When to know you’ve had enough: When is the right time to stop testing?

You know, it's quite common to see testers all pumped up and excited about a new project at the beginning. 

Think about it, the rush when they kick off the project reflects the detailed test documentation process. Test strategies, plans, and test cases are deeply discussed, and the team is super energized!  As the project evolves, testers start uncovering errors and bugs, which also get resolved or rectified. Then it's time for the next testing phase. Here's the twist: things start to feel a bit repetitive and, let's be honest, a tad boring. Still, that doesn't mean it's not important to continue testing. 

Regrettably, with each round of testing, a nagging question lingers in testers' minds: 'When can we be done already?’

Now, that's a million-dollar question. Figuring out when testing is enough. 

Breaking it all down. 

Initially, it all begins with a requirement. Once the product is developed, the testing crew jumps into action, executing tests and diving into various scenarios to give the software a real run for its money. This is where they usually unearth errors and bugs – pesky defects that need fixing.

Developers take a swing at the fixes, and the testers gear up for round two!

But here's the kicker: even after all those defects have been resolved, the testing cannot yet call it a day. In order to truly weed out bugs and make that software bulletproof, they keep running test after test. Now, here’s the real twist: when products are known to continue to evolve, can the software be completely bug-free at any time? 

Is it time yet?

Software applications are intricate, with a huge area to cover when it comes to testing. While it's not impossible to detect every defect, it could turn into a never-ending quest!

So when is it time to stop? Exit criteria 

Now, let's dive into the key factors influencing your decision to stop. The decision to conclude testing predominantly revolves around Time, Budget, and the Scope of Testing.

Traditionally, testing would either stop when resources were depleted, or when all designated test scenarios had been executed. However, adopting this approach might entail a compromise in the overall assurance of the software's quality.

The exit criteria are assessed at the end of a testing phase and are outlined within the Test Plan. They encompass a series of prerequisites or tasks that must be satisfied to finalize the testing process. These criteria set the level for deciding if enough testing has been done and indicate when testing is complete.

Exit or Stop Criteria is distinct for every project. It is crucial to determine it during test planning early on in the project because it depends on the requirements of the project. The elements outlined within should be made as measurable as possible.

Here are a few things to ponder when determining Exit Criteria for Functional or System testing: You can mix and match these factors based on your project's requirements to decide when testing should come to a close.

a) When the intended number of defects is achieved.

b) All critical or severe defects are resolved, and no important Severity 1 defects remain open.

c) High Priority defects are detected and resolved.

d) High Priority defects are re-evaluated, closed, and related Regression tests pass successfully.

e) Aim to achieve a Test Coverage of at least 95%.

f) Strive for a Test Case Pass Rate of 95%, calculated as:

g) Ensure successful execution of all critical Test cases.

h) Attain comprehensive Functional Coverage.

i) Project Deadline or Test Finish deadline is met.

j) Ensure all Test Documents and deliverables (such as the Test Summary Report) are created, reviewed, and distributed.

k) Ensure that the entire Testing Budget is utilized.