Why Do Top Testing Companies Use Checklists
Why Do Top Testing Companies Use Checklists
What do we need to define as checklists? Why do they hold much significance for testing processes? We are going to find answers to these questions right now.
Checklist is a catalogue of ideas (test cases). In general, checklist is a document containing key principles on software testing & development process, planning and management, etc.
The testers have to handle large amounts of data, choose from a variety of solutions to the problems and find new ones. This work is tedious and time consuming; it requires high concentration and commitment that is why only the best testing job applicants can be hired by top testing companies. Nevertheless, it is hardly possible even for a great employee to remember everything in the course of the work therefore test cases should be elaborated and created using so called “checklists”.
As a rule, a checklist is typical list that can be:
a list of items that are not grouped or organized ( for instance, list of values for some field);
a list of items where each item is organized under certain category ( for instance, step by step guide);
structured (multi-level) list regardless of sequence of list items.
What you need to understand is that there are no any prohibitions and restrictions against development of a checklist – it just needs to be useful during the work. Sometimes, checklists can be represented in a graphical manner (e.g. using mindmap or concept cards), though it is customary to create multi-level lists).
Since different projects can have similar tasks, a well-thought out and well-developed checklist can be used repeatedly and, due to this, the employees of quality assurance companies manage to save their time and energy.
In order to make the use of checklist it should have the following characteristics:
Consistency. Checklist is developed according to plan and in order to accomplish identified goals.
Coherence and structuredness. A structured checklist is a multi-level list. As far as thoroughness is concerned, then even if checklist items do not represent operational sequence, it is anyway easier for a person to acquire information presented in the form of idea statement.
Thoroughness and nonredundancy. Checklist is to be an exact summary of the concepts and must contain no repetitions. Also, it should not miss anything important but at the same time include only main things.
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