PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF TEST DESIGN TECHNIQUES WHEN DEVELOPING TEST CASES. PART 2.

Many people know what test design is, but not everyone can use it. To clarify the situation a bit, we offer you a consistent approach to the development of test cases using the simplest test design techniques.

Developing of a test pattern

Let’s create a template for the planned test on the basis of CE technology and, if possible, available Usage cases. In this document, the steps and expected results of the test will be presented, but without the specific data that are inserted in the next stage of the test case development.

Example of a test case template

Action	Expected result
1. Open the Sending a message form	The form is open All fields are empty by default Required fields are marked – * The Send button is not active
2. Fill in the form fields: Type of request Contact person Contact number Message	The fields are filled in “Send” button – Enabled
3. Click the “Send” button	If the data is correct – The message “Request sent” displayed on the screen. The new request appeared in the list on the “Requests” page. If the entered data is NOT correct – A validation message containing all errors is displayed. The application does NOT appear on the “Applications” page.

Writing test cases based on initial requirements, test data and test pattern

After the test data and test steps are ready to proceed directly to the development of test cases. Here we will be helped by such methods of combining as:

Consecutive search. It is a search of all possible combinations of the available values. Thus, it turns out that the number of test cases will be equal to the product of the number of test data options for each field. For our specific example, we get 1170 test cases.
Pairwise Testing. Often, failures cause not a complex combination of all parameters, but a combination of only a couple of parameters. The pairing technique allows creating test sets combining data from two fields. Due to this, the number of test cases obtained at the output is several times smaller than when combining the same data set in a sequential search. Note also that at the moment there are several algorithms for generating combinations for pair testing: Orthogonal Arrays Testing, All pairs, IPO (In-Parameter Order). So, for example, when using the All Pairs technique in our particular case, we get only 118 test cases.

Upon completion of the data combinations preparation, we substitute them in the test case template, and as a result we have a set of test cases covering the requirements we test for the application form.
Note:

As a reminder, the test cases are divided according to the expected result into positive and negative test cases.

Example of a positive test case (all fields OK):

Action	Expected result
1. Open the Sending a message form	The form is open All fields are empty by default Required fields are marked – * The Send button is not active
2. Fill in the form fields: Type of request = Consultation The contact person = qwertyqwertyqwerty Contact number = +7-916-111-11-11 Message	The fields are filled in “Send” button – Enabled
3. Click the “Send” button	The message “Application sent” is displayed. A new application has appeared in the list on the “Applications” page.

Example of negative case test (The Contact person field – NOK):

Action	Expected result
1. Open the Sending a message form	The form is open All fields are empty by default Required fields are marked – * The Send button is not active
2. Fill in the form fields: Type of request = Consultation The contact person = @#$%^&;.?,>\|\/№”!()_{}[<~ Contact number = (916)333-33-33 Message = qwertyqwe(…)rty – 1024 digits	The fields are filled in “Send” button – Enabled
3. Click the “Send” button	A validation message containing all errors is displayed: “The use of numbers and special characters in the Contact person field is forbidden” The application does NOT appear in the list on the “Applications” page.

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