7. Accessibility Testing – tests accessibility for users with disabilities to ensure that the software meets applicable accessibility standards.

Testing Best Practices

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An organization may not test because it “trusts” the vendor or underestimates the potential risks and consequences of not testing. But while everyone is busy with competing priorities, another reason is resource constraints. They believe they do not have adequate resources (e.g., qualified personnel, time, or budget) to test. Whatever the reason, they may assume that the risks of not testing are minimal or manageable and not prioritize testing.

There are best practices for testing technology. First there are human resources. Be sure to involve IT as well as relevant business users to ensure all aspects of testing are properly evaluated. There is a relevant quote: “Many hands make light work.” » The next best practice is to have a separate testing environment (so that you are not testing in production).

When testing, create comprehensive test plans/scripts to provide a roadmap for the testing process. Define test scope, resources, and scenarios using real-world scenarios to test functionality, security, and performance in a more realistic environment. Document test results comparing actual results to expected results. If the test fails, track defects using an issue tracking system. This will allow you to capture, prioritize and track issues until resolved.

Unlike a big birthday party, no one likes big surprises (i.e. a major issue) after a seemingly minor fix is implemented in production. If you test well and there are issues, you may decide to accept the risk of moving forward and temporarily creating a workaround.

If you install software (even a patch or bug fix) without testing it, you run the risk of unintended results/consequences. Is the risk of not testing greater than the time saved by not testing? If you follow best practices, you can make the testing process more efficient.

For more information on the value of testing, follow me on LinkedIn!

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