Question

For this week’s Discussion, think of a specific testing scenario. Then consider a reliable test item for that testing scenario and an unreliable item for that same testing scenario. Consider how you might know if these items are reliable or unreliable.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post a brief description of a specific testing scenario. Then describe one reliable test item and one unreliable test item for that testing scenario. Finally, explain what determines whether an item is reliable or unreliable within the scenario you presented.

Answer 1

A Test Scenario is defined as any functionality that can be tested. It is also called Test Condition or Test Possibility. As a tester, you may put yourself in the end user’s shoes and figure out the real-world scenarios and use cases of the Application Under Test.

What is Scenario Testing?

Scenario Testing is a variant of Software Testing where Scenarios are Used for Testing. Scenarios help in an Easier Way of Testing of the more complicated Systems

Why create Test Scenarios?

Test Scenarios are created for the following reasons,

• Creating Test Scenarios ensures complete Test Coverage
• Test Scenarios can be approved by various stakeholders like Business Analyst, Developers, Customers to ensure the Application Under Test is thoroughly tested. It ensures that the software is working for the most common use cases.
• They serve as a quick tool to determine the testing work effort and accordingly create a proposal for the client or organize the workforce.
• They help determine the most important end-to-end transactions or the real use of the software applications.
• For studying the end-to-end functioning of the program, Test Scenario is critical.

When not create Test Scenario?

Test Scenarios may not be created when

• The Application Under Test is complicated, unstable and there is a time crunch in the project.
• Projects that follow Agile Methodology like Scrum, Kanban may not create Test Scenarios.
• Test Scenario may not be created for a new bug fix or Regression Testing. In such cases, Test Scenarios must be already heavily documented in the previous test cycles. This is especially true for Maintenance projects.

How to Write Test Scenarios

As a tester, you can follow these five steps to create Test Scenarios-

• Step 1: Read the Requirement Documents like BRS, SRS, FRS, of the System Under Test (SUT). You could also refer uses cases, books, manuals, etc. of the application to be tested.
• Step 2: For each requirement, figure out possible users actions and objectives. Determine the technical aspects of the requirement. Ascertain possible scenarios of system abuse and evaluate users with hacker's mindset.
• Step 3: After reading the Requirements Document and doing your due Analysis, list out different test scenarios that verify each feature of the software.
• Step 4: Once you have listed all possible Test Scenarios, a Traceability Matrix is created to verify that each & every requirement has a corresponding Test Scenario
• Step 5: The scenarios created are reviewed by your supervisor. Later, they are also reviewed by other Stakeholders in the project.

Tips to Create Test Scenarios

• Each Test Scenario should be tied to a minimum of one Requirement or User Story as per the Project Methodology.
• Before creating a Test Scenario that verifies multiple Requirements at once, ensure you have a Test Scenario that checks that requirement in isolation.
• Avoid creating overly complicated Test Scenarios spanning multiple Requirements.
• The number of scenarios may be large, and it is expensive to run them all. Based on customer priorities only run selected Test Scenarios

The term reliability in psychological research refers to the consistency of a research study or measuring test.

For example, if a person weighs themselves during the course of a day they would expect to see a similar reading. Scales which measured weight differently each time would be of little use.

The same analogy could be applied to a tape measure which measures inches differently each time it was used. It would not be considered reliable.

If findings from research are replicated consistently they are reliable. A correlation coefficient can be used to assess the degree of reliability. If a test is reliable it should show a high positive correlation.

Of course, it is unlikely the exact same results will be obtained each time as participants and situations vary, but a strong positive correlation between the results of the same test indicates reliability.

If the scale is reliable it tells you the same weight every time you step on it as long as your weight has not actually changed. However, if the scale is not working properly, this number may not be your actual weight. If that is the case, this is an example of a scale that is reliable, or consistent, but not valid. For the scale to be valid and reliable, not only does it need to tell you the same weight every time you step on the scale, but it also has to measure your actual weight.

Switching back to testing, the situation is essentially the same. A test can be reliable, meaning that the test-takers will get the same score no matter when or where they take it, within reason of course. But that doesn't mean that it is valid or measuring what it is supposed to measure. A test can be reliable without being valid. However, a test cannot be valid unless it is reliable.