Exercises – “Let´s make it better”
Introduction: Risk Analysis in Testing Domains
Welcome to this important chapter in our exploration of testing. In this part, we will speak about Risk Management and learn how to analyze the risk in Broad Testing Domains. In the vast expanse of software development, certain areas inherently carry more risk than others. Recognizing and understanding these high-risk zones is paramount to ensuring the robustness and reliability of our software products.
In this chapter, we will delve into the overarching concept of risk analysis, focusing on identifying and understanding high-risk areas within software projects rather than individual test cases.
Here’s a glimpse of what we’ll cover:
- The Essence of Risk: Before diving into specifics, we’ll establish a foundational understanding of what risk means in the broader context of software development and testing.
- Domains of Risk: We’ll explore various areas within software projects that are traditionally seen as high-risk zones. This could range from data security to user experience, from backend processing to frontend interactions, and more.
- Risk Assessment Techniques: Learn methodologies to evaluate and quantify the risks associated with different domains, helping you understand where to focus your testing efforts.
- Strategizing Based on Risk: With a clear understanding of high-risk domains, we’ll discuss strategies to allocate resources, time, and effort to ensure these areas are thoroughly tested.
- Hands-on Exploration: To cement your understanding, you’ll be tasked with identifying high-risk domains in given scenarios and, crucially, in your own projects or experiences. This practical exercise will help you internalize the concepts and apply them in real-world contexts.
By the end of this chapter, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge and skills to pinpoint high-risk areas in software projects, ensuring that your testing efforts are channeled effectively to safeguard against potential vulnerabilities.
Let’s embark on this journey of understanding risk at a macro level and fortifying our software projects against unforeseen challenges!
Topics
- Risks of test automation
- Requirements of Test Automation
- Creating Automation Scenarios
- Who is involved in test automation?
Goal:
When you finish this unit, you will be able to answer the following questions, explore the concepts and explain it to others:
- How to identify relevant requirements?
- How to define risks in test automation?
- How to select a good scenario?
Outcomes
When you finish this unit, you will be able to:
- find possible risks regarding the Use Case or the Requirements
- formulate a TA scenario. At Example: I know what to do to formulate a good TA scenario.
Material
Task Introduction: Analyzing Risk in Your Formulated Scenario
Having explored Booking.com and crafted your unique scenario, it’s time to delve into the heart of risk analysis. Every scenario, no matter how well-thought-out, carries inherent risks. Your challenge now is to identify and articulate these risks, ensuring that when it comes to testing, you’re prepared to address the most critical areas first.
Objective:
Your goal is to dissect the scenario you’ve developed for Booking.com , pinpointing areas that present the highest risk. These could be areas with significant data flow, user interactions, financial transactions, or any other elements that, if malfunctioning, could have a substantial impact.
Instructions:
| Feel free to use the provided whiteboard. |
| 1. Revisit Your Scenario: Begin by revisiting the scenario you’ve formulated. Familiarize yourself with its intricacies, ensuring you have a clear understanding of its flow and functionalities. |
| 2. Highlight High-Risk Areas: On your visual representation, mark or highlight sections you believe carry the highest risk. Think about where things could go wrong and the potential implications of such issues. |
| 3. Capture Visual Evidence: Take screenshots or make notes on the whiteboard that detail the high-risk areas. This visual documentation will serve as a reference point for your analysis. |
| 4. Articulate the Risks: For each high-risk area you’ve pinpointed, provide a detailed explanation. Why do you see it as a risk? What are the potential consequences if this part of the scenario fails or malfunctions? |
| 5. Link Back to Your Scenario: Ensure that each risk you identify is clearly linked back to a specific part of your scenario. This will help in contextualizing the risk and understanding its origin. |
| By the end of this task, you’ll have transformed your scenario into a detailed risk map, highlighting areas that demand special attention during testing. This exercise is crucial in ensuring that when it’s time to test, your efforts are laser-focused on areas that matter most. |
Are you ready to scrutinize your scenario and uncover its potential vulnerabilities? Let’s get started!
Task Introduction: Crafting a Comprehensive Test for a High-Risk Area
Building on your previous work, it’s time to transition from identifying risks to actively addressing them. In this task, you’ll be focusing on one of the high-risk areas you’ve identified. With this in mind you are going to create your first detailed step-by-step test
Objective:
Your mission is to select one high-risk area from your scenario and create a comprehensive, step-by-step test guide for it. This guide should be so detailed that anyone, even without prior knowledge of the scenario, could execute the test seamlessly.
Instructions:
| 1. Select a High-Risk Area: Revisit the high-risk areas you’ve identified in the previous task. Choose one that you believe is particularly critical or intriguing. |
| 2. Define the Test’s Objective: Before diving into the steps, clearly state what you aim to achieve with this test. What specific aspect of the high-risk area are you testing? What potential issues are you looking to uncover? |
| 3. Detail Each Step: Ensure that each step in your test guide is clear, concise, and actionable. Include any prerequisites, expected outcomes, and potential variations. |
| By the end of this task, you’ll have crafted a meticulous test guide that not only addresses a high-risk area but also serves as a testament to your analytical and strategic testing skills. This exercise will further solidify your understanding of the importance of detailed testing, especially in areas with heightened vulnerabilities. |
Ready to craft a test that leaves no stone unturned? Let’s dive in and create a guide that stands as a beacon of thoroughness and precision!
Task Introduction: Sharing Your Test Guide with Fresh Eyes
You’ve identified high-risk areas on Booking.com and created a detailed test guide. Now, it’s time to see how clear and user-friendly your guide is by sharing it with someone who’s new to testing. This task will help you understand if your guide is easy to follow and if you can explain your testing process effectively to someone unfamiliar with the topic.
Objective:
Your mission is to introduce your identified high-risk area on Booking.com to someone unfamiliar with testing and guide them through the associated test steps. This exercise will gauge both the clarity of your guide and your communication prowess.
Instructions:
| 1. Choose Your Reviewer: Find a person (or several individuals) with little to no background in testing. This could be a colleague, a friend, or even a family member. If you’re struggling to find a suitable candidate, your learning coach is available, though they come with a testing background. |
| 2. Navigate to the High-Risk Area on Booking.com : Together with your reviewer, visit Booking.com and navigate to the specific high-risk area you’ve identified. Here, visually showcase and explain the steps in the booking process, emphasizing why you’ve deemed this area as high-risk. |
| 3. Guide Them Through the Test Steps: Once they have a grasp of the high-risk area, present your step-by-step test guide. Ask them to manually follow the guide on Booking.com , observing their interactions and noting any areas of confusion or uncertainty. |
| 4. Gather Feedback: After they’ve walked through the guide, seek their feedback. Were there steps that seemed ambiguous? Did they grasp the reasoning behind each testing action? Were they able to navigate the test without significant issues? |
| 5. Iterate Based on Feedback: Use the insights gathered to refine your test guide. The objective is to ensure that even someone unfamiliar with testing can navigate it effortlessly. |
This task is a blend of validation and communication. It’s about ensuring your test guide’s quality and refining your ability to articulate testing decisions to a broader audience. This skill is invaluable, ensuring that the significance of your testing endeavors is recognized and valued universally.
After engaging with the materials, let’s try to do some exercises in the form of a Quiz to put your knowledge into practice.