50% Testing

50% Testing. What does that mean? There are many possible answers for this question.

Possible Answer 1 :

Testing team has to perform Testing for only half of the new features implemented in the new version of the software. For example, if there are 6 new features implemented in the new version of the release, Test team will perform Testing on only 3 features.

Possible Answer 2 :

Execute only 50% Test cases against the release written by the Test team.

Possible Answer 3 :

Perform only 50% Sanity Testing, 50% Acceptance Testing and 50% Progression Testing.

Possible Answer 4 :

Prioritize the Testing effort as per the priority basis which is suitable for the release and then perform 50% Testing on it.

Well, a lot of possible answers. But all are confusing and creating nonsense for the Testing team. As I always said Testing never ends. It just gets transferred from the Testing team to the customer. Then how come 50% Testing can be done.

Assuming that the effort estimation measured by the Testing team to test software is 20 days and project deadlines denies this estimation due to time crunch. Is it a fare statement that “Since due to time crunch, only 10 days will be provided to the Testing effort and hence Test team should perform 50% Testing.”?

It is possible but should have a very clear understanding of what has to be performed in those 10 days so that a must test features can be covered completely and some other features, which are not so critical from the release point of view, can be escaped. But this should happen under this 50% Testing umbrella.

Risk Based Testing can be linked with this 50% Testing coverage but it will not fit completely under this.

So, next time, whenever your manager ask for performing 50% Testing on a given release, no need to confuse and start with prioritizing your Testing efforts.

-- Sanat Sharma