[Tech Blog] Factors on deciding what Test Management Tool to use

With the IT industry evolving/changing every single day, companies or projects, or teams are finding ways on how to keep up with the trend and not be outdated. In order to achieve that goal, aside from implementing new technology and increasing the automated processes involved, testing is also vital whether it’s manual or automated, or both.

With the right planned and organized testing involved, you can deliver features faster with higher quality and accommodate more of your user’s needs. One way to achieve that goal is by using test management tools. Hello, my name is Gerald, and I’m a QA engineer in AnyMind’s AnyManager team. I would like to share my experience and insights in using test management tools.

What is a test management tool?

Basically, they are tools that manage your testing from the moment the requirements are defined, to writing your test scenarios, to executing the test, until the time we deliver the finished feature or product to the users. Some of you may say, all of this can be done manually. But, for me personally, it’s an efficient way of handling your testing.

Why use a test management tool?

Every test management tool in the market has its pros and cons, but here are the things I’ve considered when my previous project offered me to use one:

1. Easy integration with your Project Management tool

   We are already in an age in the software development process, where project management tools are widely used in managing every IT project. Since we are using JIRA, a project management tool by Atlassian, the tool I choose can be integrated with it. Once it is integrated, what’s next?

2. Can be easily planned

   Once the test management tool is integrated with JIRA, the tests involved should be part of the planning. Specifically, what tests are to be administered during that software development cycle, like functional tests, regression tests, smoke tests. So testing tickets were created and linked to the JIRA tickets for that software development cycle. In addition, priorities were given as well, which platform this test should be executed, which software version this test involved, who is assigned to do this test.

3. Can easily write your test cases/scenarios

   Once, the tests were created, test cases/scenarios can be easily written and linked to those created tests. Also, the test management tool should have the ability to import or export test cases. Just to reduce the time of typing.

4. Easy integration with automation tools and CI/CD

   Personally, I haven’t done any actual automation tests using the test management tool that I’ve chosen. But, this should be part of the consideration since regression testing and smoke testing were executed a lot. It can also be integrated with the CI/CD your project is using.

5. Reusability

   This is one of the pros of using test management tools, reusing the tests you have executed before. Another use case I used is when a test was not finished in a current software development cycle and it is going to be carried over to the next cycle. Instead of creating a new one, we are gonna use the same test and execute the remaining test cases/scenarios. This is to reduce again the time of typing.

6. Traceability

   Another pro of using test management tools. Every resource from the Product Owner, Project Manager, Developers, and QAs in the project can view what tests were administered for that software development cycle.

   If you can dive in deeper, everyone can actually see what are the test cases/scenarios involved in a user story, how many tests for those test cases/scenarios were executed. How many of the tests for that user story are passed, failed, or ongoing. This kind of information/data is vital on how to improving your testing moving forward.

7. Reporting and Dashboard

   Of course, it would be nice if all these can be viewed through a report or dashboard. Easier to see and can be shown immediately to clients, stakeholders.

8. Customer support

   It would be nice if the test management tools have some who knows how to use it to guide you through everything and also can solve some of your issues or cater your suggestions.

9. Hosting and pricing

   Of course, everything comes down to a price. Do you consider a tool that is cheaper but provides only a few features with limited hosting or a tool that is expensive that will provide you everything?

   I’m not saying that we choose always the expensive one that provides everything. This decision should be a team and management agreement and the long-term effect of it has to be considered.

What are some of the test management tools I’ve considered and used?

I’ve checked PractiTest, TestRail, TestLodge, QMetry & Zephyr. But, taken all of the criteria I’ve set above, I’ve chosen QMetry for my previous project.

Final wrap

I’m not saying that you should always consider there factors that I’ve listed and the tools I’ve used or considered and also let’s use the test management tools right away. At the end of the day, It is really an agreement with the management and the team with the pricing, the fit, and most importantly are we ready for it.

Hopefully, this blog can be insightful and be a big help.