1)Run all of the existing tests

The most widely used regression strategy is to run all of the existing tests. If there is a test that has been written, and it was run before, it goes into the regression suite. But this strategy has a few downsides. If all those tests are manual - after running the same tests 4-5 times, the testers are going to be bored and exhausted. If the regression suite includes all of the existing tests, it's going to be enormous. Even when a regression suite contains all of the tests, and they all pass, this doesn't mean there aren't defects.

Testing an application 100 percent is probably impossible. Testing 100 percent of an application means testing every single field - every single combination of input, between all of the fields, menu options, output, etc. You typically don't have time to do that. So, even those "run all existing tests regression suites", only contain tests on a certain percentage of the application.

2)Run tests that are high risk

Another method used for regression suites is to run tests that are high risk. The tests you need to run should be prioritized by the business users. Tests that are the most important to the business users are those processes the business users do all the time-and the functionality is critical to them. Remember that as the application changes, the key business processes may also change. It is important to specify a time limit in your test plan for the high-risk tests. Depending on what else needs to be included in the regression suite, 30-40 percent of your total regression time can be allotted for high risk tests.

3)High-defect features

The third method is high-defect features. This tests typical areas of the application that are high defect areas or areas that are highly complex. Perhaps it's just the feature that is complex - it may include intricate calculations or integration with one or more other applications. This also includes functionalities that have had many defects in the past.

4)Exploratory testing

The final method is called exploratory testing - this is NOT random testing. True random testing can be done by anyone - with no knowledge of the application or testing - it is totally random. Exploratory testing is about doing test case design and execution at the same time. As you create and execute these tests, you discover problems and features within the application. These discoveries drive what is tested next. Make sure there are enough notes for you and the developer to reproduce any issues. Exploratory testing takes advantage of the tester's experience and understanding of application testing.

5)Automation testing

If you have a number of regression tests, automation can be wonderful to decrease the number of tests to run manually. Automation tools, such as HP's Unified Functional Testing, will execute the tests quickly. Therefore, this reduces the amount of time needed to run the same test during the regression testing phase. A manual test may take five minutes to run, but that same test may take less than a minute to run through Unified Functional Testing. This can help you to get a more comprehensive regression test suite.

However, automation is not a quick fix. Automation scripts take time to develop. You have to allow for time between regression runs to develop and get the tests working. If your environment is changing, automation scripts will need to be updated accordingly.

Resources

Top Categories

Product

Company