TEST CASE – TO WRITE OR NOT TO WRITE

The first thing that comes to my mind when I talk about test cases is Excel Sheet where there are different columns and numerous rows. This document talks about why one should write and why one should not write the test cases. There are pros and cons of scripted testing and non-scripted testing. Note that this document doesn’t advocate on one approach be it scripted or non-scripted. Before I start my talk on the topic let me throw some light on brief introduction about test case.

Definition of a Test Case
    Test Case is a set of given inputs to see whether the outcome is as expected or it’s different. To make it simple: a tester does some test and sees the result of output. Then he compares the actual result with the expected result to write Pass/Fail in the Result column.

Where to write test cases?
Different organizations follow different kind of editors to write test cases. But normally they use Microsoft Excel to write test cases.

Do I need to write test cases or not?
Let me consider myself as an example: I don’t want to write test cases in excel sheet or any text editor. But it doesn’t mean that I don’t know to write a test case. Nowadays, a tester needs to have skill of writing test cases & should be well versed with Microsoft Excel. I can write 1000000000000+ test cases for an application if an organization mandates me to write test cases. But I get bored doing this job. I can’t do this for longer time. Maybe this is why most of the people have a myth which is “Testing is not a challenging job”. I don’t like writing test case doesn’t mean others don’t want to write it. Different people have different perspective about test cases. What one company test case definition is might differ from the other company’s definition of a test case.

At the end of any discussion the question that stays in our mind is “Confusion that, Should I write test cases or follow some kind of approach”.

There is no standard definition for anything – Santhosh Tuppad.