How to Identify Test Conditions and Design Test Cases

For design test cases the first thing needed to be done, is to identify the test conditions. Before staring the test we must know, what to test, the inputs, and corresponding result. Test design starts with the test cases and tester need to specify the test cases that are going to be executed. Test conditions are documented in a Test Design Specification. This document is used in choosing the test conditions and deciding their order. After deciding the test condition the next job is to design the test cases. Test cases are documented in a Test Case Specification. Test cases can be documented as specified by the IEEE 829 standard for Test Documentation. Even test procedures are also documented in a Test Procedure Specification. This formality of test documentation is well controlled and expects the ideal outputs. The level of formality is decided mainly by the work-culture of the organization.

Test Analysis: Identifying Test Conditions

A test condition is simply ‘something that can be test.’ Test conditions can be rather vague and may cover a larger range of possibilities that can be easily handled. One must be rather careful in selecting the test conditions. Also, there must be the presence of the traceability in the test conditions, in case of any unexpected behavior.

Test Design: Specifying test cases

After deciding the test conditions, we now want have to decide test cases that are merely an input, but covers a number of conditions within itself. Along with these inputs, you must also be having the corresponding output to decide whether the system’s performance was a success or failure. Whether the system did, what it is expected to do, or not? The test case also tells, what kind of environment should be present to implement it and why the test case exists, i.e., the objective of the test case.

Test Implementation: Specifying test procedures

After creating the test cases, their sequence of execution need also be decided, as many test cases can only be run after some previous test cases, being executed. ‘Test procedure’ (a document) documents these steps. The logical and technical dependencies between and among the test cases is also taken into account.