Phase 2: Test Case Development¶

Overview¶

Test Case Development involves designing and documenting detailed test scenarios, test cases, and test scripts that will be used to validate the software application.

Objectives¶

Create comprehensive test coverage for all requirements
Design reusable and maintainable test cases
Establish clear pass/fail criteria
Document test procedures and expected results
Enable consistent test execution

Key Activities¶

1. Requirements Analysis¶

Review and understand functional requirements
Analyze non-functional requirements
Identify testable requirements
Clarify ambiguities with stakeholders
Trace requirements to test cases

2. Test Design Techniques¶

Black-Box Techniques¶

Equivalence Partitioning: Divide inputs into valid and invalid partitions
Boundary Value Analysis: Test at boundaries of input domains
Decision Tables: Test combinations of inputs and conditions
State Transition Testing: Test state changes and transitions
Use Case Testing: Derive tests from use cases

White-Box Techniques¶

Statement Coverage: Execute all code statements
Branch Coverage: Execute all decision branches
Path Coverage: Test all possible execution paths
Condition Coverage: Test all boolean conditions

Experience-Based Techniques¶

Error Guessing: Anticipate common errors
Exploratory Testing: Simultaneous learning and testing
Checklist-Based Testing: Use predefined checklists

3. Test Case Structure¶

Each test case should include: - Test Case ID: Unique identifier - Test Case Title: Descriptive name - Test Objective: Purpose of the test - Preconditions: Setup requirements before test execution - Test Steps: Detailed step-by-step instructions - Test Data: Input data required for the test - Expected Results: Expected outcome for each step - Actual Results: Space for recording actual outcomes - Status: Pass/Fail/Blocked/Not Executed - Priority: High/Medium/Low - Test Type: Functional, Integration, Regression, etc.

4. Test Suite Organization¶

Group related test cases into test suites
Organize by feature, module, or test type
Create smoke test suite for critical functionality
Develop regression test suite for existing features
Maintain sanity test suite for quick validation

5. Test Data Management¶

Identify test data requirements
Create realistic and comprehensive test data sets
Include positive and negative test scenarios
Ensure data privacy and security compliance
Document test data dependencies

6. Automation Considerations¶

Identify candidates for test automation
Design test cases with automation in mind
Consider maintainability and reusability
Document automation requirements
Define automation framework needs

7. Review and Validation¶

Peer review of test cases
Validate coverage against requirements
Ensure test cases are clear and executable
Update based on review feedback
Obtain approval from stakeholders

Deliverables¶

Test Cases: Documented test procedures
Test Scripts: Automated test scripts (if applicable)
Test Data Sets: Prepared test data
Traceability Matrix: Mapping requirements to test cases
Test Case Review Report: Results of peer reviews

Best Practices¶

Write clear, concise, and unambiguous test cases
Ensure test cases are independent and atomic
Make test cases reusable across different test cycles
Maintain version control for test cases
Use standardized naming conventions
Include both positive and negative test scenarios
Keep test cases simple and easy to understand
Regular review and updates of test cases

Common Challenges and Solutions¶

Challenge: Poor Requirement Quality¶

Solution: Collaborate closely with business analysts, conduct requirement review sessions, document clarifications and assumptions, and use examples and scenarios to clarify ambiguous requirements.

Challenge: Test Case Maintenance Overhead¶

Solution: Design modular and reusable test cases, implement parameterization for data-driven tests, regular cleanup of obsolete test cases, and use test case management tools with versioning.

Challenge: Achieving Adequate Coverage¶

Solution: Use traceability matrix to track coverage, apply multiple test design techniques, conduct coverage gap analysis, and prioritize based on risk and business criticality.

Challenge: Test Case Review Bottlenecks¶

Solution: Schedule regular review sessions, use collaborative review tools, implement peer review process, define clear review criteria and checklists, and empower team members to approve.

Challenge: Balancing Detail vs. Simplicity¶

Solution: Focus on essential steps and data, use references for common procedures, maintain separate documentation for setup procedures, and adjust detail level based on audience and test type.

Metrics to Track¶

Number of test cases developed per requirement
Test case development productivity (test cases per day)
Requirements coverage percentage
Test case review defect rate
Test case reusability ratio
Automation readiness percentage
Average time to develop test case
Test case approval timeline

Methodology-Specific Considerations¶

Agile/Scrum¶

Test cases developed alongside user stories
Focus on acceptance criteria
Continuous refinement during sprints
Emphasis on automation for regression
Living documentation approach

Waterfall¶

Complete test case development in dedicated phase
Comprehensive coverage before execution begins
Formal review and approval process
Detailed documentation standards
Traceability to requirements document

Tools and Technologies¶

Test Case Management: TestRail, Zephyr, qTest, TestLink
Test Design: Hexawise (combinatorial testing), Tricentis Tosca
Requirements Management: Jira, Azure DevOps, IBM DOORS
Code Coverage: JaCoCo, Istanbul, Coverage.py, OpenCover
Automation Frameworks: Selenium, Cypress, Playwright, Appium
API Testing: Postman, SoapUI, REST Assured

The following templates support Test Case Development activities:

Primary Templates¶

Test Case Template - Standardized test case documentation format
Use this template for documenting individual test cases with detailed steps, expected results, and execution tracking
Includes sections for test objectives, preconditions, test steps, expected/actual results, and defect linkage
Traceability Matrix Template - Requirements-to-test cases mapping
Use this template to establish and maintain traceability between requirements and test cases
Ensures complete test coverage and enables impact analysis when requirements change

Supporting Templates¶

Test Plan Template - Reference for test strategy and approach
Risk Assessment Template - Consider risks when prioritizing test case development

Examples¶

Test Case Suite Example - Complete test case suite with 12 detailed test cases covering guest checkout, payment processing (PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay), promotional codes, mobile testing, and error handling. Includes functional, integration, and negative test scenarios.

Previous Phase¶

Test Planning

Next Phase¶

Proceed to Test Environment Preparation once test cases are approved.