Test Condition Vs Test Scenario – What’s the Difference?

What exactly is a Test Condition?

In software testing, a test condition is a specification that a tester must adhere to when testing a software program. For test cases, a test condition is a collection of restrictions that might include features such as transactions, functions, or structural aspects in order to test the software application. Test circumstances aid in the bug-free development of software applications.

Test conditions are developed from real-world test situations, as well as test bases and use cases. There might be several Test Conditions in a Test Scenario while verifying Test Conditions.

Test Condition's level of detail is determined by a number of factors.

A number of considerations must be considered when evaluating the amount of detailing necessary for test conditions −

• Levels of testing

• The level and quality of test circumstances are described in detail.

• Level of complexity of the system or software

• Risks associated with products and projects

• Correlation between the test condition, the object being tested, and the testing technique

• The software development lifecycle is currently in use.

• A test management tool is currently in use.

• Test design and other test work deliverables, such as test documentation, are detailed at this level.

• The test analysts' degree of understanding and abilities

• The organization's degree of experience, as well as the testing procedure (detailing level is directly proportional to the experience)

• Access to other stakeholders for dialogue in the event of problems

A large number of test conditions will be developed if test conditions are stated in great detail. Take, for example, a test of an e-commerce application's checkout procedure.

This will be expressed as a single condition in a generic test condition – "Test checkout."

However, this will be divided out into several test conditions in a specific test condition paperwork, such as each payment method, currency, or country, and so on.

Benefits of having a clear description of test conditions

• Correlating other test work items, such as test cases, to test circumstances and goals has become more flexible. As a result, the Test Manager has greater and more in-depth control and observation.

• Because the condition occurs early in a project, right after the test condition is created and sometimes before comprehensive designs and system architecture are available, it aids in preventing problems, as stated in Foundation Level.

• Explains how to test work items in language that stakeholders can understand. They might not understand test cases, test bases, or fundamental numbers like the number of times a test case has been run.

• Other testing and development operations are affected.

• By thoroughly addressing stated measurements and goals, optimizes test design, test implementation, test execution, and test work deliverables.

• Allows for horizontal traceability at the test level to be transparent.

Disadvantages of having a full description of test conditions

• Detailing takes a long time.

• In a changing setting, sticking to a plan might be tough.

• It's difficult to define and apply test levels throughout the whole team.

When is it appropriate to go into considerable detail about test conditions?

• Due to various restrictions such as time, money, or the traditional development lifecycle, simple methods of documenting test design are being employed, such as checklists.

• Lack of a written requirements document or development work items to serve as a foundation for creating test criteria

• Because the project is so large, the desired degree of control cannot be met simply by describing test cases.

When is it appropriate to provide a more general description of test conditions?

When the foundation of the test may be simply transmitted to test design work items, a low degree of detail of test conditions is employed.

Here are a few examples of when this may be the case −

• Component-level testing

• Simple projects with test conditions and test cases arranged in a hierarchical order

• Acceptance testing, in which tests are defined using use cases.

What is a Test Scenario, and how does it work?

Any functionality that may be tested is specified as a Test Scenario. It is a collection of test scenarios that assists the testing team in determining the project's positive and negative features.

The Test Scenario provides a high-level overview of what has to be tested. In liner statements, a test scenario is a complete list containing test cases that cover the end-to-end functionality of a software program. A scenario is defined as a linear statement. The test scenario is a categorization of testable requirements at a high level. These criteria are categorized according to a module's functionality and derived from use cases.

Because there are so many test cases in the scenario, there is a thorough testing process. The tester must evaluate the test cases for each scenario before completing the test scenario.

Testers must put themselves in the shoes of the user in the test scenario since they are testing the software application from the user's perspective. The most important aspect of the process is scenario preparation, which necessitates seeking advice or assistance from consumers, stakeholders, or developers.

Test Scenarios − How to Write Them

To build Test Scenarios as a tester, follow these steps −

• Examine the software's requirement documents, such as the BRS (Business Requirement Specification), SRS (System Requirement Specification), and FRS (Functional Requirement Specification).

• For each need, determine all technical factors and objectives.

• Find every feasible way for the user to interact with the software.

• Determine all conceivable scenarios in which the system might be abused, as well as users who could be hackers.

• Make a list of possible test cases to check each function of the program after reading the requirement document and completing the planned analysis.

• Create a traceability matrix once you've identified all of the available test scenarios to see if each requirement has a matching test scenario or not.

• All possibilities are reviewed by the project supervisor. They are then reviewed by the project's other stakeholders.

Characteristics of the Test Scenario

• The test scenario is a one-liner that directs testers through the testing process.

• The product's complexity and repetition are reduced by using a test scenario.

• A test scenario is when you speak and think about tests in great detail yet write them down in linear statements.

• It's a series of procedures threaded together.

• When the tester does not have enough time to develop test cases and the team agrees on a comprehensive liner scenario, the test scenario becomes more significant.

• The test scenario is a useful exercise for saving time.

• It is simple to maintain since adding and modifying test cases is simple and self-contained.

Exercising a Test Scenario

A few test cases for an e-commerce application might be −

• Scenario 1 − Examine the Search Functions

• Check the Payments Functionality in Scenario 2

• Check the Login Functionality in Scenario 3

The difference between a test scenario and a test condition is a frequently asked question among QA newbies.

The Main Difference

• A Test Scenario is a method of testing an application, whereas a Test Condition is a requirement that must be obeyed when testing an application.

• A Test Scenario is a single or a set of test cases, whereas a Test Condition is a functional component.

• Test Scenario aids in the reduction of complexity, while Test Condition aids in the verification of an application's bug-free status.

• The term "test scenario" refers to a broad range of possibilities, whereas "test condition" refers to a highly precise situation.

Vineet Nanda

Updated on: 26-Nov-2021

5K+ Views

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