It is imperative for the test engineers to deliver a reliable, trust-worthy error report but even after identifying and retesting all the defects, something is left out and always identified at the UAT phase. Reason? An unplanned test data management strategy.
Test data management can only happen by testing “test data”. In order to get an output, a tester needs to input some data inside the application, or testing software. This data further undergoes permutation and combinations for testing purposes. All the types of text from numeric, alphabets, alphanumeric, special characters to the lengthy text everything is included in the texting box under IT test environment management.
As you start to add more functionalities to your application, the corresponding test data also increases. You can try different input variations like user credentials, environmental data, setup data, input/output data, databases, and more for testing.
Why Test data is important in Software testing?
Suppose that, you have created a form on your application that requires name, address, and password input. It is pretty obvious that you would have tested the test data of all the input field functionality. After ensuring the test data, the application is deployed to the production environment.
Now when the user starts filling up the form and presses the Submit button, it results in a Blank page. Why so? When everything was tested what went wrong? The reason is, QA team forgot to check for the blank Field case. This if goes to the end-user, results in havoc and affects the reputation and trustworthiness of the company.
Hence it is imperative to have an exhaustive check of the test data. The test data checklist highlights are as given below:
- No data / Default data
- Valid data set
- Invalid data set
- Illegal data format (corrupted)
- Boundary Condition data set
- Data set for performance, load, and stress testing
Test Data Management:
If obsolete, absent, or wrong data comes in during the software testing, it can produce an unreliable, incomplete result which can be turned into a bug later. To overcome any such situation, it is important to have a systematic approach toward testing. The data collection can be done in any manner be it, excel sheet, Word document, Text file, etc.
For test data collection, you need to perform sampling, copy production data, copy test data from the legacy client team, and generate data using automated software. This preparation of data is many times referred to as test-bed preparation.
The difficulty that lies here is to collect data, that reflects future production data and covers all the aspects of how the user is going to use this application. New methodologies have been initiated for software testing owing to faster, precise product release cycles. Companies are looking out for new technologies that would have the right potential and at the same time, be cost-effective.
A systematic test data management means faster deployment of applications, and a speedy way to achieve the business objectives. It would be worth it if the company realize the importance and start investing in Test Data Management instead of putting themselves at risk. It is always better to ask an expert like
enov8 and get an effective test data management strategy.
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