The question "What does testing mean?" is often asked in interviews, and even experienced professionals sometimes find it challenging to answer. In this topic, we want to explain what testing is all about. We'll also talk about validation and verification, which are ways to make sure that a system meets specific requirements. By the end, you'll have a better understanding of what testing means in software development.
The foundation of testing
Testing is the process of examining and checking a product to ensure it meets the requirements and customer needs.
The illusion is that Requirements equal Customer Needs. Often, people don't understand the difference between those and don't differentiate between requirements and customer needs because they are supposed to be the same.
In the real world, there are explicit and implicit requirements. Explicit requirements are documented, whereas implicit requirements are those that the customer may not be aware of. Implicit requirements should be identified by a QA engineer during the business analysis of business requirements. They are sometimes so obvious to the customer or user that they don't even realize that the development team may not be aware of them.
Let's consider a very simple example. Imagine a car — the customer can provide detailed requirements for the design, engine specifications, interior layout, and body color, but they might not explicitly mention that the tires should be round and the windshield should be transparent.
Or let’s say that your team is developing a food delivery application. The user must enter their contact information, including name, address, and phone number for placing an order. It is about explicit requirements. But this application should automatically save user data for easier future orders, without requiring the user to enter the same information again. Here we talk about implicit requirements that clients might not even think about.
Verification and validation
Testers use two methods to determine the exact requirements of the client — verification and validation. Verification is like double-checking or confirming that something is accurate or true. It's about ensuring that a product or system matches the specifications or rules that were defined for it. For instance, let's say you have a calculator. To verify it, you would test if the numbers and operations (like addition or subtraction) give you the correct results. By doing this, you're making sure the calculator gives accurate answers.
Validation is like checking if something is right or correct. It's making sure that a product or system does what it's supposed to do and meets the requirements or expectations set for it. For example, imagine you have a new video game. To validate it, you would play the game to see if it works properly, if the characters move correctly, and if the levels are challenging enough. By doing this, you're making sure the game is fun and enjoyable for players.
From a QA Engineer's perspective, validation and verification are important steps in their work. They validate by testing the product to ensure it functions correctly and meets user expectations. They might test a website by clicking on links, filling out forms, and checking if everything works smoothly. They verify by comparing the product against the defined requirements. For example, they might check if a mobile app has all the features specified in the design document.
In summary, validation is about checking if something works as intended and meets expectations, while verification is about confirming if something matches the given rules or requirements. Both processes help ensure the quality and reliability of products or systems.
Methods for validation and verification
The main purpose of these methods is to ensure the correctness of the program's operation and its compliance with predefined requirements.
The verification is provided by using module testing, for example. This process helps to check separate program modules for compliance with the specification and expected behavior. Functionality testing is another important verification method that checks the operation of the entire system as a whole, including the interaction between various components.
During the validation process, the main method is to compare the program's results with the expected outcomes from the user's point of view to ensure that it performs its functions correctly. Testers use checking requirements to be sure that the developed program meets the requirements and expectations of the customer. Additionally, alpha and beta testing is often used in IT to test the program in real conditions before releasing it to the market.
These are far from all the verification and validation methods that are used in the testing process. The more you go in-depth, the more you will learn how to verify and validate.
Conclusion
Thus, verification assures that the software is implemented correctly according to the specifications, while validation guarantees that it meets the expectations and needs of users. It’s important that the tester takes into account both the explicit and implicit requirements. These testing stages build trust with clients, as they see that every aspect of the program has been thoroughly checked and meets their vision of the product