Testing team members meet, discuss and analyze testing artifacts to identify strategies that have to be implemented in future, taking lessons from current test cycle. The exit criteria for test closure are the conditions to be fulfilled before concluding the testing phase. This includes providing a Test Closure Report, a complete document summarizing testing activities, results, and observations, and getting official approval from the client. The testing team should organize and store test data, documents, reports, logs, and configurations generated during the testing phase. This ensures the information is appropriately documented, preserved, and accessible for future reference, enabling traceability, compliance, auditing, and troubleshooting.
It is a documented proof, that can be referred to at any time by either party, of all errors and their corrective actions, test cases, and their analysis, software metrics etc. Test Closure marks an end to all testing that can be done on the software and hence, it is the final step before the actual release of the final product. By leveraging automation tools like Testsigma, preparing test closure reports becomes easier. This tool enables the QA team to generate customized pieces with a click and provides flexibility, accuracy, and valuable insights for data-driven decision-making in future projects. As a quality assurance (QA) professional, you know the importance of documenting and communicating the results of your testing activities.
What Do You Understand by Test Closure Activities?
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This report, in short, indicates the culmination of testing and is an important part of Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). “Everyone at the job fair was so helpful and knowledgeable it was great to talk with them so close after the Georgia-Pacific Mill closure,” said City of Perry resident, Jarvis Howell. “At the Job Fair there were multiple state agencies that I was happy to meet with and discuss job options with following the impacts of hurricane Idalia,” said City of Perry resident, Tammy Jean Anderson. “It was very informative, and I thank the state for their work in connecting resources like Disaster Unemployment Assistance within the community.” The fifth step of test closure is to celebrate and recognize the test team’s achievements and contributions.
Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC)
You should also estimate the testing effort, resources, budget, schedule, and scope, and define the testing strategy, approach, methodology, and criteria. The fourth step of test closure is to conduct a test closure meeting with the stakeholders, such as the project manager, the development team, the customer, and the test team. The purpose of the test closure meeting is to communicate the test results and outcomes, to discuss the lessons learned and best practices from the testing process, and to provide feedback and suggestions for improvement. You should prepare an agenda and a presentation for the test closure meeting, and invite the relevant participants. You should also encourage an open and constructive dialogue, and address any questions or concerns that may arise. You should also mention the test environment and tools that were used, and the test deliverables that were produced, such as test plans, test cases, test scripts, test data, and test reports.
- A test closure report is created once the testing of a software is completed successfully, and the product has met the exit criteria.
- A test closure checklist is a valuable tool to review and verify the completion and quality of testing activities, deliverables, and artifacts.
- The information encourages collaboration and transparency by considering diverse opinions.
- The Test Closure Report plays an important role in ensuring the success of testing projects.
- The test closure phase is also a good time to enhance your testing skills and knowledge, and prepare yourself for the next testing challenge.
A check against the test exit criteria is very essential to claim that the testing is now complete. Before putting an end to the test process, the product quality is measured against the test completion criteria. In this activity, the team lead or manager ensures that all test work, including test cases, plans, and strategies, has been completed without any deletions. They also cross-check the documents to address all known bugs or errors appropriately. You should also propose action items and suggestions for improving the test quality and efficiency, such as adopting new technologies or methodologies, implementing new standards or policies, or conducting more training or coaching. While executing a test case, re-testing defects and performing regression test case, Test results articulate should be saved and can be produced along with the test cycle closure documents to support the completion of test execution.
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Using the checklist will ensure that all testing requirements have been met, tasks fulfilled, and resources released or archived. A test closure checklist is a useful tool for ensuring that all necessary tasks and steps are completed before formally closing the testing process, and that the exit criteria and quality standards defined in the test plan are met. Test closure best practices provide guidance to help you conduct the test closure phase in an efficient and effective way, as well as avoid common challenges or pitfalls.
You should also identify and quantify the key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics that measure your test process and performance, such as test productivity, test defect density, test return on investment, or test automation rate. Test Execution Phase is carried out by the testers in which testing of the software build is done based on test plans and test cases prepared. The process consists of test script execution, test script maintenance and bug reporting.
Points covered in a test closure report:
It is a way to thank them for their collaboration and support, and to solicit their feedback and approval. You should write a test closure email after you have finalized and delivered all the test artifacts, and before you start the next testing cycle or project. You should use a clear and concise subject line, a polite and respectful greeting, a brief and informative body, and a courteous and positive closing. In this stage, the test environments are cleaned and stored in their original state. Any test data, configurations, or setups used during testing are removed or reset. It’s like tidying up after the testing activities to prepare for future projects.
This will help to ensure that the testing process is thorough and that any potential issues are identified and addressed before the software is released. This will help to ensure that the testing process is focused on the most important areas of the software and that the testing team is able to deliver high-quality results. Overall, the STLC is an important process that helps to ensure the quality of software applications and provides a systematic approach to testing. It allows organizations to release high-quality software that meets the needs of their customers, ultimately leading to customer satisfaction and business success. The stages of the STLC include Test Planning, Test Analysis, Test Design, Test Environment Setup, Test Execution, Test Closure, and Defect Retesting.
How do you celebrate and recognize the test team’s achievements and contributions?
You should review the test closure report and the feedback from the stakeholders, and identify the areas of improvement and the action items for the next testing cycle. You should also update the test plan, test strategy, test cases, test data, test tools, and test environment, based on the changes or enhancements in the software product or the project. You should also allocate the resources, schedule the tasks, and assign the roles and responsibilities for the next testing cycle. Test action items are the specific tasks or activities that need to be performed or implemented to address the test improvement areas. These can be derived from the test improvement areas, or from the recommendations and suggestions of stakeholders and customers. Test action items should be used to define concrete and measurable steps or outcomes that will improve the testing process, as well as assign roles and responsibilities for executing them.
Hence, let us understand the significance of test closure activities with the assistance of the following discussion. Following the content in this article of Appsierra, seasoned testers and newcomers craft an informative test closure report in software testing. Also relevant to identifying areas of improvement and setting the stage for future projects.
Checking for completion of tests
A test closure report is created once the testing of a software is completed successfully, and the product has met the exit criteria. Test closure reports in software testing provide a summary of the testing phase. It also highlights the achieved milestones, identified defects, and software quality—such depictions foster transparency, enabling stakeholders to make informed decisions. Its outcomes, lessons learned, and any significant findings or recommendations, and thus, test closure report in software testing serves as a record of the testing activities.