What Is the BEST option regarding the level of detail and documentation required for test cases in the project?

As a Test Analyst you are involved in the early stages of an acceptance test for a Product Data Management system. You are asked to write test designs and test cases based on use cases. An early version of the system is already available. It is expected that many things will change (including the user interface) during implementation of the new version.

The tests will be conducted by end-users with much domain knowledge who have also been involved in the project defining the user requirements (in the format of use cases) and reviewing other documentation.

What Is the BEST option regarding the level of detail and documentation required for test cases in the project?
A . Detailed low-level test cases since many re-runs of the tests are expected.
B . High-level test cases supported by low-level test cases to allow for traceability and enable future changes.
C . Low-level test cases only since the end-users have extensive domain knowledge.
D . High-level test cases only since the end-users have extensive domain knowledge and many changes are expected

View Answer

Answer: B

Explanation:

The level of detail and documentation required for test cases in the project depends on the type of application under test, the standards followed by the organization, and the maturity of the development process. For a web application that is undergoing frequent changes, it is advisable to use high-level test cases that describe the main features and functionalities from a user’s perspective, and low-level test cases that provide more details and specifications for each feature. High-level test cases can be supported by low-level test cases to ensure traceability between the requirements and the test scenarios, as well as to facilitate future changes or enhancements. Low-level test cases can also be reviewed and updated by the end-users who have extensive domain knowledge and are involved in the project.

Reference =

ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Overview of Syllabi1, page 10

ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Syllabus Technical Test Analyst2, page 2

Test Documentation in Software Testing (Example)3, section “Best practice to Achieve Test Documentation”