The question could have multiple answers depending upon the situation. However, the answer isn’t so simple. Depending upon the diversity of the situation, company, and product, different answers could fit different scenarios. The best answer could be identified by generalizing all the situations, as each organization has its own instinctive precedents.
If a product passes all the tests that you ran, you would possibly believe that all the possible risks have been addressed by the test by covering all the features and scenarios. However, this doesn’t ensure you that you will get the best possibility or a generalized one.
Almost every testing activity involves a fine equity between time, quality, and budget. A likely way is to determine the software status, possibly by the QA manager or the lead tester. Since, it’s believed that the QA manager has all the required skill set, it’s easy to determine the correct time to stop testing. Some of the qualities of a test lead that can help in determining the status of a software are mentioned below.
- Understanding all considerations and risks involved
- Testers skill set
- Knowledge of the running test cases
- Awareness about the tracked, fixed, and unfixed defects
The final decision is taken once the information is passed to various stakeholders by the QA manager. However, the QA manager might not be aware of certain release criteria. This includes market aspects, sales goals, legal necessities, budgets, user expectations, project releases, and more.
The best way to decide whether to terminate testing or not, is to allow a group of individuals to analyze the knowledge of different companies. In decisions based on such group of people, the tester’s knowledge about the tested application remains the most vital component. Moreover, the risks involved while releasing the software is equally important.
In case of an absence of a lead tester or a QA manager, you could be responsible to inform and decide about the status of the software. Even if you are not a manager, you could be relied on to help them keep informed when it comes to deciding if the software is ready for production.
