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STLC (Software Testing Life Cycle) Phases, Entry, Exit

Criteria
What is Software Testing Life
Cycle (STLC)?
Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC) is a
sequence of specific activities conducted
during the testing process to ensure software
quality goals are met. STLC involves both
verification and validation activities. Contrary
to popular belief, Software Testing is not just a
single/isolate activity, i.e. testing. It consists of
a series of activities carried out
methodologically to help certify your software product. STLC stands for Software Testing
Life Cycle.

In this tutorial, you will learn-

STLC Phases
Requirement Analysis
Test Planning
Test Case Development
Test Environment Setup
Test Execution
Test Cycle Closure
STLC Phases along with Entry and Exit Criteria

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STLC Phases
There are following six major phases in every Software Testing Life Cycle Model (STLC
Model):

1. Requirement Analysis
2. Test Planning
3. Test case development
4. Test Environment setup
5. Test Execution
6. Test Cycle closure

(/images/stories/software-test-life-cycle.jpg)
STLC Model Phases

Each of these stages has a definite Entry and Exit criteria, Activities & Deliverables
associated with it.

What is Entry and Exit Criteria in STLC?

Entry Criteria: Entry Criteria gives the prerequisite items that must be completed before
testing can begin.
Exit Criteria: Exit Criteria defines the items that must be completed before testing can be
concluded

You have Entry and Exit Criteria for all levels in the Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC)

In an Ideal world, you will not enter the next stage until the exit criteria for the previous
stage is met. But practically this is not always possible. So for this tutorial, we will focus on
activities and deliverables for the different stages in STLC life cycle. Let's look into them in
detail.
 Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC) : Software Testing Tutor…
Tutor…

Requirement Phase Testing

Requirement Phase Testing also known as Requirement Analysis in which test team studies
the requirements from a testing point of view to identify testable requirements and the QA
team may interact with various stakeholders to understand requirements in detail.
Requirements could be either functional or non-functional. Automation feasibility for the
testing project is also done in this stage.

Activities in Requirement Phase Testing

Identify types of tests to be performed. 

Gather details about testing priorities and focus.
Prepare Requirement Traceability Matrix (RTM) (/traceability-matrix.html).
Identify test environment details where testing is supposed to be carried out. 
Automation feasibility analysis (if required).

Deliverables of Requirement Phase Testing

RTM
Automation feasibility report. (if applicable)

Test Planning in STLC

Test Planning in STLC is a phase in which a Senior QA manager determines the test plan
strategy along with efforts and cost estimates for the project. Moreover, the resources, test
environment, test limitations and the testing schedule are also determined. The Test Plan
gets prepared and finalized in the same phase.
Test Planning Activities

Preparation of test plan/strategy document for various types of testing

Test tool selection
Test effort estimation
Resource planning and determining roles and responsibilities.
Training requirement

Deliverables of Test Planning

Test plan (/what-everybody-ought-to-know-about-test-planing.html) /strategy

document.
Effort estimation (/an-expert-view-on-test-estimation.html) document.

Test Case Development Phase

The Test Case Development Phase involves the creation, verification and rework of test
cases & test scripts after the test plan is ready. Initially, the Test data (/software-testing-test-
data.html) is identified then created and reviewed and then reworked based on the
preconditions. Then the QA team starts the development process of test cases for individual
units.

Test Case Development Activities

Create test cases, automation scripts (if applicable)

Review and baseline test cases and scripts
Create test data (If Test Environment is available)

Deliverables of Test Case Development

Test cases/scripts
Test data

Test Environment Setup

Test Environment Setup decides the software and hardware conditions under which a work
product is tested. It is one of the critical aspects of the testing process and can be done in
parallel with the Test Case Development Phase. Test team may not be involved in this
activity if the development team provides the test environment. The test team is required to
do a readiness check (smoke testing) of the given environment.
Test Environment Setup Activities

Understand the required architecture, environment set-up and prepare hardware and
software requirement list for the Test Environment.
Setup test Environment and test data
Perform smoke test on the build

Deliverables of Test Environment Setup

Environment ready with test data set up

Smoke Test Results.

Test Execution Phase

Test Execution Phase is carried out by the testers in which testing of the software build is
done based on test plans and test cases prepared. The process consists of test script
execution, test script maintenance and bug reporting. If bugs are reported then it is reverted
back to development team for correction and retesting will be performed.

