Building a Software Testing Process

Software testing is not about just running tests, it includes multiple key stages.

Test management involves strategy definition, work planning, and resources allocation.

Requirements analysis allows us to figure out how the software should work, identify potential risks, and determine the points of special attention.

Test development includes creation of test cases and scenarios which can help in testing the product on different levels. A proper configuration of a test environment is also important, so that testing can be performed in conditions close to the real ones.

Test execution/running—manual or automated, depending on the task. Any issues found are recorded, and their correction is controlled as part of the defect tracking and fixing process.

After every code change, it is important to make sure that all previous functions still work as they should. It is done through regression testing. If the process is automated, tests will be faster and more regular. Test automation is an important tool for improving efficiency.

Ultimately, testing should not be limited to finding bugs, but should rather contribute to the product quality. That’s why the testing process also includes quality assurance (QA) to prevent defects at the early stages of development.

Reports are made to help all stakeholders stay informed about the results of the testing process. These can help analyze the results and make informed decisions.

A well-designed testing process not only allows you to find bugs, but also makes the product better, more reliable, and more user-friendly.

Chaotic and haphazard testing is useless—it wastes resources but doesn’t assure quality. Software testing management makes this process more systemic, focused, predictable, effective, and truly useful.

A properly organized software testing not only identifies bugs, but also helps build an effective process which can reduce risks, minimize the cost of bug fixing, and speed up the product release.

Test management includes several key areas:

• Planning and coordination—to define testing objectives, steer the team's efforts in the right direction, identify and allocate resources in the best possible way.
• Progress monitoring and QC of tasks—to avoid delays and quickly respond to problems.
• Risk management—to identify potential risks and minimize or eliminate them before they lead to serious disruptions.
• Analysis of previous testing cycles—to better understand existing weaknesses and areas for improvement.
• Standardization—to implement and standardize best practices and processes, leading to more efficient and predictable testing.
• Release readiness assessment—to evaluate whether a product is ready for release based on established testing criteria.

Additionally, test management includes detailed reporting and documentation which ensure process transparency for the stakeholders.

A proper organization of testing is not just a formality, it’s a real way for creating reliable products of high quality.

For software testing to produce real benefits, it’s important to not just look for bugs, but also to prevent defects.

In our work, we follow the best practices that allow us to thoroughly test software and release high-quality products:

• We involve testers at an early stage. The earlier you start testing, the better are your chances to find critical mistakes. We can identify potential problems even during the planning stage and reduce the cost of fixing them.
• We verify and update requirements. Clear, readable, and verifiable requirements help create accurate and effective tests.
• We automate labor-intensive and repetitive checks to speed up testing and minimize human errors.
• We regularly perform regression testing to ensure that new changes do not affect the existing functionality. Checks after each release help avoid unpleasant surprises.
• We analyze the causes of defects to understand how they can be prevented in the future and improve development and testing processes.
• We continuously train our team. Modern testing approaches, new tools, and analysis of complex cases allow our testers to work more effectively.
• We ensure effective communication between the development, testing, and customer teams that is one of the key factors for successful testing.

These approaches help us build a software testing process that not only identifies errors but also improves the product at every stage of the development.

Effective testing is impossible without direct involvement in the development process. We don't wait for the code to be finished; instead, we work simultaneously with developers to identify and fix bugs as early as possible.

This is how we do it:

• Testers participate in requirement discussions. The better we understand the system’s logic, the more accurate will be the test cases, and the lower will be the chance to miss critical mistakes.
• We use test management tools. Jira, TestRail, Allure, and other systems help us track test cases, verification statuses, and defects, ensuring the testing process transparency.
• We regularly synchronize with developers. Constant interaction between the testing and development teams helps us solve problems quickly without postponing them until after the release.
• We analyze defects and work to prevent them. Every error is not just a bug which needs to be fixed, but rather an opportunity to improve processes and enhance product quality.

This approach makes software testing a part of the development process rather than a separate stage, allowing us to release high-quality functional products faster.

The time required to build a software testing process depends on the project’s complexity and scope of requirements. In case of a small system with clear requirements, building the testing process will take less time. For complex products with multiple integrations, dynamically changing requirements, and high regulatory requirements, the testing process will take longer to deploy.

The time required depends on the following:

• The scope and complexity of your requirements—the more functions need to be tested, the more tests will be needed.
• The level of automation—if the project already has a testing infrastructure in place, the process will be faster. If automation must be done from scratch, it will require additional time.
• Team size and available resources—the more specialists are involved in testing, the faster the processes can be set up.
• Development methodology—in Agile, we can gradually expand the software testing process; whereas in Waterfall, full preparation is usually required before testing can begin.

At first, we assess the scope of work, plan resources, and determine the optimal approach, so that testing doesn’t become a formality but could actually improve the product quality.