Top 5 tips for implementing test management successfully in your organization

Test management improves Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) and Design Control (ISO 13485 Clause 7) process, by providing a systematic approach to planning, designing, executing, and reporting on software testing activities. This includes creating and maintaining test case procedures, test plans, test scripts, tracking defects, and managing test environments.

By implementing a test management tool, organizations can improve communication and collaboration among team members, increase visibility into the testing process, and ensure that quality standards are being met. This ultimately leads to a more efficient and effective software development process.

Industries under heavy regulation require evidence of traceability to test protocols and their result report. It is part of the Design History File (DHF) and Design Master Records (DMR) information needed to be presented to regulatory bodies such as the FDA, CE, etc.

Consider these factors, to determine if a test management tool is a good fit for your organization’s ALM process.

1. Define a clear testing strategy and objectives:

Have a clear understanding of what you are trying to accomplish with your testing. This will help you to prioritize your testing efforts and ensure that you are testing the most important features and functionality.

A clear testing strategy and objectives are essential for ensuring the quality of a software product. A testing strategy outlines the overall approach to testing, including the types of tests that will be performed, the resources that will be used, and the schedule for testing. Objectives provide specific, measurable goals that the testing efforts aim to achieve. Together, the strategy and objectives set the courses for the testing process and help ensure that the testing efforts are aligned with the project’s overall goals. A clear testing strategy and objectives also help to communicate testing expectations to stakeholders and team members and provide a framework for evaluating the success of the testing process.

Orcanos dashboards provide a bird’s eye view of defects and how they spread between the different modules of the product or software.
The dashboard panel below gives an insight into what section or module suffered  more from bugs.

Defect density reports like that represent the effectiveness of the tests run and the sensitivity of the product in terms of functionality. Insights from this panel will help to build the strategy of the test plan.

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2. Establish a master test (validation) plan (MVP):

A test plan is a document that outlines the scope, approach, resources, and schedule for testing. It is a regulatory requirement to have a master test plan before any major release of the finished product. This plan is also part of the Design History File (DHF) and needs to be controlled by revisions accordingly.

A well-defined test plan will help ensure that testing is thorough and consistent.

Establishing a test plan is a crucial step in the software testing process. It is a document that outlines the testing approach, resources, schedule, and objectives for a specific project. The test plan should include the scope of testing, the test environment, the test cases that will be executed, and the testing schedule. It should also detail the roles and responsibilities of the testing team, and identify any risks or assumptions associated with the testing effort. By having a clear test plan in place, the testing team can ensure that testing is thorough and comprehensive and that the testing process is aligned with the overall goals of the project. It also provides a clear reference point for testing progress and allows for better communication and coordination among team members.

A quality plan should be created and followed throughout the testing process.

This should consist of the quality objectives, procedures, and processes that need to be followed to ensure an effective test and guarantee the safety of any patient using the device.

On orcanos, as seen below, a Test master validation plan holds 3 main paragraphs: planning, description, and results.

Below the detailed MVP plan, all the tests are managed under their related product module.

Orcanos helps you put in place a test plan that is consolidated under an execution set. Execution sets can run many tests under a specific theme or feature. Each test can have a set of steps that all are recorded and can be displayed on special reports providing a full image of a specific release with all its test run and their status.

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3. Choose the right tools:

A wide variety of tools are available for managing and executing tests. Some common test management tools include test case management software, bug tracking software, and load testing tools. More on how to select the suitable tool is discussed later on in this article.

Orcanos test work item provides an easy way to define tests, manage them, and add steps with their expected results.

Once a test has been executed, a special report will detail each step’s run status, and its actual results, and also display information on the expected results.

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4. Track and manage defects (Bugs):

It’s important to track and manage defects that are discovered during testing. This can be done using a bug tracking tool, which allows you to record details about the defect, assign it to a developer for resolution, and track its status through to closure.

The submission file to the authorities such as FDA and CE should include the list of remaining defects in the product and the matching justification regarding the risks these defects may apply to safety if at all.

Tracking and managing defects is a critical aspect of test management. Defects are any issues or bugs that are discovered during the testing process. In order to ensure that a software product is of high quality, it is important to track and manage these defects effectively. Test management tools typically provide a way to log, track, and report defects. This allows the testing team to identify and prioritize defects, assign them to the appropriate team members for resolution, and monitor the progress of their solution. It also provides a clear view of the software product’s overall quality and helps identify areas that need improvement. By tracking and managing defects effectively, organizations can ensure that any issues are addressed in a timely manner and that the final product meets the quality standards.

During a test run, Orcanos allows you to report related bugs that will be traceable to the test they were found on.

The defect adds to the data displayed on the density report, mentioned earlier.

Automatic traceability to Defects reported from a specific Test ( Orcanos ALM & QMS )

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5. Continuously improve the testing process:

Testing is an ongoing process, and it’s important to continuously review and improve your approach to ensure that it is effective and efficient. This may involve making changes to your test plan, choosing different tools, or adopting new testing techniques.

‍6. Continuously improve the testing process:

Testing is an ongoing process, and it’s important to continuously review and improve your approach to ensure that it is effective and efficient. This may involve making changes to your test plan, choosing different tools, or adopting new testing techniques.

How do I determine that a specific test management tool is good for my organization?

Choosing the right tools for test management is important for ensuring the success of the testing process. Test management tools are designed to help organizations plan, execute, and report on software testing activities. When choosing a test management tool, it is important to consider the specific needs of your organization and the types of projects that will be managed.

There are several key features to look for when evaluating a test management tool for its suitability in an Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) process:

Test case management: The tool should provide a way to create, manage, and organize test cases, test plans, and test scripts.

1. Defect tracking: It should have the ability to track, report and manage defects found during testing.

2. Test execution: The tool should allow you to execute tests, track test results, and provide detailed reporting of testing results.

3. Integrations: The tool should integrate with other tools in the ALM process, such as a requirements management tool and a project management tool.

4. Collaboration: The tool should support collaboration and communication among team members, including the ability to share test results and defects.

5. Scalability: The tool should be able to handle large and complex projects, and support multiple teams working on the same project.

6. Customizable: The tool should be customizable to suit the specific needs of your organization.

7. Ease of use: The tool should be easy to use and have a user-friendly interface.

In conclusion, effective test management and Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) are essential for ensuring the quality and reliability of software applications. By implementing best practices for test planning, execution, and reporting, as well as integrating ALM tools and processes into the software development cycle, teams can improve their ability to identify and resolve issues early on, and ultimately deliver higher-quality products to customers. With the right approach, test management and ALM can be powerful tools for driving innovation and improving business outcomes.

Orcanos as an ALM and a QMS SAAS solution provides the right environment for test management integration within a set of ALM  processes.

It allows full traceability throughout all the processes where test management is weaved inside, providing a continuous quality check from a bird’s eye view on the ALM processes that are running throughout the organization it is implemented in.