The Main Software Testing

Methodologies and Approaches

Here are the most popular and well-known testing

methodologies, explained step by step.

Agile Methodology

Like some other methodologies on our list, the Agile model can cover not only
the sphere of testing but also software development and even marketing.

Software testing methodologies based on the Agile approach usually consist

of a sequence of short iterations called sprints.

They are conducted by small working groups that take into account new
testing requirements. Each sprint includes stages such as planning,
requirements analysis, and testing.

Experts use the Agile approach to reduce risks because with each new
iteration a team can take into account the experience of the previous one.

For example, if you understand that some part of the product contained more
bugs than predicted.

During the next iteration, you can devote more time to this part of the product
and test it more thoroughly.
You may also hear about a popular working model called Scrum. Scrum is a
part of the Agile methodology and is also based on sprints.

Each sprint in Scrum ends with a review meeting where team members
discuss progress and plan future testing sprints.
Waterfall Methodology

This model is built on a team’s step-by-step progress during the testing

process.

First, a whole project is documented and planned. Then, a team of testers

makes small steps, one after another.

Each step can’t be taken until the previous one is completed.

One of the main advantages of this methodology is that it’s relatively simple.

The disadvantage is that the team is not able to make fast corrections to the
testing process, because it is regimented.
Verification and Validation Methodology (V-Model)

This method is a step-by-step model of software testing.

The main distinguishing feature of this approach is that the development

process happens in parallel with the testing process.

As soon as a particular stage of development finishes, the team immediately

starts testing a ready-made part of the product.
This approach allows teams to make changes to the product at an early stage
and save time and resources in the future.
Incremental Methodology

The incremental testing process consists of multiple iterations. Each of these

cycles includes several parts. Each iteration adds value to the product such as
new useful features.

Usually, this model consists of three stages: design and development, testing,
and final implementation.

The main advantage of this methodology is that it is rather flexible, so a

testing team can quickly make edits into the testing process.
Spiral Methodology

This approach can be considered a part of the incremental software testing

methodology.

It also consists of cycles that follow one another. They are planning, risk
analysis, engineering, and final evaluation.

Each cycle begins when the previous one ends. Also, after the last stage of
each cycle, teams get immediate test feedback, so the quality of the product
remains high.

This model allows testing teams to quickly find errors and, more importantly,
their causes.
XP (Extreme Programming) Methodology

This methodology is based on close cooperation between two testers. One

team member works with the code and the second team member immediately
reviews it.

Each stage of this test method can be considered complete once a piece of
code is written and tested.

This approach allows teams to create a high-quality code because every line
of it is checked very carefully.

Now let’s discuss the types of testing regarding testing objectives.

Methodologies
Continuous testing involves a spectrum of tests that ensure system reliability, security, operations
performance, and usability. Tests on the spectrum include the following:

 Shift-Left testing: This approach prioritizes software and system testing early in the
software development life cycle (SDLC) to help reduce or prevent significant
debugging problems down the road.
 Shift-Right testing: This approach prioritizes testing near the end of the SDLC, with a
focus on improving user experience, overall performance, failure tolerance, and
functionality.
 Smoke tests: These tests, which can be manual or automated, provide an initial cursory
screening for conspicuous flaws in software. While smoke tests are not elaborate in
their construction, they still provide a quick and inexpensive solution for the
elimination of gross errors in software.
 Unit testing: These are ideal for small-scale stress, load, volume, or memory leak
checks across builds to identify degradations in early developmental stages.
 Integration and messaging testing: These check for errors when software modules are
working in conjunction with each other. Continuous testing virtualizes missing
dependencies so teams can test how well the end-to-end processes and scenarios
perform collectively. The composite code is then compiled and executed at run time to
test whether they perform as expected.
 Performance testing: Testing the performance of application software by itself may
not take into account the hardware and middleware in the final production environment.
Integrated system testing is required to effectively assess the overall performance of the
solution.
 Functional testing: This form of testing checks whether the user experience meets
expectations and whether functional workflows execute as needed across a software
system. For example, supply chain software should be able to alert trucks to arrive at
factories when inventory is available for shipping. (In contrast, non-functional testing
focuses on performance, usability, reliability, response time, load time, scalability, etc.
and gauges the readiness of the software to deliver the desired customer experience. )
 Regression testing: This testing checks whether there are any changes in performance,
functionality, or dependencies after errors are corrected in any dependent software and
that the system performs as before.
 User-acceptance testing: Also called application testing or end-user testing, this is
when the application is tested in a real-world situation by some subset of intended
users. Beta testing is an example of user-acceptance testing.