How do you modify your testing approach for different domains?

1 Domain Analysis

The first step to modify your testing approach is to analyze the domain of the application you are testing. Domain analysis is the process of identifying and understanding the key features, concepts, rules, and relationships of a specific problem domain. By doing domain analysis, you can determine the scope, complexity, and criticality of the application, as well as the expectations and needs of the users and stakeholders. Domain analysis can help you define the test objectives, test levels, test types, test techniques, and test criteria for your testing strategy.

2 Test Design

The next step is to design your tests based on the domain analysis. Test design is the process of creating and organizing test cases, test data, test scripts, and test scenarios that cover the test objectives and criteria. Test design can benefit from object oriented design principles and techniques, such as abstraction, encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, and modularity. By applying these principles and techniques, you can create reusable, maintainable, and extensible test components that can handle the variations and complexities of the domain.

3 Test Implementation

The third step is to implement your tests using the appropriate tools and frameworks. Test implementation is the process of developing and configuring the test components, test environment, test drivers, and test stubs that are needed to execute the tests. Test implementation can also leverage object oriented design principles and techniques, such as interfaces, classes, objects, methods, properties, and events. By using these principles and techniques, you can create flexible, robust, and scalable test components that can interact with the application under test and the test environment.

4 Test Execution

The fourth step is to execute your tests and monitor the results. Test execution is the process of running the test components against the application under test and collecting the test outcomes, such as pass, fail, error, or inconclusive. Test execution can vary depending on the domain of the application, such as the frequency, duration, mode, and scope of the tests. For example, some domains may require more frequent or longer tests, such as safety-critical or real-time systems, while others may require more manual or exploratory tests, such as user interfaces or creative applications.

5 Test Evaluation

The fifth step is to evaluate your tests and report the findings. Test evaluation is the process of analyzing and interpreting the test outcomes, such as the quality, reliability, performance, usability, security, and functionality of the application. Test evaluation can also depend on the domain of the application, such as the criteria, standards, metrics, and thresholds that are used to measure and compare the test results. For example, some domains may have more strict or specific criteria, such as regulatory or legal requirements, while others may have more subjective or flexible criteria, such as user satisfaction or market acceptance.

6 Test Modification

The final step is to modify your tests based on the feedback and changes. Test modification is the process of updating and improving the test components, test environment, test strategy, and test plan based on the test evaluation and the changes in the application or the domain. Test modification can also benefit from object oriented design principles and techniques, such as refactoring, inheritance, polymorphism, and modularity. By applying these principles and techniques, you can adapt your tests to the new or modified features, concepts, rules, and relationships of the domain.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?