Quality software is essential for any business, large or small. With so many new software applications being developed every day and the rise of the cloud, this is a trend that will only continue to grow.
In order for software to be of high quality, testing is essential. Testing has become an essential part of the software development life cycle. But how do you know if the testing that’s been completed so far has been thorough enough?
How can you make sure your test cases cover every single possible outcome? And how can you ensure that no new bugs have been introduced as a result of one tester fixing another tester’s error?
Test automation is an important step in making sure your testing process is thorough and complete, but it also requires time and resources to implement. Many businesses instead rely on manual QA testers with knowledge of what they are looking for in order to help reduce risk and cut costs…
What is Decision Table Testing?
A decision table is a chart that details all of the possible paths, scenarios, and outcomes of a given process and shows the correct result of each outcome. Decision tables can be used in software testing to show what actions have been tried, what input was used, and what the outcome was with each test.
This allows a tester to go back through the table and see if any actions were missed or if any outcomes were incorrect. Decision tables can be applied to any decision-making process.
In software testing, they are most commonly used to record the test case, person, and results of each test run. They can also be used to record whether a test case has failed or passed, the reason for failure, and the expected outcome for a test case.
Why Is Decision Table Testing Important?
Decision table testing is important for a number of reasons. It is a great way to keep track of which test cases have been completed and to ensure that you are not missing any test cases.
It is also a great way to document the test cases that have been completed so that they can be easily reviewed and understood by other team members. Test cases should always be documented, but they can sometimes be difficult to understand if they are not written correctly.
With a decision table, the test cases are clearly laid out so that anyone can read and understand them. Another reason to use decision table testing is to ensure that all test cases have been retested.
This is especially important if a tester has changed something in the code, such as fixing a bug, and then retesting all of the original test cases to ensure there are no regressions. It is important to make sure that any test case that has failed has been retested to make sure it still fails. This ensures that nothing has been missed and that the problem has been fixed.
How Does Decision Table Testing Work?
Decision table testing works by starting with a decision table, which can be created in a spreadsheet or any other software application that allows you to create tables. This decision table will then have rows that represent each test case and columns that represent the different possible outcomes.
Once the decision table has been created, you can then move on to actually testing the software. For each test case, you will record the test case, the tester executing the test, and the outcome of the test in the appropriate place in the table.
Once the testing has been completed, you can then go back to the decision table and see which test cases were missed or if any outcomes were incorrect. You can also see which test cases were retested and whether any test cases failed.
This allows you to review the testing process and see if there are any issues that need to be addressed. It is also a great way to keep track of which test cases have been completed so that you are not missing any test cases.
3 Ways Decision Tables Are Used in Software Testing
As previously mentioned, decision tables are used for a number of different purposes, including to record the test case, person, and results of each test run, to record whether a test case has failed or passed, the reason for failure, and the expected outcome for a test case.
Keeping Track of Test Cases – Decision tables are a great way to keep track of which test cases have been completed and to ensure that you are not missing any test cases. This can be especially important if you are working in a team and more than one person is conducting testing.
By recording the test cases in a decision table, you can easily go back and see which test cases have been completed and which have not. Documenting Test Cases – Another way decision tables are used in software testing is to document the test cases that have been completed.
This is a great way to ensure that the test cases are clearly laid out so that anyone can read and understand them.
This is especially important if you are working as part of a team and others need to review the test cases. Decision tables are a great way to document test cases so that they can be easily reviewed and understood.
Making Sure All Test Cases Have Been Retested – When a tester has changed the code and retested all of the original test cases to ensure there are no regressions, it is important to make sure that any test case that has failed has been retested to make sure it still fails. This ensures that nothing has been missed and that the problem has been fixed.
Advantages of Using Decision Tables for QA
There are a number of advantages to using decision tables for software testing, including that they show what actions have been tried, what input was used, and what the outcome was with each test.
This allows a tester to go back through the table and see if any actions were missed or if any outcomes were incorrect.
Decision tables are also easy to read and understand, making them a great way to document the test cases that have been completed. They can also be used to show the expected outcome for a test case.
This can be particularly helpful if you are working with a team and need to communicate with each other. Easily Track Test Cases and Results – Decision tables are a great way to keep track of which test cases have been completed and which have not.
This allows a tester to easily go back through the table and see which test cases have been completed and which have not. They are also a great way to document the test cases that have been completed so that they can be easily reviewed and understood by other team members.
Disadvantages of Using Decision Tables for QA
There are also some disadvantages to using decision tables for software testing, including that they may be difficult to read if they are not written correctly, it may be difficult to tell which test case is associated with which outcome.
Another disadvantage is that it may be time consuming to create a decision table for each test case. May Be Difficult to Read – Decision tables should always be written clearly, but if they are not written correctly, they may be difficult to read. This can make it difficult for other team members, such as the business stakeholders, to read and understand the test cases.
This can make it difficult for them to provide feedback, identify areas of improvement, and decide whether the software is ready to be launched.
May Be Difficult to Associate Test Cases with Outcomes – Another disadvantage of using decision tables to record test cases is that it may be difficult to associate the test cases with the correct outcomes. This can be especially true if there are multiple outcomes for a single test case and the table only shows one of the outcomes.
May Take Time to Create – Creating a decision table for each test case can take time. Although this is an essential step in the testing process, it may be difficult to find the time to create the decision tables for each test case.
Summary
Decision table testing is a great way to keep track of which test cases have been completed and to ensure that you are not missing any test cases. It is also a great way to document the test cases that have been completed so that they can be easily reviewed and understood by other team members.
Decision tables are also easy to read and understand, making them a great way to document the test cases that have been completed.
They also allow a tester to easily track the actions that have been tried, what input was used, and what the outcome was with each test. There are a few disadvantages to using decision table testing, but they are a great tool to use during the testing process.
