Writing a Good Test Summary Report

Introduction:

Test case reporting is the responsibility of QA professionals and a well-written test case report can go a long way in helping the team analyze the performance of the test cases. The software test case report is created to reflect the results of the test case execution. The insights can be used to get an idea of the direction of software development process and the improvements that need to be made.

Before we proceed with recommendations about how to create a successful software test report, first look at what exactly test report in software testing refers to? Being a tester doesn’t mean you have to always create and send a software testing project report. Yet, to be a decent tester and following two or three years of experience, you are relied upon to write an effective test report; a report that can make or break your day or potentially your development groups.

The software testing report for project is the essential work deliverable from the testing stage. It spreads the data from the test execution stage that is required for project managers, and additionally the partners, to settle on further choices. Inconsistencies and the last deterioration of the abnormalities are recorded in this report to guarantee the readers know the quality status of the product under test.

What is a Test Summary Report?

Test Summary Report is an important document that is prepared at the end of a Testing project, or rather after the Testing cycle has been completed. The prime objective of this document is to explain the details of the Testing activities performed for the Project, to the respective stakeholders like Senior Management, Clients, etc. It also portrays the overall quality level of the application.

While the Daily Status Reports only deliver the daily test status and results to the stakeholders, Test Summary Report on the other hand provides a consolidated report on the overall testing activities performed in the cycle.

Pillars of a good Test Summary Report

The pillars of a good test summary report are:

Specification: You don’t really need to write a very long test summary report. It should have all the test result specifications in a concise manner and to the point.
Standard: The test summary report should follow a standard template as it is easy for stakeholders to review and understand.
Clarity: The information captured in the test report should be clear. The report should reflect brevity and clarity.
Detail: The report should provide detailed information about the testing activities wherever necessary. The information though concise should not be abstract as it won’t help the stakeholders in drawing a clear picture of it.

Best Practices for Writing Effective Test Case Reports

Understand the Requirements

The first thing that you should consider for test case reporting is the requirement. Who is going to review the report and draw conclusions from it? What are the requirements of the testing process in the first place? The answers to these questions matter because the answers will help you create a report accordingly. Try to find out what the stakeholders are looking for and make it a point to include all of these points with relevant findings.

Highlight What is Done and What is Planned

one of the key test case reporting best practices is to also focus on what’s in the pipeline in the near future. This way, when the stakeholders look at your test report, they will be able to get an idea of what to expect next and also redefine priorities if required.

Showcase the Challenges if Any

When you showcase areas where the test execution process could not meet the desired outcome or level of productivity, it is required to talk about the challenges so that they can be overcome.

Pay Attention to the Little Details

Before you send in the report, you should always make it a point to go through it once again, to make sure you don’t miss out on the little details that matter. This is a test case reporting best practice that experts suggest.

Practice More and More

One of the most recommended test case reporting best practices is to practice, just as it is with any other thing that you do. Always make a conscious effort to learn from your mistakes and also find ways to make the report more detailed and easier to understand. Researching online for good report samples will also help you learn and improve.

Know the audience

Knowing who will get and depend on the software QA test report and what sort of choices will be made dependent on it, is vital.

Proofread it

Never be in a rush to send the report. Anything composed should be proofread at any rate once.

While proofreading you may understand:

You could have composed that section as bullet points to make it easier to get it and read

You forget to check for spellings.
You needed to pass on something unique or in an alternate way.
You needed to add some more points as well.
You had excluded all the required individuals in the email list.
Hence, a proofread is useful in settling numerous issues in one go. So don’t miss it

Conclusion:

An informative test summary report should be concise and relevant. There are several examples of Test Summary Report templates that are available online but all of them might not be applicable in your case. Therefore, it is vital to customize our report according to the nature of our test project after doing a proper analysis.

Happy Learning !!!!!!