A Test Procedure (TP) is a detailed, step-by-step instruction set designed to verify that a product or software system functions correctly according to its specified requirements. This formal document guides a tester through the precise actions necessary to execute a specific test. TPs establish a repeatable process, which is important for maintaining consistent results across different testers and testing cycles and ensuring the overall quality of a product.
What Exactly Is a Test Procedure?
The Test Procedure serves as the definitive manual outlining the how-to of a specific testing activity. Its primary purpose is to standardize the execution process, ensuring every tester follows the exact same sequence of actions under identical conditions. This standardization minimizes variability and reduces human error, providing a higher degree of confidence in the test results.
The procedure facilitates repeatability, allowing the same test to be run multiple times, such as after a software update, and yielding comparable data. TPs are also invaluable for auditing purposes, providing a clear record of the steps taken to validate a system’s function. This documented approach aids in the training of new personnel and formalizes an organization’s approach to quality assurance.
Procedures are necessary for managing complex systems, transforming a broad testing objective into a set of discrete, manageable tasks. This detail ensures no steps are overlooked, which is relevant in regulated industries where compliance verification is mandatory.
The Essential Structure of a Test Procedure
A standardized Test Procedure is composed of several distinct sections, each contributing to the document’s overall clarity and utility.
Test Case Identification
Every procedure begins with a clear identification section, providing unique alphanumeric IDs and a descriptive name. This section includes explicit references to the specific functional or non-functional requirements the test is designed to validate. Linking the procedure back to the original requirement ensures traceability and demonstrates compliance with design specifications.
Setup and Prerequisites
The setup section details the necessary environment and initial conditions required before execution can commence. This includes specifying the exact hardware configuration, operating system version, and required software tools. It may also define prerequisite data states, such as a user account needing a specific permission level.
Execution Steps
This core component is a sequential, numbered list of every action the tester must perform to run the test. The steps must be written using clear, unambiguous language, focusing on simple subject-verb-object commands. The sequential nature ensures the tester follows the exact path intended by the test’s designer.
Expected Results
The procedure must define the precise outcome or system behavior that should be observed, immediately following each execution step or group of steps. This section clearly states what the system must display or what state the environment must transition into. The expected results serve as the objective benchmark against which the actual system response is measured.
Pass/Fail Criteria
This section outlines the rules used to determine the overall success or failure of the procedure execution. The criteria are tied to whether all the defined expected results were achieved without deviation. If even one expected result is not met, the test execution generally fails.
Cleanup and Restoration
The final component provides instructions for returning the test environment to a neutral, known state that will not interfere with subsequent testing. This often involves actions like resetting configuration files or deleting temporary data. Maintaining a clean environment ensures that tests run in isolation.
Test Procedure Versus Test Plan and Test Case
Understanding the Test Procedure requires differentiating it from two related documents: the Test Plan and the Test Case. These three artifacts exist within a hierarchy, each defining a different scope of the quality assurance effort.
The Test Plan sits at the highest level, establishing the overarching strategy and management framework for the entire testing project. It defines the objectives, scope, schedule, resources, and overall approach, answering the questions of who, what, when, and why testing will be performed. It is a managerial document that outlines risks and dependencies, but it does not contain execution steps.
The Test Case sits below the Test Plan, focusing on a specific condition or scenario to be verified, answering the question of what is being tested. A Test Case defines a particular objective, such as verifying a user can successfully log in or confirming a specific calculation is performed correctly. It is defined by its objective and necessary conditions, but it typically lacks granular, step-by-step instructions.
The Test Procedure is the lowest and most detailed level of the hierarchy, focusing entirely on how the test is executed. It takes the objective defined by the Test Case and translates it into the concrete, sequential actions a tester must perform. One Test Case may be executed by one or more Test Procedures. The procedure is the actionable instruction set, whereas the Test Plan is the strategy and the Test Case is the objective.
Best Practices for Developing and Utilizing Procedures
The utility of a Test Procedure correlates directly with the quality of its construction and management throughout the development lifecycle. A primary best practice involves using clear and unambiguous language throughout the document. Instructions must be written from the perspective of an external party, avoiding assumptions about the tester’s prior knowledge of the system. This means using simple, direct sentences and consistently using the same terminology for system elements.
Procedures should undergo a rigorous review and validation process involving subject matter experts (SMEs) and developers who understand the system’s inner workings. The SME review confirms that the procedure accurately reflects the intended system behavior and covers the associated requirement completely. This validation step helps catch errors or omissions before the procedure is released for formal execution.
Effective utilization requires that Test Procedures are stored in a centralized, accessible repository, ensuring all relevant teams can easily locate and reference the current version. Implementing robust version control is equally important, as procedures must be updated to reflect changes in the product’s functionality or environment. Every revision must be clearly documented with a history of changes, dates, and the author.
The procedure must focus on atomic, verifiable steps, meaning each action should lead to a single, measurable outcome. Combining multiple actions into a single step can obscure the point of failure if an issue arises, making debugging more difficult. Testers should provide detailed, specific feedback when a procedure fails, noting the exact step where the deviation occurred and the actual result observed. This feedback loop is important for continuous refinement. Procedures should be treated as living documents that are regularly audited and updated when the associated product functionality is altered.