Risk Based Testing
Most teams have limited resources, therefore optimally using the available resources is the key to achieve good quality. An expert software tester knows how to discover and mitigate risks early on in the development lifecycle and deliver a defect-free application.
In order to prioritize testing and identify problem areas faster, there is a need to discover risks early on in the sprint. A risk based testing approach encourages QAs to be aware of the elements that can cause project failure. Risk based testing consists of both mitigation and contingency:
Mitigation: Mitigation helps in reducing the probability of defects.
Contingency: Contingency helps in reducing the risk impact in case if the risk becomes an outcome
Risk based testing also comprises of risk analysis to eradicate or prevent defects by non-testing activities and accordingly choose the testing activities.
How Risk based Testing Helps
Risk-based testing optimizes testing by recognizing and eradicating risks that could have a negative impact on your organization. These days, mature QA organizations are implementing risk based testing to speed-up their testing process and improve results at the same time. Let’s understand the process involved with risk-based testing that helps organizations to grow and develop a successful application / software.
Here are the four main phases to be kept in mind while executing risk based testing:
Risk Identification: In this phase, all the possible risks are identified and defined for the functional modules of the application under test. This is done through risk workshops, interviewing, checklists, brainstorming, and root cause analysis.
Risk Analysis: After the risk has been identified, the risk is then analyzed and filtered based on the significance. In this phase, the tests are prioritized based on the criticality of the risk associated.
Risk based Testing Phases
Risk Response: Based on the analysis, it’s decided whether the risk requires a response or not. Some risks require a response in the project plan while some will require a response in project monitoring, and there will be some risks that will not require a response.
Risk Monitoring and Control: In this process, the risks identified are monitored, updated, analyzed, and then executed.
Technical and business specialists work together to evaluate risk levels for application features, which then map over to explicit test cases. These risks comprise of business risks along with technical risks, such as intricacy of the code and how frequently the code has been changed before being tested.
Subsequently, test cases are placed in order according to the risks, with the highest-risk tests are performed first. Depending upon budget and time, low-risk tests might be overlooked.
This is the basic philosophy of risk-based testing. Rather than trying to catch every bug, irrespective of its significance to the overall functionality and user experience, risk-based testing proposes a different approach based on prioritizing test cases in line with business and user impact.