What is functional testing?
Functional testing validates that the software being developed continues to conform with the functional requirements that were originally specified. This is imperative because different functional capabilities are typically supported by a multitude of technologies which are then integrated within an ever-increasing number of systems and all of these have the potential to directly impact on development. Generally, functions are tested by feeding them with input and then examining the resultant output. To ensure smooth transitions and minimize errors and lost time throughout the development lifecycle, organizations should conduct ongoing, continuous testing. Functional testing can comprise of several forms of testing, including:
● Unit testing,
● Integration testing,
● User interface testing,
● System testing,
● Regression testing,
● Sanity testing,
● User acceptance testing.
This article will specifically focus on regression testing, including the reasons for conducting it and several tips to improve testing outcomes.
What is regression testing?
Regression testing takes place when a product is retested in the area where either a bug was fixed or a new capability was implemented. Any code directly affected by a change or update should go through regression testing to ensure no adverse effects occurred. Regression testing services verify that these modifications have not broken the existing code or had a negative impact on any other code. It enables organizations to test every call flow and ensures that those flows and any associated prompts still match the original specifications and requirements.
Why do organizations need to test?
Regression testing adopts a proactive approach to quality assurance (QA) testing, ensuring that all applications function as intended and that the changes made are correct and have not adversely affected any stage of the customer journey. This necessitates a comprehensive “Left to Right” testing strategy that encompasses the initial DevOps ‘Design and Build’ stage, QA, and all subsequent stages, culminating in the final ‘Production’ stage.”
5 tips for regression testing
1. Design the tests as the code is being written
Typically, software developers write the code, and once they complete it, they pass it on to the QA team for testing. However, for optimal CX, organizations should test the code before its completion – organizations should design their CX tests in parallel with writing the code. Developers and the testing team should work simultaneously to ensure that the code is ready to go live as soon as it is fully complete. This parallel work also serves the dual purpose of identifying bugs or issues much earlier during the code development process. At this stage, fixing the problems is much easier, cheaper, and faster, and there is no risk of negatively impacting users as the code has not yet gone live.
2. Balance test data with real life user experiences
A consistent issue for most organizations is the availability of test data. Real-world data from users is limited in availability. Low usage or automatic data erasures after specific time periods may result in such limitations. Businesses frequently use test data to supplement the limited real-life user experiences. This test data is valuable because the organization has complete control over the input of data. Unfortunately, it is important to keep in mind that this dummy data does not fully reflect real-life scenarios. As a result, organizations must strive to ensure that their test cases are developed based on what the experience of users should be and that a balanced approach is used.
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3. Utilize a clear, understood naming structure
While this may seem like an obvious tip, it is often overlooked. Developers and testers should organize test cases with a clear and unambiguous naming structure. This practice will enable organizations to quickly modify relevant test cases and precisely identify the location of bugs. Simply modifying one piece of code could have a resultant impact on hundreds of test cases. A well-understood and clear naming convention simplifies the extensive chain reactions that can result from these updates. When an issue arises in a specific scenario, having a name that links it to the documented design enables organizations to quickly identify the problem’s location and determine if it’s a defect in the design, the test case, or the application itself.
4. Maintain caution
Automated regression testing services enable organizations to set thresholds to determine whether a test passes or not. The thresholds can vary significantly depending on the industry, the customer/user base, and the expected journeys. Most businesses choose to maintain caution and apply a high standard or conservative approach. Organizations must always ensure that their threshold is sufficiently high so that scripts that should fail, actually fail. For example a prompt could omit the word “not” and state “You will be charged for this order”, while the system would rank that phrase at an 88% confidence level, a significant difference exists between informing a customer that they will be charged for an order and that they will not be charged.
5. Make continuous integration part of the business’s CX culture
The most successful CX organizations have already integrated continuous and automated testing into their company’s CX culture. This requires that all employees across the business understand not only how to maintain test scripts and how the testing process operates; but also why it is such a crucial step in maintaining excellent CX. Continuous testing enables the development team to promptly respond to any identified issues, rather than relying on customers to report problems or, even worse, the issue going unnoticed.
Conclusion
Regression testing enables organizations to quickly check if defects have been introduced into their software after making changes or modifications to it. The word ‘regression’ itself actually means to return to a former or less developed state and this is the last thing that organizations want to do. Therefore, it is crucial to perform continuous, automated regression testing to promptly identify defects and issues after making changes. By conducting regression testing, organizations can assess the state of their CX and ensure that it remains stable and unaffected by the new code updates.
