Methods of functional testing
Regardless of what type of functional test is performed, there are several methods and QA testing tools that may be employed to execute tests and gather data.
- Manual scripted testing is typically used when very complex tests must be run, when adhering to strict regulations that require documentation, and when testing legacy systems doesn’t easily support automated tests.
- Exploratory testing is a form of manual testing where testers set out to understand how the software works and then identify different tests to run based on that understanding. Since exploratory testing is not scripted, it typically mirrors how users will interact with the software in actual practice.
- Automated testing can be used in a variety of scenarios to run tests more quickly and improve the accuracy of results.
- Behavior-driven development (BDD) testing is a method that encourages collaboration between testers, developers, product owners, and others to create a shared understanding about requirements. BDD testing is focused on users and delivers high levels of efficiency and effectiveness in user experience testing.
- Risk-based testing prioritizes tests for high-risk areas of software and mitigates risk by ensuring a high level of test coverage. Risk-based testing is often used to focus testing resources efficiently.