The “test outcome” refers to the result or status of a specific test or a set of tests conducted during the software testing process. It summarizes whether the test or tests have passed, failed, or produced some other result, which is crucial for assessing the quality and functionality of the software being tested. Test outcomes provide important information to stakeholders about the state of the software and any issues that may need to be addressed.
Here are some common test outcomes:
- Pass: When a test or a set of test cases run successfully without encountering any defects or issues, it is considered a “pass.” This means that the software behaved as expected and met the specified requirements.
- Fail: A test outcome is marked as “fail” when one or more test cases do not produce the expected results. This indicates that the software has issues or defects that need to be addressed.
- Blocked: Sometimes, tests cannot be executed due to external factors, such as unavailable resources, dependencies, or environmental issues. In such cases, the test outcome may be marked as “blocked.”
- Not Executed: If for some reason, the tests are not executed, the outcome may be marked as “not executed.” This could be due to factors like a lack of time, changes in test scope, or other logistical issues.
- Incomplete: When a test is partially executed or the results are inconclusive, it is marked as “incomplete.” This typically happens when testers are unable to complete the test or obtain clear results.
- Error: If a test execution is disrupted due to errors in the testing process itself, the outcome may be marked as “error.” This can occur when there are issues with the testing environment, testing tools, or test data.
- Retest Required: Sometimes, a test may fail, but the issue is not immediately fixed or requires further investigation. In such cases, the outcome may be marked as “retest required” to indicate that the test needs to be rerun after the issue is addressed.
- Passed with Minor Issues: This outcome indicates that the test passed, but there were minor issues or defects found during testing that are not critical enough to prevent the test from passing.
- Skipped: In some cases, specific test cases may be intentionally skipped due to various reasons, such as low priority or incompatibility with the current test environment. The outcome is marked as “skipped” for these tests.
Test outcomes are documented and reported to stakeholders, including developers, project managers, and quality assurance teams, to help them make informed decisions about the software’s readiness for the next phase, release, or production deployment. The outcome of testing plays a significant role in assessing the overall quality of the software and guiding the necessary actions for improvement.