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Test Cycles

Test cycles are a core component of the Appvibe Test Management for monday.com, designed to help teams organize and execute groups of test cases around specific releases, sprints, or milestones. A Test Cycle is essentially a collection of related test cases that need to be executed together to validate the functionality or quality of your system. Test cycles streamline the testing process by grouping test cases for efficient execution and reporting.

What is a Test Cycle?

A Test Cycle is a group of test cases, often linked to a specific release, sprint, or milestone in your project. It allows you to track the execution of multiple test cases together, record their outcomes, and assess overall system quality at specific points in the development process.

Test cycles make it easier to:

  • Manage large-scale test executions by organizing test cases into logical groups.
  • Track progress across multiple test cases.
  • Ensure that critical test cases are executed in a systematic and organized manner.

Creating a Test Cycle:

  1. Navigate to Your Test Management Board in monday.com.
  2. Click ‘Create Test Cycle’: This option is available on your test management board, allowing you to start a new cycle.
  3. Name Your Test Cycle: Provide a meaningful name (e.g., "Sprint 10 Functional Test Cycle" or "Release 1.2 Regression Test").
  4. Select Test Cases: Add test cases to the cycle by selecting them from your library. You can choose test cases related to specific features or requirements based on your test strategy.
  5. Set Priorities: Define the priority level for each test case in the cycle (e.g., High, Medium, Low) to ensure that critical tests are run first.
  6. Assign Testers: Assign individual testers or groups responsible for executing the test cases in the cycle.
  7. Define Deadlines: Set deadlines for when the test cycle should be completed, helping teams stay on track and meet project timelines.

Executing a Test Cycle:

Once your test cycle is created, it's time to execute the tests and track the results.

  1. Launch the Test Cycle: When you're ready to execute the cycle, click the "Start Cycle" button.
  2. Execute Test Cases: Testers can begin running the individual test cases assigned to them. As they complete each test case, they will mark it as Passed, Failed, or Blocked, depending on the outcome.
    • Recording Actual Results: Testers should record the actual results of each test case, comparing them to the expected outcomes defined in the test case.
    • Reporting Defects: If a test case fails or encounters a bug, testers can report defects directly within the monday.com board, linking them to the failed test case.
  3. Monitor Progress: Use the Test Cycle Dashboard to track the status of all test cases within the cycle. You can see how many test cases have been executed, how many have passed, failed, or are blocked, and how much of the cycle remains incomplete.

Re-running Test Cycles:

If defects are identified during the execution of a test cycle, or if new features are added, you may need to re-run certain test cases. Appvibe allows you to:

  • Clone Test Cycles: Quickly create a copy of a previous test cycle for re-execution.
  • Add or Remove Test Cases: Modify test cases in a cloned cycle to include newly added functionality or exclude obsolete tests.

Test Cycle Reporting:

After a test cycle has been completed, you can generate reports to analyze the results. Test cycle reports provide insights into the pass/fail rate, defects identified, and overall quality metrics. These reports can help you:

  • Assess whether the product is ready for release or further testing is needed.
  • Identify problematic areas that require attention.
  • Understand test coverage and traceability.

Benefits of Test Cycles:

  • Organized Testing: Grouping test cases into cycles helps manage complex projects more effectively, ensuring nothing is missed.
  • Tracking and Accountability: Test cycles provide a clear picture of test execution progress, allowing stakeholders to track the quality of the product throughout development.
  • Improved Focus: By prioritizing test cases within a cycle, critical areas of the product are tested first, reducing the risk of releasing buggy or incomplete features.
  • Efficient Reporting: Test cycle reports make it easy to see overall quality, helping teams make informed go/no-go decisions.

Best Practices for Test Cycles:

  1. Define Clear Objectives: Before creating a test cycle, make sure you understand what the cycle is meant to validate (e.g., a specific feature set, regression tests, etc.).
  2. Organize by Sprint or Release: Align your test cycles with your development sprints or product releases to ensure all new or updated features are tested before going live.
  3. Review Test Cycle Reports: After each test cycle, review the reports to identify gaps in coverage or recurring issues that require attention.
  4. Automate Where Possible: Consider automating certain test cases in your test cycles to increase efficiency and reduce manual effort.

By using test cycles in Appvibe Test Management, teams can systematically validate their products and track progress toward ensuring the highest quality before release. This feature helps to ensure that all critical aspects of the product are tested thoroughly and efficiently.

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