Test Case Design Techniques

Test case design techniques help in creating effective test cases to ensure software quality. These techniques are categorized into three main types:

• Black Box Testing
• White Box Testing
• Experience-Based Testing

Black Box Testing Techniques

Black box testing focuses on testing the functionality of the application without knowing the internal code structure.

• Equivalence Partitioning: Divides input data into valid and invalid partitions to reduce the number of test cases while maintaining coverage.
• Boundary Value Analysis: Tests the boundary values of input data since errors often occur at edges.
• Decision Table Testing: Uses tables to represent different combinations of inputs and corresponding outputs.
• State Transition Testing: Validates the behavior of the system under different states and transitions.
• Use Case Testing: Ensures system behavior aligns with real-world user scenarios.

 

White Box Testing Techniques

White box testing is based on the internal code and logic of the application.

• Statement Coverage: Ensures every statement in the code is executed at least once.
• Branch Coverage: Ensures that every possible branch (if-else conditions) is executed.
• Path Coverage: Tests all possible execution paths in the program.
• Loop Testing: Focuses on testing loops within the code to check for infinite loops or incorrect iterations.

Experience-Based Testing Techniques

These techniques rely on tester intuition, experience, and knowledge of past defects.

• Error Guessing: Test cases are derived based on previous experience and common defects.
• Exploratory Testing: Testers explore the application without predefined test cases to find defects dynamically.
• Ad-hoc Testing: Informal testing performed without structured test cases.

 

Test case design techniques help in achieving efficient testing by covering different aspects of software functionality and code structure. Choosing the right technique ensures better defect detection and higher software quality.