Test Execution Activities

Execute tests as per plan

Document test results, and log defects for failed cases
Map defects to test cases in RTM
Retest the Defect (/defect-management-process.html)fixes
Track the defects to closure

Deliverables of Test Execution

Completed RTM with the execution status

Test cases updated with results
Defect reports

Test Cycle Closure

Test Cycle Closure phase is completion of test execution which involves several activities like
test completion reporting, collection of test completion matrices and test results. Testing
team members meet, discuss and analyze testing artifacts to identify strategies that have to
be implemented in future, taking lessons from current test cycle. The idea is to remove
process bottlenecks for future test cycles.

Test Cycle Closure Activities

Evaluate cycle completion criteria based on Time, Test coverage, Cost,Software, Critical
Business Objectives, Quality
Prepare test metrics based on the above parameters.
Document the learning out of the project
Prepare Test closure report
Qualitative and quantitative reporting of quality of the work product to the customer.
Test result analysis to find out the defect distribution by type and severity.

Deliverables of Test Cycle Closure

Test Closure report

Test metrics

STLC Phases along with Entry and Exit Criteria

STLC Stage Entry Criteria Activity Exit Criteria Deliverables
STLC Stage Entry Criteria Activity Exit Criteria Deliverables

Requirement Requirements Analyse business Signed off RTM

Analysis Document functionality to RTM Automation
available (both know the business Test feasibility
functional and modules and automation report (if
non functional) module specific feasibility applicable)
Acceptance functionalities. report signed
criteria defined. Identify all off by the
Application transactions in the client
architectural modules.
document Identify all the
available. user profiles.
Gather user
interface/
authentication,
geographic spread
requirements.
Identify types of
tests to be
performed.
Gather details
about testing
priorities and
focus.
Prepare
Requirement
Traceability Matrix
(/traceability-
matrix.html)(RTM).
Identify test
environment
details where
testing is
supposed to be
carried out.
Automation
feasibility analysis
(if required).
STLC Stage Entry Criteria Activity Exit Criteria Deliverables

Test Requirements Analyze various Approved Test

Planning Documents testing test plan/strateg
Requirement approaches plan/strategy document.
Traceability available document. Effort
matrix. Finalize on the Effort estimation
Test best-suited estimation document.
automation approach document
feasibility Preparation of test signed off.
document. plan/strategy
document for
various types of
testing
Test tool selection
Test effort
estimation
Resource planning
and determining
roles and
responsibilities.

Test case Requirements Create test cases, Reviewed Test

development Documents test design, and signed cases/script
RTM and test automation scripts test Test data
plan (where applicable) Cases/scripts
Automation Review and Reviewed
analysis report baseline test cases and signed
and scripts test data
Create test data
STLC Stage Entry Criteria Activity Exit Criteria Deliverables

Test System Design Understand the Environment Environmen

Environment and required setup is ready with
setup architecture architecture, working as test data set
documents are environment set- per the plan up
available up and checklist Smoke Test
Environment Prepare hardware Test data Results.
set-up plan is and software setup is
available development complete
requirement list Smoke test is
Finalize successful
connectivity
requirements
Prepare
environment
setup checklist
Setup test
Environment and
test data
Perform smoke
test on the build
Accept/reject the
build depending
on smoke test
result
STLC Stage Entry Criteria Activity Exit Criteria Deliverables

Test Baselined RTM, Execute tests as All tests Completed

Execution Test Plan per plan planned are RTM with
(/what- Document test executed execution
everybody- results, and log Defects status
ought-to-know- defects for failed logged and Test cases
about-test- cases tracked to updated wit
planing.html), Update test closure results
Test plans/test cases, if Defect
case/scripts are necessary reports
available Map defects to test
Test cases in RTM
environment is Retest the defect
ready fixes
Test data set up Regression Testing
is done (/regression-
Unit/Integration testing.html) of
test report for application
the build to be Track the defects
tested is to closure
available
STLC Stage Entry Criteria Activity Exit Criteria Deliverables

Test Cycle Testing has Evaluate cycle Test Closure Test Closure
closure been completed completion report signed off report
Test results are criteria based on - by client Test metrics
available Time, Test
Defect logs are coverage (/test-
available coverage-in-
software-
testing.html),
Cost, Software
Quality, Critical
Business
Objectives
Prepare test
metrics based on
the above
parameters.
Document the
learning out of the
project
Prepare Test
closure report
Qualitative and
quantitative
reporting of
quality of the work
product to the
customer.
Test result analysis
to find out the
defect distribution
by type and
severity

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