Most Important Task in Software Testing, we have several tasks in Software Testing, Understanding Requirements, Writing Test cases, Executing test Cases, Reporting & Tracking Defects, Change Related Testing, and Closing Test Cycle.

Software Testing is a process, is not a single activity, a set of activities whether it is Manual Testing or Automated Testing.

We have several Job roles in Software Testing, in which important roles are Software Test lead/Test manager, and Software Tester / Test Engineer.

I think “Test Execution” is a more important task in Software Testing, others like Planning, Understanding Requirements, Writing test cases, Reporting & Tracking defects, etc. also important tasks. Then why I am saying that “Test Execution” is a most important task, It is a mandatory task in formal testing as well as informal testing.

In Formal testing, we write Test Cases after understanding the requirements and then we execute them.

In Informal Testing, we Execute  Tests with our previous experience without documenting them.

So Test Execution is a mandatory task whether it is Formal Testing or Informal Testing.

Software Testing Tasks in Formal Testing:

a. Test Lead Job Responsibilities:

Test Planning activities
(Test estimation, Test strategy, Defining the testing activities for subordinates, Test plan documentation, Defining Test Environment, Configuration management, etc.)

Creating RTM (Requirements Traceability Matrics)

Monitoring the Testing Process…

Controlling the Testing Process…

Prepare the Test Status report of all testing activities.

Required Interactions with customers.

Evaluating Exit Criteria and Test Cycle Closure (includes preparing Test summary report, etc.)

b. Tester Job Responsibilities:

Understanding Test Requirements,

Deriving Test Scenarios

Documenting Test Cases,

Collecting Test Data,

Verifying Test Test Environment setup,

Execute Test cases,

Reporting and Tracking Defects,

Conducting Change Related Testing

Participating in Evaluating exit criteria, and Closing Test Cycle.

Informal Testing:

Informal Testing requires no documentation/ planning /process to be followed.

Since this testing aims at finding defects through a random approach, without any documentation, defects will not be mapped to test cases.

Adhoc Testing is an informal testing type with an aim to break the system. It does not follow any structured way of testing and it is randomly done on any part of the application.

Adhoc testing can be achieved with the Software testing technique called Error Guessing. Error guessing can be done by the people having enough experience on the system to “guess” the most likely source of errors.

Note: Software Testing Job Roles & Responsibilities may vary from one company to another. For Manual Testing only we follow either Formal Testing or Informal Testing, and informal testing is not possible in Automated Testing.