What is Artifact?

An artifact is one of many kinds of tangible by-products produced during the development of software. Some artifacts (e.g., use cases, class diagrams, and other Unified Modeling Language (UML) models, requirements and design documents) help describe the function, architecture, and design of software. Other artifacts are concerned with the process of development itself—such as project plans, business cases, and risk assessments. – Source Wikipedia

Learn Artifact – Test Reports:

Test team sent out numerous test reports to different stakeholders for various purposes. Test reports are used to communicate the test aspects clearly among stakeholders. Test report information’s referred and analyzed in future to develop better projects in future. Information on test report is decided as per the purpose and the audience. Before preparing the test report tester should know whom the audiences for the particular test report are. Then tester should prepare the test report according to the end purpose of the particular test report.

Why Test Reports Are Important?

• It offers knowledge transfers and sharing experience among team members, management, and client to improvement.
• Test reports facilitate to maintain the test record with the required detail. This gives information availability.
• Test report saves the time and effort to put on a project. The information is available to access quickly and effortless.
• This gives the facility to keep the information and will reduce the ambiguity and distraction.
• Versioning provides us the detail on what are the changes done on particular test matter.
• Since we maintain test reports, the other members can review and give the feedback for the betterment of the project.
• It keeps a record of the testing activities carried out. The client will like to see the process and the test carried out.
• We shall analyze the test report and use the lesson learn from it to the future projects.
• It serves as a proof of evidence to the testing carried out.
• Test reports help to make a better decision.

Test Result Report:

In test result report, document the detailed test result. Usually, test result report is sent periodically. Test result report provides the information of test execution and test result in detail. It also contains conditions, assumptions, the constraint of the test. Also, mention which test item is tested by whom. Detail of remaining work is marked in the test result report to show how much remaining work to be done in the project.

Test Execution Report:

Test execution report contains the execution detail and the result of test execution. This is generally prepared to send to higher management from testing team to show the state of the test execution and test progress. When we deliver the software to the client, we shall send the full test execution detail in brief. This would give a better understanding of the executed test and coverage to the client.

Test Summary Report:

Test summary report provides a detail of testing carried out throughout the software development lifecycle. The items in a test summary report vary from organization to organization and also vary for different projects. Below are some common items stating in a test summary report. Information on test report is based on the audience of the test report. The audience can be client, management, business analyst, developers, testing team and organizational level members etc.

User Acceptance Testing:

The User acceptance test report is created while conducting the user acceptance test and after conducting the user acceptance testing. It states the detail of conducted user acceptance test and the result of the user acceptance test. It also lists the defect uncounted in user acceptance testing. User acceptance testing created during and after the user acceptance testing by the people who conduct the user acceptance test. This will be amazed to check test matrices like defect leakage rate, missed requirement etc.

Conclusion:

Test reports are important as testing in a project. Test reports created at the beginning of the project like test plan, test strategy, test cases etc. provides full detail of the testing that will be carried out on the software project. Test report that created during the testing like test execution report, test result report give the understanding of how the software is been tested. Test report created at the end of the project like test summary report, lesson learn report provides the testing and the result of the project. Creating and maintaining test report is essential, this creates a visibility among stakeholders. This can allow others to provide feedback on the testing that we carry out. It also provides a clear understanding of other and avoids ambiguity and unwanted conflictions. Very important test reports play a major role after the project completed. Test report and the lesson learned from those serves as an input to the new project. Maintain test report provide all the information about the testing throughout the software test development. All the information available in a centralized place in easy and effortless to take and view. Test reports support to make a decision. Always analyze the test report and cater the lesson learn from one project and use it to the other project for improvement.